AODA Requirements
AODA is the provincial government act which determines guidelines, obligations and sanctions around providing accessibility in Ontario, including access to websites.
Beginning January 21, 2021 all public websites and web content posted after January 2012 must meet WCAG (web content accessibility guidelines) 2.0 level AA standards.
Websites and web content pertains to appearance, functionality, and content. AODA uses WCAG – the set of standards defined by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
What this means in terms of WCAG:
Perceivable: Information and user interface component must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive.
- Provide text alternatives for any non-text content so that it can be changed into other forms people need, such as large print, speech, or simpler language.
- Provide alternatives for time-based media.
- Create content that can be presented in different ways (for example simpler layout) without losing information or structure.
- Make it easier for users to see and hear content including separating foreground from background.
Operable: User interface components and navigation must be operable.
- Make all functionality available from a keyboard.
- Provide users enough time to read and use content.
- Do not design content in a way that is known to cause seizures.
- Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.
Understandable: Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable.
- Make text content readable and understandable.
- Make Web pages appear and operate in predictable ways.
- Help users avoid and correct mistakes.
Robust: Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.
- Maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.
In cases where you can’t make the website or web content accessible, information it contains must be made available upon request.