May 2024 AAACT Now for AccessibilityNewsletter

We are thrilled to launch the first edition of AAACT Now for Accessibility, a newsletter from Shared Services Canada’s Accessibility, Accommodation and Adaptive Computer Technology (AAACT) team. The AAACT Now for Accessibility newsletter includes news and insights on digital accessibility so we can all contribute to disability inclusion.

Sneak Peek Into Our New Accessible Workspace

We are working hard to establish a new client service centre for GC employees and workspace for our AAACT team at 219 Laurier Avenue West in Ottawa. This new space uses universal design principles to ensure accessibility for all. It will feature automatic sliding doors with push columns for easy access, along with sensory rooms, controllable light and temperature settings, and tactile markers.

Additionally, the new space will showcase adaptive technologies available for public servants. “Our new space is a model of what an accessible workspace can look like,” says Nadine Charron, Senior Director of the AAACT team. “Our new Accessibility Hub is designed for collaboration. It brings together the team’s diverse expertise so we can best serve our clients in one welcoming, barrier-free location. We are proud to showcase this as a model of an inclusive work environment.”

We are excited to share a preview of this new space as a model of inclusivity. Watch for more information on the opening of this space in the coming months!

Gearing Up For National AccessAbility Week

Join us in celebrating National AccessAbility Week (NAAW) from May 26 to June 1, 2024. NAAW is a week to promote inclusion and accessibility in our communities and workplaces, to celebrate our progress and to be inspired to further break down accessibility barriers. To celebrate NAAW, federal public servants can attend a virtual event on May 27, 2024. The theme for this event is, “Brave Conversations, Bold Actions: Daring to go further on accessibility in the workplace.” For more information, including how to register, please visit the NAAW 2024 GCpedia page . (You need to be on a GC network or connected through a Virtual Private Network to access GCPedia.)

At SSC, our AAACT program provides a diverse range of accommodation and adaptive technology solutions for GC employees and our expertise in accessible digital content ensures GC products and services are available to everyone. Contact us to learn more about how our team can assist you in making your workplace or services more accessible.

AAACT is responsible for SSC’s Accessibility Plan 2022-25 and Government of Canada employees can provide feedback, through our feedback form, on the accessibility of SSC as an employer and of the enterprise IT services that we offer to the GC. As we mark National AccessAbility Week, we encourage you to read our accessibility plan and provide any feedback you have on accessibility at SSC.

Get to Know the Team

Crystal Van Boxtel leads the individual client services team in the AAACT program. AAACT’s Lending Library service was launched as a pilot in 2020. It provided expedited adaptive technologies and tools through short-term loans to over 500 clients in the public service. This rapid delivery service supported short-term employees, such as students, and people with short-term needs, including after an injury, up until March 31, 2024. This successful pilot is now being integrated as an ongoing service in the AAACT program, offering shorter timelines to more clients depending on their individual needs. We asked Crystal about adaptive technologies for her and her clients.

Question: How do you determine the appropriate tools for each employee?

Crystal: There is no one-size-fits-all accommodation. People have unique ways of working. For example, not all blind people use JAWS (a screen-reading software with text-to-speech or Braille display). I was born with Stargardt disease, a rare eye condition that erodes my central vision and colour perception. My first adaptive device was a handheld magnifying glass when I was a kid. Today, I use a screen reader, screen magnifier and inverted colours. At the Lending Library, we consider each person’s unique way of working and work environment. For example, someone at Service Canada who works in an office and interacts with the public has very different requirements than someone at Parks Canada who works outdoors. We take an individualized approach to determine the right tools that empower each person to do their job effectively.

Question: What are some of the adaptive technologies and tools you provide?

Crystal: The Lending Library provides a huge range of devices, from common items like headsets to more specialized equipment like braille keyboards. Another effective tool is an e-ink monitor. It is similar to a Kindle or e-reader because it does not use light for display. People with light sensitivities, (including people with a brain injury), have told us that this technology has been life-changing for them.

Question: People with disabilities form nearly 30% of your team. Why is representation important to you?

Crystal: Our people have lived experience with disability, so they understand the life-changing impact of the right device or technique. People with disabilities tend to be more creative since they find workarounds every day, navigating a world that was not built for us. Having people with disabilities on your team makes a more robust team. They inform good, inclusive design, so every single person benefits.

To learn more about how the Lending Library can help you, please visit our “How can AAACT help you?” services page.

Upcoming Accessibility Training and Events

Did you know that AAACT offers a range of free accessibility training and events for all GC employees? In June 2024, we will host a session on how to create accessible Word documents and PowerPoint presentations. This workshop will also help you identify accessibility issues and conduct accessibility checks.

Later in June we will host a session on understanding digital accessibility and disability inclusion. This training is packed with useful information on accessibility issues and will help participants understand why digital content, websites and other forms of information and communication technology must be accessible.

English and French sessions are available. For the full list of training and events, and information on how to register, please visit our GC Accessibility Training and Events page. (You need to be on a GC network or connected through a Virtual Private Network to access GCPedia.)

Digital Accessibility Hack - Plain Language

Many of us can’t resist the urge to embellish our language with fancy words, jargon, and acronyms, but the extra decoration muddies our message. Plain language ensures everyone can understand our content. Plain language writing uses short sentences and words we use every day. To learn more about plain language and making your documents accessible, visit How to create accessible documents in Microsoft 365 - Digital Accessibility Toolkit (canada.ca).

Accessibility Feedback Spotlight

“In our team meetings, presenters often use PowerPoint. That’s a big problem for me as someone with low vision. I can’t see the content the presenters refer to.” - comment received through SSC’s accessibility feedback form.

The Web Accessibility Initiative, which develops standards and materials to implement accessibility, advises sharing accessible documents in advance of meetings. This gives people time to review documents at their own pace. To make your content more accessible in virtual meetings, select the “PowerPoint Live” option instead of sharing your screen. This option enables people to zoom in and out of the slides and change slides at their own pace. This option can also be read by screen readers.

If you have ideas to improve accessibility at SSC, you can provide feedback on accessibility at Shared Services Canada.

Contact us for more information about the AAACT Newsletter at our email: aaact-aatia@ssc-spc.gc.ca