Planning your consultation: choosing an approach

On this page

• Consulting persons with disabilities – general
• Consulting persons with disabilities – clients and the public
• Consulting persons with disabilities – employees
• How to approach potential participants
  • Personal and general invitations
• Planning and reporting deadlines
• Choosing your format
  • In-person consultations
  • Web-based consultations
  • Virtual and other events
  • Websites, discussions, and call for submissions
  • Submission and custody of information
• Planning for developing and disseminating accessible information

Consulting persons with disabilities – general

Include persons with disabilities in decision-making processes about your policies, programs, practices, and services. Consulting persons with disabilities, as the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) requires, contributes to this inclusion. It also helps your organization enact the principle of “Nothing without us” and the principles that underpin the ACA.

Before you begin your consultations, we recommend that you start by researching and reaching out. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• researching
  • Identify the kinds of barriers persons with disabilities may face when using your services or working for you 
  • Perform an accessibility review of your organization’s operations, including in physical and digital spaces
  • Review any published experiences of persons with disabilities with organizations similar to yours and in your community 
  • Consult educational material prepared by disability organizations
  • Consult Government of Canada resources on accessibility and disability provided through sources such as Accessibility Standards Canada or the Office for Public Service Accessibility
• reaching out
  • Promote awareness of accessibility and different kinds of disabilities within your organization
  • Build relationships with disability organizations and their leaders, especially within your community:
    • they may help you evaluate your organization’s barriers and connect with possible participants
  • Foster relationships with the disability community:
    • identify and address historic or ongoing inequities in your industry or community
    • Identify and address potential barriers to participation in your consultations
    • meet a variety of groups representing multiple perspectives and experiences of disability
  • Attend public, disability-related community events and listen to participants’ experiences
  • Be mindful about how you reach out:
    • ensure that your methods are accessible and secure, especially when using websites or social media
    • remember to consult persons with disabilities on barriers within any digital and information and communication technologies involved in your operations:
      • consider having persons with disabilities test these technologies to ensure they are accessible and function well

Remember: Building relationships with disability organizations can help you develop meaningful consultations. These organizations may be willing to help with research, publicize your consultation process, and connect you with potential consultees. However, these relationships do not replace consultation itself. You must still consult persons with disabilities in the development of your accessibility plans and progress reports.

Consulting persons with disabilities – clients and the public

It can also be very valuable to consult clients or members of the general public with disabilities. Many of them will have insights on eliminating and preventing accessibility barriers.

You may wish to hire an independent facilitator who is familiar with accessibility-related issues and how to manage them. Clients may be more comfortable speaking with a facilitator from outside your organization.

You may also wish to:

• post materials on your website or social media platforms asking for comments
• set up a booth at a trade show or community event
• organize a town hall event at your place of business
• email a survey or questionnaire to your clients and stakeholders

We also recommend that you keep the following in mind:

• account for religious, statutory and cultural holidays when planning consultations:
  • read our annex on cultural considerations
• if possible, consider offering consultation materials in multiple languages, as well as in the official languages of French and English:
  • this may include offering materials in American Sign Language (ASL), la langue des signes québécoise (LSQ), or Indigenous sign languages
  • it may also include offering materials in languages, other than French or English, that are spoken commonly in your community
  • read our annex on inclusive language
• include additional background information in your consultation materials:
  • clients and members of the public may not be aware of details regarding your organization and its operations
  • read our annex on disability categories and considerations

Consulting persons with disabilities – employees

We recommend that your consultations include your employees with disabilities. They understand how your organization works, and are well-placed to identify and advise on accessibility barriers. Depending on the corporate structure and policies of your organization, union representatives may participate in these consultations.

Participation should be open to all employees, whether they choose to disclose a disability or not. Provide employees with the option to participate in your consultation anonymously, if possible. Having your consultations led by an independent facilitator can help employees feel more comfortable to express themselves freely.

How to approach potential participants

When inviting persons with disabilities to consultations, timing should be one of your most important considerations. Sending invitations far enough in advance will:

• help people fit your consultations into their schedules
• allow them to review materials and prepare their responses
• give them time to arrange for any travel or accommodations
• allow you to fulfill any requests for accommodations, such as interpreters or documents in alternate formats

Personal and general invitations

Personal invitations can be useful when you have already been in contact with organizations or individuals that you would like to invite. Organizations may be willing to use their networks to invite specific people to take part in your consultations. They may also send representatives to participate on their behalf. Direct invitations can be more personal, and can offer an opportunity for you to discuss accommodations and preferences early on.

General invitations do not target specific individuals or organizations. Instead, they offer a public notice that your consultations are happening. Indirect invitations might include:

• advertising in local newspapers and on radio or television stations
• advertising or engaging on social media
• distributing materials to disability groups to share with their members
• displaying print advertisements, pamphlets, or other material where they are likely to be found by individuals that you wish to include in your consultations 

Whether you choose direct or indirect invitations, or a mix of the two, your invitation should explain:

• the reason for your consultation
• the format of your consultation
• any criteria for selecting participants
• what you expect from participants and desire as outcomes
• any other requirements, , including deadlines

Remember: It can be helpful to include participants who are interested in accessibility and who have experience with disability and barriers. However, avoid targeting people based solely on their specific disabilities (for example “we want to speak with persons who are deaf or who use wheelchairs”). Address participants as people first rather than simply as possessors of certain traits, health conditions, or experiences of certain barriers. Consult the annex on inclusive language for more tips and recommendations.

Planning and reporting deadlines

The regulations provide deadlines for the publication of your accessibility plans and progress reports. We recommend that you conduct your consultations long before these deadlines. This will give you time to receive, process, and act on participants’ comments.

Choosing your format

The ACA and its regulations do not require that you use a specific format for your consultations.

You should choose a format based on your organization’s resources, needs, and capabilities. You will also want to reach as many people as possible through different formats of consultation. This may also help you take into account different language, interpretation, and participation preferences.

In-person consultations

Some participants prefer in-person events to virtual events or online submissions. They can allow for live presentations, open discussion, and direct networking opportunities for both participants and facilitators.

You may decide that in-person events are the most appropriate for your organization’s needs. Remember that they can involve higher costs, more resources, and more logistical planning than web-based or other formats. Consult the annex on key disability concepts for more tips, recommendations and best practices.

In-person events may not be possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. Be sure to follow all applicable local, provincial and federal health and safety protocols when planning in-person events. Even if those protocols permit in-person events, some persons with disabilities may have additional health and safety needs to consider.

If you are organizing an in-person event, we recommend that you keep the following in mind:

• include the right number of interpreters and other support staff:
  • sign-language interpretation should be available for all participants who need it:
    • if your event involves break-out sessions, each participant who needs a sign-language interpreter may require one of their own:
      • check whether or not you could also project one interpreter per session on a shared screen
  • a professional stenographer should provide Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) for participants who need it:
    • remember: you may have to reserve and obtain audio-visual technology like projectors, screens, and laptops separately
  • include staff who are trained in first aid
  • include staff who are also trained in mental health first aid, which can help people experiencing distress, anxiety, or other situations
  • consider having staff dress in ways that increase their visibility:
    • dress in uniform colours, such as all in black or the same colour shirt
    • highly visible markers, such as ribbons, lanyards, hats, or handheld signs with smiley faces
  • place organizers and assistants in consistent and visible spots throughout the event to help participants find them
• schedule enough time for all events and breaks, ideally building in extra time:
  • budget up to twice the expected time for anything requiring action from participants to ensure everyone has enough time to participate comfortably
  • stick to the schedule as much as possible, but always be ready to adapt to unexpected situations
  • consider offering some or all events more than once, in both morning and afternoon, to make it easier for everyone to participate
• provide a comfortable and spacious venue:
  • leave at least 2 metres between tables and walls:
    • this will help people who use wheelchairs, scooters, or other mobility aids move freely
  • leave enough seats at each table for interpreters, assistants, or service dogs
  • if you must dim the lights during a presentation, make sure that people can still see the interpreters
  • avoid flashing lights, scents, or other things that could be barriers or triggers
  • provide quiet, private space for participants who must take breaks from consultation activities or attend to personal or medical needs
• test all necessary equipment (such as projectors, microphones, or speakers) prior to the event
• anticipate the needs of participants with service dogs:
  • ensure access to a water bowl and to a clearly designated toilet area
  • provide comfortable space for the dog and its handler
  • do not seat them in front of a speaker or in an area with high traffic
  • remind participants and staff not to pet, feed, or play with service dogs

Emergency planning

All in-person events should have an accessible emergency response plan. Develop this plan with the venue manager. During the sign-up process for your events, ask all participants how you should accommodate them in an emergency. Present the emergency response plan to everyone at the beginning of the consultation session.

Here are a few things that we recommend you keep in mind:

• ensure staff are available and trained to help participants evacuate the venue
• ensure that multiple staff members are qualified to provide first aid
• make sure the venue has a fire alarm with a flashing strobe light that is visible to people with hearing disabilities
• host events on the ground floor whenever possible:
  • this allows for a faster evacuation
  • it also ensures that elevator disruptions or stairways do not pose a barrier
• if the venues have stairs, make sure there are stairway evacuation chairs:
  • these wheelchair-like devices allow persons with mobility disabilities to evacuate through stairways
  • at least one additional person must assist in operating evacuation chairs:
    • you should designate this person as part of the emergency response plan
• evacuations can involve added barriers for people with vision or hearing disabilities:
  • you should designate staff to accompany these people in the emergency response plan
• ensure that staff offer calm and respectful assistance to all participants

Web-based consultations

There are multiple ways to consult online:

• virtual events, such as video conferences or webinars
• soliciting written comments, briefs, or answers to questionnaires and surveys
• combining these and other approaches

Web-based consultations may remain a preferred option during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. They are safer, and can be more accessible and affordable for participants in different locations.

Any content you post online should be accessible. The World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C’s) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) can help you with this. These are guidelines for designing accessible websites.

The regulations require all digital versions of your accessibility plans, progress reports, and descriptions of feedback processes to meet specific WCAG requirements. They must meet the Level AA criteria in the most recent version of WCAG available in both French and English. This is currently WCAG 2.1, but it will change when official translations of newer WCAG versions become available.

We recommend that all web content for your consultations also meet at least WCAG 2.1 Level AA criteria. You can consult the European Union’s EN 301 549 standard (PDF file, 2.17 MB) for more ideas about improving your information and communications technology (ICT) accessibility.

Virtual and other events

Virtual events can be a good substitute for in-person meetings or discussions. They allow participants to interact in real time. They can also let participants see and “meet” each other while networking and collaborating. They can be more accessible and affordable to participants who would have difficulty travelling.

Some virtual events are live, with participants all online at once. Other events are pre-recorded, so discussions do not take place in real time. This allows participants to contribute at their own pace at times that are most convenient for them. Virtual events on platforms like Zoom, WebEx or Microsoft Teams have been more common during the COVID-19 pandemic. They will likely continue to be popular even after the pandemic.

Here are some things we recommend you consider when planning a virtual event:

• accessibility
  • Use software with accessibility features like automated captioning, but remember:
    • some participants may still request Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) services
    • automated captioning may not be completely accurate, and may not work equally well in every language
    • sign language interpretation may still be necessary for some participants, so be sure to ask participants about their needs in advance)
  • Ensure that all hosting software is compatible with screen readers:
    • screen readers are software or devices that can interpret (read) text for persons with vision disabilities
    • incompatible software may be a barrier to some participants, so you should ask participants about their needs in advance
    • many screen readers cannot read the chat feature in video-conference platforms, so plan for how else to share information that appears in the chat feature
  • Ensure that all presentations and presentation materials (such as slides or recordings) are accessible
  • Screen readers may not be able to capture the text in slides if participants use a “share screen” feature:
    • consider sharing slides with participants ahead of time
    • presenters should avoid using “share screen” option, since this can block the sign language interpreters
  • Virtual events that are not live can be more accessible:
    • some participants may need to engage at their own pace
    • consider allowing participants to contribute in other ways, such as by email or telephone, if they face too many barriers with virtual events
• support
  • Ensure that at least one staff member is present to serve as a trouble-shooter or moderator:
    • they should actively observe the event, answer technical questions, and try to minimize disruptions
  • Establish a clear code of conduct for behaviour, including how moderators will respond to participants who do not abide by it:
    • consider involving participants in this process, asking them if they have additional rules or expectations to suggest
    • rules should address what organizers discourage or forbid, such as disruptive or disrespectful behaviour
    • rules should also address what organizers encourage or allow, such as how to ask questions or what can appear on camera 
  • Allow extra time at the start of each live event, and whenever transitioning from one activity to another:
    • participants will often need time to test the compatibility of their hardware or devices
    • this will also allow time to address any technical problems or general questions
• security
  • Use only well-known, licensed software to host your event:
    • ensure participants can download any necessary applications or plug-ins from a legitimate source with an up-to-date security certificate
    • use fully updated versions of hosting software, as they are less likely to have bugs or vulnerabilities
  • If you are hosting a live event with a video stream, ensure that you control who can share their screen:
    • this will help prevent disruptions, and prevent attendees from becoming visible accidentally
  • Make sure only registered participants can join the event:
    • this will help prevent disruptive behaviour like “zoom bombing”
    • send event participants private links using the email addresses they provide
    • you may also add a password for the event itself, but this could be a barrier for some participants

Websites, discussions, and calls for submissions

Web-based consultation can also involve questionnaires, surveys, discussion forums, or calls for submissions. There are additional security and planning requirements to consider with these approaches:

• ensure the security and credibility of your hosting platform, especially if you use a third-party service to create or host a website
• ensure that all website security certificates are up to date
• consider requiring participants to register before being able to read and contribute to your website:
  • this may not be feasible during an open call for the public to comment and contribute
  • consider it especially if your process involves discussion forums or comment chains that allow participants to comment on what others contribute
  • note that this could be a barrier to some participants with mobility, cognitive, or communication disabilities
• if you include any images on websites used in the consultation, make sure you host those images on web space you control:
  • embedded images from outside sources are not always secure or stable, and may change without warning
  • you should also ensure that any images other than logos also have a caption or alternative text (alt-text) describing their contents and purpose
• ensure that only known, trusted individuals have access to the hosting platform’s backend or settings:
  • protect this access with a unique and complex password
• if your website will include user-generated content (such as forum posts, comments, or social media streams), consider setting up a “moderation queue”:
  • this will allow you to check for inappropriate content before it appears on your site
  • this will ensure that only safe, appropriate content becomes visible to all participants
  • choose at least one known, trusted individual to serve as a moderator; you may need additional moderators if there are many participants
  • moderators should also encourage respectful and constructive participation
• do not allow participants to post unmoderated hyperlinks to outside websites:
  • this will help prevent other participants from inadvertently accessing insecure content
• if possible, and if they prefer, allow participants who have properly registered to post or contribute anonymously

Submission and custody of information

Always keep in mind that some of the information participants share may be personal and sensitive. You must protect this information.

Here are some things we recommend you consider when receiving participants’ information:

• use a single, secure email address for contributions and questions:
  • avoid using the personal email addresses of organizers or staff
  • personal email addresses may not be secure
• if you are using a platform that requires user registration, store login and password information securely:
  • never store this information in plain text
  • the Government of Canada’s Digital Government hub includes free tips on password storage security
• ensure that any third-party service you use to host data that your participants submit is reputable and has up-to-date security certificates

Developing and sharing accessible information

No matter the form of your consultations, the information you provide to participants should be accessible. This may include agendas, summaries, surveys, questionnaires, slides, or other documents.

You can make documents more accessible by applying certain basic features in your word processor or other authoring program. This may include:

• properly formatted headings
• large, clear font sizes and styles
• alternative-text (alt-text) to describe images
• appropriate colour and contrast for text and backgrounds

Some participants may ask you to provide alternate-format versions of your documents.

The regulations require you to make your accessibility plans, progress reports, and descriptions of feedback processes available in the following formats upon request:

• print
• large print
• braille
• audio format
• an electronic format that is compatible with adaptive technology and that is intended to assist persons with disabilities

While the regulations do not require you to provide consultation materials in alternate formats, we recommend that you do so upon request, whenever possible. This can help make your consultations more inclusive and accessible. It can also give your organization a chance to practice fulfilling such requests.

Some consultees may communicate through American Sign Language (ASL), la langue des signes québécoise (LSQ), or Indigenous sign languages. The ACA recognizes these sign languages as the primary languages for communication by deaf persons in Canada. As such, consider:

• providing versions of consultation information through recordings of sign language interpreters as well as in document form
• allowing consultees to submit input through recordings of them using sign language
• ensuring that employees and other consultation organizers are familiar with the Video Relay Service (VRS):
  • the VRS allows persons using sign language to make telephone and videoconference calls through an operator who interprets their signing verbally, and vice-versa