Accessibility Training

Leaving no one behind: WCAG 2.0, Section 508,ADA, AODA, Office, InDesign, PDF/UA, sensitivity

We’ve been leaders in the online accessibility field for over 15 years, and we’re eager to help you learn what we know. We strategize, we train, we coach, we analyse, we publish, we design, we remediate, we test and certify WCAG, PDF/UA, AODA, Section 508 (existing and “refresh”) and ADA compliance … filling the gaps in your expertise and capacity, so that you can broaden your reach, drive down costs, improve SEO, with techniques that improve the experience for your entire audience.

Shaw Media talks about David Berman Communications onsite accessibility course

Public and private keynotes and training on accessibility:
Our keynotes, 1-day, and half-day why-and-how courses in Web accessibility, for managers, designers, and programmers

Our 1-day and half-day why-and-how courses in accessible documents (PDF, Word, PowerPoint, InDesign,…) for managers, designers, and everyone who contributes to your documents

Our 1-day and half-day why-and-how course in accessible instructional design and e-learning (Flash, HTML5, Captivate, Moodle, Saba…) for managers, instructional designers and developers

Our 1-day and half-day why-and-how course in accessible virtual classrooms and webinars (WebEx, Saba, Connect, GoToMeeting) for managers, presenters and content creators

Our 1-day and half-day why-and-how courses in accessibility for mobile, tablets, and touch (iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry) for managers, designers, and developers of mobile apps and websites

Our half-day course (or keynote) on AODA employment standards for managers and/or employees

What we can do for you

We motivate and train your team as to why Web accessibility matters, and how to get it done, demystifying regulations into satisfying easy-to-follow steps. We provide public and onsite courses and manuals, as well as one-on-one coaching using your documents.

Experience

We have a dedicated team of over 15 accessibility professionals, including strategists, subject matter and regulatory experts, information architects, designers, writers, editors, developers, trainers, and testers. More on the team.

e-Accessibility

We are experts in the fulfillment of AODA, WCAG, PDF/UA, and ADA/Section 508 requirements for accessible Web and documents. We have performed accessibility audits and reviews on both government and private sector websites in over 35 countries for Tim Berners-Lee’s World Wide Web Foundation.

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)

It is our standard procedure to comply with all relevant requirements of the accessibility standards called for in the regulations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).

We are experts in the fulfillment of AODA regulations regarding accessible documents and Web publishing, as well as non-IT areas. Our strength in this area is such that we run regular courses in Ontario that specifically teach executives, managers, educators, designers, and developers how to comply with AODA regulations. The Accessibility Directorate of Ontario itself (who governs AODA) has retained us repeatedly for speaking at their events and for training of their managers and staff.

PDF standards

David Berman is a member of the ISO committee that has developed the international standard for accessible PDF (PDF/UA). We have provided training on strategizing, developing and testing accessible PDF files, including Adobe employees, and at Adobe headquarters. We run regular public courses that team Web teams how to create accessible documents, whether starting from Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Illustrator, InDesign, or LiveCycle Designer.

Corporations and private sector

Our private sector clients for accessibility, training, and document remediation work include Actuate, Adobe, AMI TV, Blindside Networks, BMO (Bank of Montreal), Bruce Mau Design, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Cherwell Corporation, Cogbooks, Conference Board of Canada, DNB Bank, Empire Life, eXplorance, gordongroup, IBM, Itslearning, Honda, Lixar, Lockheed-Martin, Minto, OpenText, Oxford Properties, Shaw Media, Syngenta, The Home Depot, TD Bank, Tom Ford, TV2, Vizrt, and Yamaha Music.

Government accessibility

We have been involved with Government of Canada Treasury Board standards on accessibility for over a decade, including authoring the multi-year accessibility strategy for the Canadian Human Rights Commission. We have provided training to most major departments and agencies in the federal government … as well as governments in Australia, Bahrain, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, and Oman.

Federal government clients include Agriculture and Agrifood Canada, Auditor-General of Canada, Canada Council, Canada Revenue Agency, Canadian Armed Forces, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Canadian Human Rights Commission, Corrections Canada, Department of Canadian Heritage, Elections Canada, FINTRAC, Health Canada, National Research Council, Office of the Commissioner of Judicial Affairs, Parks Canada, PWGSC, Statistics Canada, Transportation Safety Board, Treasury Board Secretariat, and Veterans Affairs.

We have also provided consultation to the governments of Ontario (including the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario office itself, LCBO, Ministry of Community Services Ontario, Ministry of Education, Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transportation, OMAFRA, and Tourism Ontario) and Manitoba.

Municipalities, counties and school boards

Our clients for consulting and training have included a variety of municipalities, counties and public institutions (including the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, City of Burlington, City of Cambridge, County of Essex, City of Hamilton, Norfolk County, City of Oakville, City of Ottawa, City of Owen Sound, City of Peterborough, City of Toronto, County of Wellington, Halton District School Board, Hamilton-Wentworth School Board, Limestone District School Board, OC Transpo, Niagara Parks Commission, Ottawa-Carleton District School Board, Region of Peel, Toronto Transit Commission, Windsor-Essex County Health Unit).

Higher education/academia

Clients benefitting from our consultation, speaking/training and accessibility tools include a variety of colleges and universities within Canada (including Algonquin College, Brock University, Carleton University, McMaster University, OCAD University, Seneca College, University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, W. Ross MacDonald School for the Blind, York University), the United States (Boston College, California State University, Ohio State University, University of Nevada, Savannah College of Art and Design, Southeast Community College, Virginia Commonwealth University) and beyond (Cardiff Metropolitan University, London School of Printing and Publishing, Universidad de las Americas, Yarmouk University, Bauhaus / Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Binus University, Caldas University, Central Academy of Fine Arts of China, Federal University of Pernambuco, Lebanese American University, Vilnius Academy of Arts, VCU Qatar).

David is Chair of Carleton University’s Carleton Access Network for accessible information technology, run out of Carleton University’s Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities as an initiative of the School of Engineering.

David is an adjunct professor at the Inclusive Design Research Centre of Toronto’s OCAD University.

NGOs

Our NGO clients include Tim Berners-Lee’s World Wide Web Foundation and many other examples: Advertising Standards Council of Canada, Canadian Marketing Association, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Nurses Association, CHEO, College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario, Cornwall Community Hospital, Editors Association of Canada, G3ICT, Manitoba Library Association, Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education, Norwegian Computing Society, Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, Toronto Transit Commission, United Way.