Other Accessibility Services

AccessAbility Advantage

Your one-stop shop for accessibility consulting for the AODA.
Affordable plans that you can implement over time to meet the Standards.

How to get started

• Get advice from experienced professionals who were involved with Standards development
• Create a plan that you can implement over time to meet the Standards
• Take a practical, pragmatic approach
• Keep it affordable

We have 50+ years of experience making places accessible

AccessAbility Advantage provides

• AODA Compliance Strategy
• Customer Service Compliance including evaluations, policy work and training
• Information and Communication Compliance including audits of electronic presence, recommendations and training
• Employment Policy and Procedure Compliance including evaluations, policy work, training and employment supports
• Built Environment Accessibility including audits, construction design and management

AccessAbility Advantage
10 Overlea Blvd., Toronto, Ontario M4H 1A4
Telephone: (416) 425-3463 x 7286 / 1 (800) 263-3463 x 7286
E-mail AccessAbility Advantage: fjewett@AccessAbilityAdvantage.ca
Website of AccessAbility Advantage: www.AccessAbilityAdvantage.ca

Accessibility Experts Ltd.

Organizational Overview

Accessibility Experts is an accessibility consulting and training firm that is passionate about making Ontario accessible. The company was developed in 2008 to help public and private sector organizations across Ontario to comply with legislative laws being implemented under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). With five new legislative standards being implemented (Customer Service, Communication and Information, Built Environment, Transportation and Employment) it is important that organizations seek expert assistance in order to comply.

Accessibility Experts have extensive background and expertise in all areas of the legislation and the needs of persons with disabilities.

Our company goal is to help organizations to meet each required standard.

Accessibility Experts provide:

• Accessibility Planning and Development
• Accessible Customer Service Training
• Policy Review and Development
• Standards Compliance Advice and Research
• Reporting Requirements and Documentation
• Accessible Communication Plans and Websites
• Proposal Writing
• Built Environment Assessments and estimates

Extensive consultation processes are undertaken with all customers to identify and develop each organization's individual requirement. We design accessible customer service training that is tailored to the individual needs of the company; training that ensures you are meeting the requirements for the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

Accessibility Experts have worked with many public organizations; townships, cities, regional governments, hospitals, libraries, school boards. We are the trainers for Accessible Customer Service for Durham College Corporate Training Services and also trainers for the Association of Municipal Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO), Ontario Hospital Association, Elections Ontario and Ontario Realty Corporation.

We provide the following accessible customer service training options:

• Three Hour Customer Service Training
• One Hour Customer Service Training
• Two Day Implementing Customer Service for Planning and Departmental Leads
• Two Day Accessibility Policies and Practices
• Two Day Train the Trainer
• One Hour On-Line Customer Service Training.

As a company we are dedicated, honest and experienced.

Mailing Address:
372-1288 Ritson Road North
Oshawa, ON L1G 8B2

E-mail Accessibility Experts Ltd.: admin@accessibilityexperts.ca
Website of Accessibility Experts Ltd.: www.accessibilityexperts.ca

Changing Paces

Our Mission

To foster an attitude of accommodation through experiential education and open discussion.

About Us

Changing Paces was the first Disability Awareness Training Firm in Ontario to have developed, tested and implemented an Accessible Customer Service Training program. We are a multiple award-winning company, being a proud recipient of a Georgina Chamber Business Excellence Award and a national SEDI Small Business Award.

We are completely passionate about ensuring that people with disabilities are given the accommodation and unconditional respect that they deserve. Each member of our team of facilitators lives a full life in spite of some type of disability or has been a caregiver to a people with a disability. This enables each one of us to bring a genuine, personal perspective to our workshops.

About Our Services

All modules of our Accessibility Standards training program, "PEOPLE FIRST Accessibility Training" have been specifically designed to fulfill the training requirements defined in the legislated standard(s) established under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and can be customized to meet your specific requirements.

Our Accessible Customer Service training is available in 4 formats:

• 3 Hour Staff Training
• 2 Hour Management Training
• 2 Day Train-the-Trainer
• 1 Hour Overview

Our Accessible Information & Communications training is currently available in 1 format:

• 90 minute Overview on the revised proposed standard

What if your organization does not have the volume of staff to warrant in-house training? We have open enrollment workshops throughout the year at various locations; ask us if there is one coming up near you.

Why not Host an open enrollment workshop at your location and invite surrounding municipalities, organizations or local businesses to attend. We can help you arrange the details and market the event. By hosting your own workshop we can offer you discounts that will help cover some of your own training costs.

We also offer a number of other accessibility services that include:

• Policy Review and Development
• Standards Compliance Advice and Research
• Reporting Requirements and Documentation
• Website Auditing and Recommendations
• Accessible Document Formatting
• Off-line Captioning
• Described Video Service
• Braille Embossing

About Our Clients

Changing Paces has delivered training extensively in the municipal sector, including towns, cities, counties & townships across the Province. Our clients have also included the University of Toronto, Career Centre, Ontario March of Dimes & Family Transition Place. Our partners include March of Dimes Canada, Canadian Management Centre and the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO). We have also been engaged for a keynote address by the Ministry of Government Services, OPS Diversity Office for their Accessibility Expo in May 2009.

The collective backgrounds of our Changing Paces team members spans more than 70 years of working with and advocating for people with disabilities. This makes our team ideally suited to coach your committee, department or organization through the process of gaining the awareness and insight necessary to effectively serving and supporting this population.

Our team will take your staff and volunteers from a place of ambiguity to comfort and confidence by approaching disability awareness with experiential sensitivity.

Mailing Address

136 Bayview Avenue
Keswick, ON L4P 2S9

Contact

Telephone: 905-836-9443
E-mail Changing Paces: sales@changingpaces.com
Changing Paces Website : www.PeopleFirstAccessibilityTraining.com

Disability Awareness Consultants

We teach people who aren't disabled how to work with people who are. Disability Awareness Consultants has been working since 1995 to increase awareness of disability issues in not-for-profit and corporate environments.

We also develop and deliver site audits of the absolute highest standards, to create barrier-free homes workplaces. All of our trainers live with disabilities, and we address the needs of greatest possible number of disability groups.

Training and audits will cover the issues relating to people with physical, vision, speech, learning, intellectual, psychiatric and neurological disabilities, as well as people with chemical sensitivities, facial differences and hearing loss. All services are customized to meet the needs of the clients, and we will research and present information on any new topics that are requested.

Confidential surveys before a workshop help to establish areas of interest or concern for the employees, and follow-up surveys after the workshop inform the business managers what has been learned.

Disability Awareness Consultants Services

• Disability awareness workshops from 2 to 15 hours
• Quick refresher courses for previous participants
• Train-the-Trainer programs
• Customer Service training in compliance with the AODA
• Policy development
• Site audits, and working from building plans
• Consultations with architects
• Barrier-free signage and wayfinding
• Detailed workbooks with over 130 pages of useful information
• Laminated "Tips and Hints" sheets on each disability for quick reference
• Participants receive diplomas upon successful completion of any workshop
• CEO/President, Lauri Sue Robertson, is a member of the Employment Standards Committee of the AODA
• Dual Canadian/U.S. citizenship; can work anywhere in North America
• Services can be provided in French as needed

Telephone: (416) 267-5939
E-mail Lauri Sue Robertson of Disability Awareness Consultants: laurisue@look.ca
Website of Disability Awareness Consultants: www.disabilityawarenessconsultants.com

Effective Accessibility Consulting

Our Mission:

To enhance and enrich the lives of people with disabilities by opening minds through communication, education, and barrier removal.

Our Goal:

To identify, remove and prevent barriers in the public and private sectors in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and the standards within.

Establishing the accessibility needs of businesses, will not only assist us in identifying and removing these barriers, but will also assist people with disabilities in accessing these businesses in order to purchase your products and services.

WELCOME: We Enable Learning (through) Communication Opening Minds & Education

As of January 1, 2008, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005, Customer Service Standards are NOW in effect.

IS YOUR BUSINESS PREPARED?

• Do you know what the Accessibility requirements of your business are?
• Are you aware of how this legislation affects your business and employees?

The Customer Service Standards include:

• Mandatory Sensitivity Awareness/Customer Service Training for all staff (including volunteers) on how to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disability
• Establishment of policies, practices and procedures are required on providing goods or services to people with disabilities
• January 1, 2010 is compliance date for businesses in the PUBLIC sector
• January 1, 2012 is compliance date for businesses in the PRIVATE sector

Effective Accessibility Consulting has solutions.

Effective Accessibility Consulting will assist you with the mandated requirements your business needs.

• With over ten years experience with disability/accessibility issues.
• Vast and updated knowledge of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
• With well developed interactive, fun and educational, Sensitivity Awareness /Customer Service Training workshops in accordance with the Customer Service Standards.
• Accessibility Assessments that meet the requirements of the Ontario Building Code and the Canadian Standards Association - Barrier-Free Design regulations.
• Needs Assessments are performed to determine your company's accessibility NEEDS according to your company's Policies, Procedures and Practices & in conjunction with the Customer Service Standards legislation
• Consultant for municipalities, hospitals, colleges, school boards, and numerous professional organizations.

For more information or to book a consultation NOW call Effective Accessibility Consulting at
Telephone: 705-735-6177 or
E-mail Effective Accessibility Consulting at info@effectiveaccessibility.ca
Web site of Effective Accessibility Consulting at www.effectiveaccessibility.ca

Herrington Group, The

The Herrington Group Ltd is Moving Organizations Beyond Status Quo! Access is our business. Not only are our Associates experts in their field, many of us live with these issues every day. We have refined a successful system that produces exceptional results. Our Access Assessments will review your facilities and operations for architectural, communication, and policy and procedural barriers.

Our Disability Awareness Training Sessions can be custom-designed to meet your needs or you can choose from our extensive curriculum. Each session is led by trained facilitators with disabilities who have first-hand knowledge of the issues and who provide practical tools, approaches and resources. We can also offer train-the-trainer seminars. These seminars provide you with skills and resources to proactively respond to future needs.

Our Human Resources Program provides consulting services for various typical Human Resources situations including: Strategic Planning and Organizational Visioning, Human Resources Planning, Team Building, Policy Design, Candidate Search and Screening, Reference Checking and Contract Design.

Web site of The Herrington Group: www.theherringtongroup.ca

Sinclair Nicholson and Associates (SNA)

In business since 1989, we are a consulting firm which assists organizations, companies, government agencies and departments in finding solutions to workplace-related barriers for persons with hearing loss.

SNA uses a combination of research and analysis techniques, coupled with the latest technology to remove barriers and thereby provide equal access and accommodation. SNA has worked with all levels of government in Canada and our insights have been sought by colleagues in Australia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Telephone - voice: 613.599.1284
TTY: 613.599.1246
E-mail Sinclair Nicholson and Associates: rick@snaconsulting.ca
Website of Sinclair Nicholson and Associates: www.snaconsulting.ca/

Starling Access Services

Accessible Web Page Design

Starling Access Services will design your Web site from the ground up to be both exciting and accessible. While using all the latest Web techniques, we draw on our expertise to provide you with accessible alternatives.

Is your Web site already on-line? Starling Access Services will work with you to increase its accessibility. Or, let us do a detailed analysis of your site and recommend actions to help you reach the widest audience.

Consulting Services

Let us advise you on a wide range of technology, access, and accommodation issues.

Learning Opportunities

Starling Access Services also offers seminars and workshops on a range of topics, including:

• Accessible HTML and Universal Page Design
• Adaptive Computer Technology
• Access Awareness and Job Accommodations

Telephone: 613.820.2272
E-mail Starling Access Services: info@starlingweb.com
Website of Starling Access Services: www.starlingweb.com