Recently, RC Design redesigned and also transformed Children’s Aid Society of Toronto’s (CAST) website so that it reflects AODA standards.
CAST exists to protect children from abuse and neglect and to offer support to family and communities. It’s a big mission – one that can be better achieved when all pertinent information on their site is accessible to everyone.
SO, WHAT ARE AODA STANDARDS?
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005 exists to prevent barriers for people with disabilities in daily life by 2025; with five year milestones until full compliancy is reached. From an online perspective, this requires web developers to integrate AODA-compliant elements into all design processes.
AODA standards vary from simple front-end compliancy like: using high contrast colours and text to convey information indicating an action, conveying information, prompting a response or distinguishing a visual element, keyboard accessible interface, screen reader adaptability, label description in form fields, pre-recorded audio descriptions and writing simple content.
Other more complex coding and backend requirements include but not limited to: using label elements to associate text labels with form controls (HTML), identifying errors and describing errors in texts to users, providing labels or instructions when content requires user input, and positioning labels to maximize predictability of relationships.
Standards for AODA compliancy are robust from both a visual and programming standpoint. From integrating audio-visual cues to programing the site to be keyboard-accessible, working with a design agency that is able to integrate these processes succinctly is mission-critical.
CAST REDESIGN
CAST’s online presence is now as big and bold as their mission. The intuitive and easy-to-navigate redesign is welcoming, simple and organized coherently. Relevant information is searchable to volunteers, stakeholders and potential parental candidates. Two custom designed secure portals were created specifically for existing foster parents and board members.
The foster parent portal is a resource and information hub that provides foster parents a place to connect to see latest announcement, sign up for courses that offer support, view policies and interact on a message board. The board member portal was designed to offer informational support to staff.
RC Design has designed several AODA sites including: Toronto, Durham, York Region Children’s Aid Society, as well as Children Welfare Institute.
Please contact us if you require further information on AODA compliancy.
