Making your activism accessible

"Universal accessibility is the character of a product, process, service, information or environment which, with a view to fairness and an inclusive approach, allows anyone to carry out activities independently and to obtain equivalent results." - Groupe DÉFI Accessibilité (GDA) & Ex Aequo" 

Ex Aequo distinguishes accessibility from adaptation:

Adaptation would consist of changes made in order to accommodate people in relation to “an environment, a communication, a program, or an already existing service ”.

We adapt when we build a subway with only stairs, then add elevators several years later.

We make it universally accessible when we provide access ramps to the buses. 

Accessibility in places

Choice of Location

Universal Accessibility Collective suggests that in a universally accessible place, a person in a wheelchair can move around in all the rooms and access a toilet. Doors must be 800mm minimum The dimensions of a toilet cubicle must be 1500 x 1500mm minimum All paths that the person must take must be obstacle-free and must have a clear width of at least 920 mm. Check if the place is not under construction or renovation, which could make the space temporarily inaccessible. The entrance must be a single level or equipped with an access ramp and must be at least 800 mm wide. SeeSins Invalid for more on accessible infrastructure   Some of the further suggests Sins Invalid offers based on your choice of location include  :  Being upfront about barriers. Have an accessibility coordinator assigned at the event and livestream if possible. Fluorescent lighting can make spaces inaccessible some. Ask for consent for flash photography. Is there space and flexibility for those that get overstimulated or tired? Bathrooms… Are they accessible and safe for everyone to use? Note that winter snow will always make accessibility more difficult for folks with limited mobility. Consider where people can access with and leave strollers for small children.

Meeting Attendees Needs

Universal Accessibility Collective suggests... Provide babysitting services if possible. In buses, provide space for children's pushchairs. Plan meals that respect the dietary restrictions of the participants. If food is on sale, provide free or low-cost options. Ensure you have accessibility helpers for those in need as requests arise. Sins Invalid offers further suggestions which include... Being transparent about the schedule for the event. Are speakers using plain language that most people will know? Are interpreters available for the event for community members who have a language other than English? If food is part of the gathering, share ingredient lists.

Good Practices

Universal Accessibility Collective suggests: Have support staff available when needed. Choose a place (departure and arrival) that is accessible by public transport including adapted transport that is close to toilets and shelter (from the sun or the rain). Having people waiting at these places allows people with reduced mobility to be accompanied while waiting for transport. If the event cannot be universally accessible, offer other ways to participate, such as actions that can be done remotely. Planning an activity with several components promotes the involvement of people with reduced mobility. Preparation Example: I want to organize a demonstration in front of the Sheraton hotel. I look at paratransit services. I walk between the transport stop and the hotel (or the route to the event, if my action intends to be mobile). If there are hills, it will be necessary to provide people to help people in manual wheelchairs.

Creating a Safe Space

According to UK Mutual Aid, there are things groups can do to ensure that people feel comfortable coming to an event and expressing their concerns in the context of racism  : Publicize the organization's anti-racism position and how the organization will deal with a situation of racism. Have staff available that are Black, Indigenous and Persons of colour in case of a person's concerns, insecurity or distress. Do not publicize the event with images of BIPOC people unless they occupy an important place within the event itself (in terms of resources allocated, people invited, partner groups, staff...).

To ensure people feel comfortable coming to an event and expressing their concerns in the context of misogyny, sexism and transphobia: Have staff with different gender identities available in case of a person's concerns, insecurity or distress. Ask people who participate to write or say pronoun (s). Have toilets identified by the infrastructure they contain rather than illustrations or gendered vocabulary.

To ensure people feel comfortable coming to an event and expressing their concerns in the context of poverty or being low-income  :

Have support staff available. Provide free tickets or make contributions voluntary based on income. Consider whether internet access is necessary for participation. Make the event accessible to people with different academic levels and learning needs. Provide adapted vocabulary or accompanying documents. Check the needs of the people invited (speakers, facilitators, presenters, etc.).

IMPORTANT: Take the necessary precautions according to the space in order to avoid accidents and prevent unfortunate situations in the event of an emergency.

Examples: remember to cover electrical wires, identify or cover slippery surfaces, ensure that outdoor spaces are well lit and that the identified emergency exits are functional.

Accessibility in Communications

There are many things to consider when it comes to accessible communication, from formatting to the language used.

Accessible communication is extremely important. Nearly half, about 48%, of people in what's colonially called Canada do not have sufficient literacy skills.

https://www.plainlanguage.gov/about/definitions/#:~:text=The%20Plain%20Writing%20Act%20of,not%20be%20plain%20to%20others.

General

Think about the accessibility of communications even before they are published. Learn about the types of disabilities that may affect the accessibility of communications. When a document is published online, make an HTML version available (the only universal format currently) Include visual illustrations and descriptions of them.

Text form

Avoid fonts with serifs or italics Choose contrasting colors Check the contrast of the chosen colors with Contrast Finder At face-to-face events, have hard copies to hand out to people who don't have access to a computer Cut content Use short sentences Use short paragraphs Use lists instead of paragraphs Use narrower columns Use sufficient text size Use line spacing enlarged to 1.5 Illustrate text with images or videos

Contents

Use simple language Promote gender-neutral writing and speech If topics concerning BIPOC people are on the agenda, it is important that these be brought forward specifically by people from these groups. Make a content warning before mentioning potentially emotional content Example: the student community (to be recommended) See the HUB's Inclusive Writing Guide Periods and midpoints should be avoided as they can interfere with the task of screen readers. The feminization of speech does not include non-binary people [8] . Tips for maximizing accessibility according to the specific type of online document (Word texts, Word forms, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, PDF documents) available  here It is possible to test accessibility for people with visual impairments with screen readers such as NVDA, JAWS, Window-Eye and Voice Over.

Specific to websites

To test the accessibility of a website, it is possible to use the WAVE tool . Ensure that the options displayed with the mouse can also be displayed (elsewhere if necessary) using only a keyboard. Make text highlighting possible

Specific to videos

Offer subtitling Offer a text transcript

Resources

Web Accessibility Promotion Lab

Slides from the Ex Aequo workshop

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1)