Sterling Creations Blog

Welcome to Decemberand it’s time for us to start enjoying fun times with
family and friends!
It’s what I am going to do from now until year’s end.
So let’s kick back and enjoy!
Today I am delighted to share our president’s weekly editorial with you and
for today Donna J. Jodhan reflects on what she learned for 2019.
I encourage you to read on.
I’m Christian Robicheau

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What have I learned this past year?
By Donna J. Jodhan

If I had to be most honest with myself, I would say that I have learned
that over the past year, some things have not changed, while some have
changed.

What has changed for 2019? So we now have an accessible Canada Act! Great
news for our beloved country and now our fingers are crossed that this piece
of legislation will be the card to help push federally regulated companies
along with federal government departments to follow the rules and
regulations of said legislation. We can only hope and pray that this is the
dawning of a new era in Canada when it comes to being able to say that yes!
And finally! Canada has entered into a new era of accessibility.

What has also changed is that Ontario’s Conservative government has found it
necessary to enforce deep and concerning cuts across the board that are
affecting such things as education, health, and legal services.
Unfortunately, changes that should probably not be considered as positive.

What has not changed? That blind and vision impaired Canadians continue to
be left out of various round tables and consultations on vital topics that
directly relate to the daily lives of blind and vision impaired Canadians.
This group’s voice continues to be ignored by organizations for and of
persons with other types of disabilities and even by organizations for the
blind and vision impaired.

What else has not changed? That there are groups out there that expect
persons with a disability to impart their knowledge for free. However I
must say that this is slowly changing for the better but not quickly enough
in my humble opinion.

What else has not changed? That there are still organizations out there who
believe that it is their responsibility to speak on behalf of those with
disabilities. Or that it is their right to enable and allow mainstream
entities to produce products and services and websites for use by persons
with disabilities without even having the courtesy to include input from
persons with disabilities.

What else has not changed? That when government gives grants to an
organization to take the lead in forming coalitions of like minded groups;
said organization often fails to pay invitees or participants for their
input choosing instead to not have the money trickle down to participants.

What else has not changed? That when organizations receive hefty grants to
develop apps that would benefit all Canadians, sadly enough; the needs and
requirements of blind and vision impaired persons are still being ignored.

What else has not changed? That Canada still has the same Prime Minister
but he is now governing in a minority position. Britain is still fretting
over Brexit and how to deal with it and political turmoil continues to reign
in the United States.

Just my two cents for today.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan wishing you a terrific day and weekend.

To reach me, please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca.

Here is a complete list of where you can view Donna’s blogs and editorials.
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly features on how to increase your success with your business ventures
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm
Weekly articles and editorials on issues about accessibility
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog
Learn more about Author Donna Jodhan and her campaign against bullying at
www.jodhanmysterybook.club
Now you can enjoy Donna’s detective DJ crime crushers Series by visiting
http://www.donnajodhan.com

You can follow me on twitter @accessibleworld
and chat with me on Skype at habsfan0526.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Okay now! It’s the very last day of November and what do we have here? O
yes indeed! Here comes December and for this week our president Donna J.
Jodhan is pleased to share her Santa’s wish list!
Happy weekend everyone!
I’m Scott Savoy

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My Santa’s wish list
By Donna J. Jodhan

I hope that I am not too late to submit my Santa’s wish list now that Santa
has finally arrived in the city of Toronto. It is the time of year that I
love most. When I get to fantasize a bit; to wish for those shiny new
electronic gadgets, new kitchen utensils, pots and pans, and why not? For
better things for the world!

This is the time of the year when the lyrics of so many Christmas songs come
floating back into my mind to remind me of what I need to do. First off is
the famous one by Michael Jackson “some day at Christmas” where Michael
wishes for so much. Among his wishes? A world where men are free! Peace
on earth! No more hate, just love! No more hungry children!

I know; this part of my wish list could be viewed as me reaching for the sky
but I can only hope cant’ I? The pots and pans, the kitchen utensils, and
the shiny new gadgets are all so much easier to obtain so why not put a bit
of meaningful spice into my list and ask Santa to see what he can do?

I can only hope that somehow Santa can get through to those world leaders as
they sleep to convince them to listen to Michael. To those terrorists to
drop their guns, and to those with grudges and distorted ideas to change
their minds.

Just my humble two cents for today.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan wishing you a terrific day and weekend.

To reach me, please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca.

Here is a complete list of where you can view Donna’s blogs and editorials.
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly features on how to increase your success with your business ventures
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm
Weekly articles and editorials on issues about accessibility
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog
Learn more about Author Donna Jodhan and her campaign against bullying at
www.jodhanmysterybook.club
Now you can enjoy Donna’s detective DJ crime crushers Series by visiting
http://www.donnajodhan.com

You can follow me on twitter @accessibleworld
and chat with me on Skype at habsfan0526.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

It is almost the end of November and guess that? The holiday season is upon
us now and it is time to join the celebration.

Today, I am delighted to share our president’s weekly editorial with you and
for today, Donna J. Jodhan zooms her intention in on a very rocky legal
system in Ontario.
I wish all of our American friends a wonderful Thanksgiving.
I’m Christian Robicheau

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The importance of legal aid
By Donna J. Jodhan

What happens when one is told that they cannot be represented by lawyers at
a Human rights tribunal hearing because the lawyer in question feels that
the complainant received a reasonable offer but in turn the complainant
vehemently disagrees?
What happens if said complainant does not have the funds to afford the
services of a lawyer?

This is what recently happened when an Ontario Human Rights lawyer informed
their client that they could no longer represent their interests at an
upcoming Human Rights hearing because they felt that their client had
received a reasonable offer from the respondent.

We would probably never know what the real reason would be but we could only
offer these possibilities.
* It may be due to prioritizing due to deep cuts to legal aid.
* It could be that the lawyer in question may not have taken enough time to
fully understand the gravity of the complaint.
* It could be that the lawyer is just following instructions from up above
this being not to go against the present chain of command when it comes to
not rocking the boat within the establishment.

Whatever the reason, this particular complainant is now without any legal
aid support and without going into too many details, and unless this
individual can find a way to obtain proper representation at the upcoming
tribunal hearing; a glaring glitch in our system will only continue to grow.
Most important, a violation of this person’s rights would have been trampled
upon. This is why we need to ensure that legal aid remains in tact for
those who are unable to afford it both financially as well as mentally.

Just my two cents for today.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan wishing you a terrific day and weekend.

To reach me, please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca.

Here is a complete list of where you can view Donna’s blogs and editorials.
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly features on how to increase your success with your business ventures
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm
Weekly articles and editorials on issues about accessibility
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog
Learn more about Author Donna Jodhan and her campaign against bullying at
www.jodhanmysterybook.club
Now you can enjoy Donna’s detective DJ crime crushers Series by visiting
http://www.donnajodhan.com

You can follow me on twitter @accessibleworld
and chat with me on Skype at habsfan0526.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

My goodness! It’s November 16 and here we are already experiencing old man
winter!
However, the Santa Claus parade is tomorrow and I’ll definitely be cheering
on the jolly old fellow.
Well, another cold and refreshing November and today I am pleased to share
our president’s weekly editorial with you.
For this week, Donna J. Jodhan concentrates her attention on complaining and
criticizing.
Happy weekend everyone!
I’m Scott Savoy

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Complaining and criticizing
By Donna J. Jodhan

There is absolutely nothing wrong with complaining and criticizing but what
would probably make it all more effective is how we do it.

If we complain and criticize in an outrageous manner or if we do it in a
nasty way, chances are that 99% of the time our moaning and groaning would
fall on deaf ears. However, if we do it in a constructive way then the
chances of gaining listeners would be much higher.

As they say, it is not what we say but how we say it. It is when we say it
and the words we use to say it. It is the tone of our voices that
determines how it would be received by those around us.

If we shout and swear when we complain and criticize then you can bet your
bottom dollar that almost no one is going to pay attention. However, if we
are calm, collective, and methodical when we complain and criticize then
chances of success will increase dramatically.

If we adopt the right strategy then our complaints and criticisms will more
than likely be viewed as constructive but if we choose to take the noisy
approach then complaints and criticisms will be exactly what they are;
nothing but complaints and criticisms!

Just my two cents for today.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan wishing you a terrific day and weekend.

To reach me, please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca.

Here is a complete list of where you can view Donna’s blogs and editorials.
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly features on how to increase your success with your business ventures
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm
Weekly articles and editorials on issues about accessibility
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog
Learn more about Author Donna Jodhan and her campaign against bullying at
www.jodhanmysterybook.club
Now you can enjoy Donna’s detective DJ crime crushers Series by visiting
http://www.donnajodhan.com

You can follow me on twitter @accessibleworld
and chat with me on Skype at habsfan0526.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Greetings everyone and ah yes! Take a deep breath now and let’s welcome in
the holiday season. A bit premature you might be thinking but not really!
Today I am pleased to share our president’s weekly editorial with you and
for this week Donna J. Jodhan hones in on attitude adjustments.
Happy weekend everyone!
I’m Christian Robicheau
And let us not forget to remember on Nov 11!
We must never forget!

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Attitude adjustments
By Donna J. Jodhan

I am not sure if I could come up with a better way to describe how I feel
today. It is all about attitude adjustments and here are my thoughts.

Entitlement –
I truly believe that we need to take a long hard look at how we feel about
this. In my humble opinion, I do not think that for the most part we should
adopt such an attitude and why? Because more often than not it makes us
lazy, and we are unable to get rid of the haziness.

True it is that we are entitled to our rights under our constitution and our
charter; and that we are entitled to such things as good health care,
education, equal opportunities to employment and social programs, and equal
access to websites but we are not entitled to much more. We are also
entitled to good customer service and the do onto others as you would have
them do onto you!

We are not entitled to such things as inheritances or to expect our parents
to look after us in adulthood. We are not entitled to have them provide us
with food, shelter, and amenities in our adulthood.

Attitude adjustments –
I think that we need to readjust our attitudes to such things as:
Commitment, dedication, respect, courtesy, professionalism, kindness,
generosity, and I will end here for now.

Just my two cents for today.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan wishing you a terrific weekend.
To reach me, please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca

Here is a complete list of where you can view Donna’s blogs and editorials.
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly features on how to increase your success with your business ventures
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm
Weekly articles and editorials on issues about accessibility
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog
Learn more about Author Donna Jodhan and her campaign against bullying at
www.jodhanmysterybook.club
Now you can enjoy Donna’s detective DJ crime crushers Series by visiting
http://www.donnajodhan.com

You can follow me on twitter @accessibleworld
and chat with me on Skype at habsfan0526.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

LSAT will change for all would-be lawyers as a result of blind man’s lawsuit
settlement
“I’ve never had to answer a question like that in any state or federal
court,”
BY DEBRA CASSENS WEISS
OCTOBER 9, 2019, 2:11 PM CDT
The current analytical reasoning section of the Law School Admission Test
will eventually be dropped as a result of a settlement in a lawsuit by a
legally blind man who said he was unable to draw diagrams
to help him answer the questions.
Corrected: But analytical reasoning—also referred to as logic games—will
still be assessed on the test, according to a press release announcing the
settlement. Over the next four years, the Law School
Admission Council will develop different ways of testing analytical
reasoning.
The LSAC will also work with lawsuit plaintiffs Angelo Binno and Shelesha
Taylor to identify additional accommodations that they can use if they take
the test in the future.
The changes are part of a broader review of how to test for fundamental
skills for success in law schools in ways that can improve access for all
test takers.
The LSAC sent an email to law schools on Tuesday saying it is too early to
speculate on how the test will evolve, Law.com reports. Any significant
changes to format will require extensive research, testing
and analysis, the email said. In the meantime, the LSAT will continue to
test analytical reasoning.
Binno had filed his lawsuit against the LSAC in May 2017 after his prior
suit against the ABA was tossed. Taylor had moved to intervene as a
plaintiff after the second suit was filed.
Binno, who lives in metropolitan Detroit, had alleged violations of the
Americans with Disabilities Act and the Michigan Persons with Disabilities
Civil Rights Act. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel
described the settlement in a press release as “a major victory for the
blind and visually impaired
communities.”
Binno and Taylor were represented by the Nyman Turkish law firm.
Lawyer Jason Turkish told Above the Law that he hopes the test won’t look
anything like the current version. He gave this example of a reasoning
question that he considers irrelevant to law practice: A, B,
C, D and E go into a bar and E is next to A and A is next to B and C must be
two spaces over from E. Where is D?
“I’ve never had to answer a question like
that in any state or federal court,” Turkish said, “but that’s how we’re
deciding who’s going to go to law school.”
Source:
http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/lsat-will-change-for-all-would-be-lawyers-as-a-result-of-blind-mans-lawsuit-settlement?
fbclid=IwAR05oVxG0ei8WkeADJqcgLu_2WYzhBg5QJWLi5ZlcvTxWb1bgikOqKB_g0E

Well! I simply cannot believe that November is here and guess what? The
holiday season is just around the corner and I cannot wait to start
celebrating!
Today, I am pleased to share our president’s weekly editorial with you and
for this week Donna J. Jodhan focuses her attention on the power of the
special needs community.
Happy weekend everyone!
I’m Scott Savoy

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The power of our community
By Donna J. Jodhan

For less we forget; I am here to beat a steady drum when it comes to
promoting the power of our community. There are those who honestly feel
that the special needs community probably does not have the power to help
make differences. I say a loud no to this sentiment.

We have shown time and again that through powerful petitioning, professional
behaviour, constructive criticism, and all round level headedness, we can
make a difference.

Our latest display of community power came when we convinced the government
of the day that there needed to be an accessible Canada Act and thanks to
our community it is now legislation.

What I believe that we need to do is to keep on this track. We need to
build our strength in numbers. We need to collaborate more, think more
outside the box, and to keep on hammering to the rest of Canada that
disability does not discriminate when it comes to taking victims! In short,
disability knows no bounds. It does not care which age group it attacks.
It does not differentiate between gender, race, or ethnicity.

Just my two cents for today.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan wishing you a terrific weekend.
To reach me, please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca

Here is a complete list of where you can view Donna’s blogs and editorials.
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly features on how to increase your success with your business ventures
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm
Weekly articles and editorials on issues about accessibility
http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog
Learn more about Author Donna Jodhan and her campaign against bullying at
www.jodhanmysterybook.club
Now you can enjoy Donna’s detective DJ crime crushers Series by visiting
http://www.donnajodhan.com

You can follow me on twitter @accessibleworld
and chat with me on Skype at habsfan0526.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Hello there and welcome to our newest segment: Where we highlight important
articles on topics pertaining to advocacy.

We are introducing this segment based on several requests that we have
received from readers.
Please feel free to send us your feedback and if you wish us to publish your
own articles then by all means send it along to info@sterlingcreations.ca

Please take a moment to subscribe to our newest newsletter:
‘Let’s Talk Tips’ is your monthly resource for the most current and reliable
informational tips available in the areas of Technology, Nutrition, Media,
Business, and Advocacy.
http://bit.ly/ADJSubscribe

With best wishes
From the business desk team
Follow us on Twitter @accessibleworld

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Canadian Transportation Agency Announces Plans to Enhance Accessibility of
Canada’s National Transportation System

PR NewswireJune 21, 2019

GATINEAU, QC, June 21, 2019 /CNW/ – Bill C-81, the Accessible Canada Act ,
which received Royal Assent
today, will provide the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) with new tools
to help advance the
accessibility of the national transportation system.

Once in force, this legislation will provide the CTA with:

.own motion powers to initiate investigations, upon approval of the Minister
of Transport, regardless of
whether a formal complaint has been made;

.new power to award compensation for lost wages, pain and suffering, and
willful or reckless practice
when an adjudication finds that there was an undue barrier to the mobility
of persons with disabilities.
This power to award compensation aligns with that of the Canadian Human
Rights Tribunal;

.Enforcement tools such as increase of inspection powers, compliance
agreements and warnings;

.the ability for a designated enforcement officer to levy Administrative
Monetary Penalties up to a
maximum of $250,000 for non-compliance with certain accessibility related
requirements;

.the ability for the CTA to determine that, even if industry complies with
regulations, there is still an
undue barrier to a person’s mobility, and order corrective measures; and

.a new mandate to make regulations on planning and reporting obligations for
industry.

As the CTA prepares to implement this legislation, it is working closely
with other organizations
responsible for receiving accessibility-related complaints the Canadian
Human Rights Commission, the
Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, the Canadian Radio-television and
Telecommunications Commission,
and the Federal Public Service Labour Relations and Employment Board to
provide a “no wrong door”
experience for persons with disabilities who want to submit complaints.

In parallel to this legislation, the CTA is developing new Accessible
Transportation for Persons with
Disabilities Regulations. The final regulations, expected to be published in
Part II of the Canada Gazette
by summer 2019, will mark a major step forward for travellers with
disabilities. The CTA will administer
and enforce the new regulations in part by using the new authorities
provided by the Accessible Canada
Act.

In addition, the CTA will develop additional regulations by summer 2022 to
cover the planning and
reporting obligations of transportation service providers, as well as
accessibility requirements for small
carriers.

In support of protecting the fundamental right of persons with disabilities
to accessible transportation
services, the CTA’s existing dispute resolution services will continue to
serve Canadians as a mechanism
to resolve accessibility complaints via facilitation, mediation, or
adjudication.

Quote

“Accessible transportation is a human right whose realization is essential
to achieving equality, inclusion,
and dignity for Canadians with disabilities. The legislation provides the
CTA with new tools to advance
the accessibility of the national transportation system to help achieve our
vision to make the national
transportation system the most accessible in the world.

Scott Streiner, Chair and CEO of the Canadian Transportation Agency

About the CTA

The Canadian Transportation Agency is an independent, quasi-judicial
tribunal and regulator that has,
with respect to all matters necessary for the exercise of its jurisdiction,
all the powers of a superior
court. The CTA has three core mandates: helping to keep the national
transportation system running
efficiently and smoothly, protecting the fundamental right of persons with
disabilities to accessible
transportation services, and providing consumer protection for air
passengers. To help advance these
mandates, the CTA makes and enforces ground rules that establish the rights
and responsibilities of
transportation service providers and users and level the playing field among
competitors, resolves
disputes using a range of tools from facilitation and mediation to
arbitration and adjudication, and
ensures that transportation providers and users are aware of their rights
and responsibilities and how
the CTA can help them.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/canadian-transportation-agency-announces-plans-enhance-accessibility-canadas-195100468.html

Hello there and welcome to our newest segment: Where we highlight important
articles on topics pertaining to advocacy.

We are introducing this segment based on several requests that we have
received from readers.
Please feel free to send us your feedback and if you wish us to publish your
own articles then by all means send it along to info@sterlingcreations.ca

Please take a moment to subscribe to our newest newsletter:
‘Let’s Talk Tips’ is your monthly resource for the most current and reliable
informational tips available in the areas of Technology, Nutrition, Media,
Business, and Advocacy.
http://bit.ly/ADJSubscribe

With best wishes
From the business desk team
Follow us on Twitter @accessibleworld

+++++++++++++++

The blind lead the blind at the Pacific Training Centre

Centre specializes in teaching visually impaired people everyday skills to
live an independent life
Kendra Crighton, Mar. 23, 2019.
Local News

It’s the blind leading the blind at the Pacific Training Centre in
Victoria and they wouldn’t have it any other way.

The training centre, run out of the Victoria Disability Resource Centre,
specializes in teaching people who either are completely blind or in the
process
of losing their vision everyday skills that enable them to live an
independent life.

Skills such as reading braille, travelling with a long white cane – indoors
and outdoors – and using voice controlled laptops and smart phones along
with
cooking and general life skills are taught by teachers who are blind
themselves, offering a better understanding of what life is like without
sight.

RELATED: Victoria installation for the blind causes problems for those with
mobility issues

Elizabeth Lalonde, executive director of the centre, was born without her
sight. As the only blind child in her school, Lalonde was integrated with
the rest of
her classmates leaving her with little specialized training.

“So I didn’t learn braille as a young child,” says Lalonde. “And just like
any language, the younger you learn the better because you can absorb it.”

Reading print was also possible for her so long as the letters were massive
when Lalonde was young, but as her vision digressed she had to switch to
cassette
tape audio books to help her get through school and eventually university.

“I don’t know if I started out an audio learner, but I certainly became
one,” she laughs.

RELATED: Victoria woman tired of having to prove she is blind

It wasn’t until Lalonde got the chance to attend the Louisiana Centre for
the Blind, a residential training facility that focuses on self-sufficiency
and
independence, that she realized her dream was to take the teachings and
bring them to the Canada.

Spending nine months at the centre, learning blind skills with 30 other
blind adults, Lalonde says the experience changed her life completely.

“It’s quite profound the changes in real life,” she says. “They really
challenged what I thought I was capable of.”

Josh Yates, a student and employee of the centre, was born with a
degenerative condition leaving him with severe tunnel vision.

“It’s like looking through a toilet paper roll,” says Yates. “Of the 180
degrees of peripheral vision that most people have, I’ve got about 5 – so if
I look at
your nose now, I can’t see your chin.”

Yates is currently learning braille which allows him to read in the dark,
something he can’t do right now, along with cane travelling skills making
things
‘a lot easier and safer’ for independent travel.

“In my personal opinion, a bad attitude is the biggest disability you can
have,” says Yates. “There are a lot of people who say ‘oh, it sucks that you
are losing
your vision,’ but no it really doesn’t – [people] make it a bigger deal than
I do.”

Yates says while there are things he’s wanted to do and now knows he can’t,
he doesn’t let that take away from living his life to the fullest.

“Things like parkour – I like to do the crazy stuff – and parkour is not a
good idea for me,” says Yates very matter-of-fact. “But that doesn’t stop me
from
doing other things that I enjoy and still do.”

Will Arnold lost his vision in a 2011 accident. He says life felt like it
was at a standstill and was really boring before he found the centre.

RELATED: City of Victoria responds to blind community’s B.C. Human Rights
Tribunal case

“After coming to the centre, it took a while for things to get going but it
was definitely a noticeable improvement on the first day,” says Arnold.
“Everything
just started happening, not directly connected to the centre – the timing
was right I guess.”

One of the requirement to graduate the program is cooking a meal for eight
people all by themselves. a task that encompasses all the skills taught at
the
centre and highlighting the students independence.

“We have a freedom bell [at the graduation ceremony], we give everyone a
little bell and they ring it and it signifies that you’re free now and you
can what you
want,” says Lalonde.

kendra.crighton@blackpress.ca

C 2019, Victoria News and Black Press Group Ltd.

https://www.vicnews.com/news/the-blind-lead-the-blind-at-the-pacific-training-centre/

Greetings and I’m Christian Robicheau hoping that all is well in your neck
of the woods.
It is the final weekend of October and I cannot believe that it is.
Today, I am delighted to share our president’s weekly editorial with you and
for this week Donna J. Jodhan talks about those very important special needs
departments at companies.
Happy weekend everyone.

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Special needs departments
By Donna J. Jodhan

Now that the Accessible Canada Act has been brought into legislation; we
should expect to see that several federally governed organizations and
companies will be seeking to either improve and/or enhance the services that
their special needs departments offer or they will be scrambling to
initialize said types of departments.

We can say the same for federal departments in that they too will be
frantically scrambling to ensure that they are able to offer more than
adequate services to special needs Canadians.

All well and good and I for one look forward to improvements in these types
of services but I’d like to offer these respectful words of wisdom.

* Make sure that your staff is well trained in the rudiments of how to
communicate with and understand the requests and requirements of special
needs Canadians.

* Make sure to really train your staff that “one size does not fit all.”
Meaning that for example; the requirements of a vision impaired person is
not the same for every vision impaired person.

* Some quality time needs to be spent instructing your staff on the topic of
alternate formats, the requirements for making said documents accessible,
how to make them accessible, and why they are needed.

* Staff need to receive training on how to help callers whenever they
require assistance with websites that are not accessible, usable, or
navigable.

* Staff need to receive some education on some of the more popular types of
access technology being used by Canadians with special needs.

* Technical staff need to be trained as to how to communicate with persons
with special needs.

I can go on and on but these are my two cents for today.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan wishing you a terrific weekend.
To reach me, please send an email to info@sterlingcreations.ca

Here is a complete list of where you can view Donna’s blogs and editorials.
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all
http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly features on how to increase your success with your business ventures
http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm
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