Barriers and disabilities

What are disabilities

The Accessible Canada Act defines disabilities as impairments or functional limitations that, when combined with barriers, prevent people from fully and equally participating in society.

There are many types of disabilities, including:

  • physical / mobility;
  • sensory;
  • intellectual / developmental;
  • cognitive;
  • learning;
  • communication; and
  • mental health.

Disabilities can be visible or invisible. You should not assume that someone has a disability or that they do not. Disabilities can be temporary or permanent. They can also be episodic, which means they change over time. People can be born with disabilities or develop disabilities when they get sick or injured.

What are barriers

Barriers are things that prevent people with disabilities from fully and equally participating in society. The Accessible Canada Act focuses on barriers in seven areas. Please use the following headings when writing your accessibility plan:

  1. employment;
  2. the built environment;
  3. information and communication technologies;
    • (c.1) communication, other than information and communication technologies;
  4. the procurement of goods, services and facilities;
  5. the design and delivery of programs and services; and
  6. transportation.

Many barriers that affect people with disabilities also affect other people. Everyone benefits when things are more accessible. For example:

  • Ramps help people who use wheelchairs. They also help people pushing baby strollers or luggage.
  • Simple and clear language helps people with intellectual disabilities. It also helps people who are learning new languages or subjects.
  • Captions on television help Deaf people. They also help people watching television in loud places like airports.

Examples of barriers

Employment

This includes things like job interviews, training and performance evaluations. Here are examples of barriers in this area:

  • Job postings that are not formatted for assistive technologies like screen readers.
  • Assuming that someone cannot do certain kinds of work because of their disability.

Built environment (physical spaces)

This includes spaces people use like buildings and national parks. Here are examples of barriers in this area:

  • Buildings that do not have ramps or elevators.
  • Fire alarms that do not have visual warnings like flashing lights.

Communication

This includes the way people give, receive and understand information. People communicate in different ways, including through speech, writing, sign language, pictures, body language and communication assistants.

Many Deaf people use sign language to communicate. The Accessible Canada Act recognizes American Sign Language (ASL), Quebec Sign Language (QSL) and Indigenous sign languages as the primary languages of Deaf people in Canada.

Here are examples of barriers in this area:

  • Complex or technical language that is hard to understand
  • Not allowing people to use communication assistants or sign language interpreters

Information and communication technologies

This includes technologies that organizations use to communicate with employees and the public, broadcasting and telecommunications.

  • Technologies

    This includes things like websites, emails, text messages and computer programs. Here are examples of barriers in this area:

    • Websites and electronic documents that are not formatted for assistive technologies like screen readers.
    • Videos and virtual meetings that do not have captions.

  • Broadcasting

    This includes radio and television. Here are examples of barriers in this area:

    • Television programs that do not have captions
    • Television programs that do not have video description

  • Telecommunications

    This includes phone and internet services. Here are examples of barriers in this area:

    • Phones that are not accessible for people with different types of disabilities
    • Not allowing people to use video relay services (VRS) for meetings

Procurement (buying and renting things and places)

This includes buying and renting goods, services and spaces. Here are examples of barriers in this area:

  • Buying or renting buildings that are not wheelchair accessible.
  • Buying or renting computer programs that cannot be used with assistive technologies like screen readers.

Programs and services

This includes the way organizations design and deliver programs and services for employees and the public. Here are examples of barriers in this area:

  • Documents that are not available in alternate formats like large print or braille.
  • Not having a policy on assisting people with disabilities who need help with things like filling out forms.

Transportation

This includes travel between provinces or outside of Canada by plane, train, bus or ferry. It also includes vehicles used by organizations that are regulated by the federal government (examples: Canada Post, television stations). Here are examples of barriers in this area:

  • Planes and trains that are not wheelchair accessible.
  • Airports that do not have braille signs.
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