Purpose
This multi-year Accessibility Plan is developed in accordance with the Integration Accessibility Standards Regulation under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. It incorporates the intentions of Iversoft to meet its obligations under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2001 to make Ontario completely accessible by 2025. This plan describes the measures we will take to identify, remove and prevent barriers to people with disabilities that work and participate in the Iversoft community and environment including employees, agents, contractors, volunteers, student on placement, customers and visitors. This plan will address the following:
- The commitment to review and update the multi-year accessibility plan every 5 years
- Training
- Definitions of terms covered in Iversoft’s Accessibility Policy
- The provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities
- The use of assistive devices by persons with disabilities
- The use of service animals by persons with disabilities
- The use of support persons by persons with disabilities
- Notice of temporary disruptions in services and facilities
- Customer feedback regarding the provision of goods and services to persons with disabilities
- Notice of availability to public and format of documents
Commitment To Accessibility Planning
Iversoft is committed to excellence in serving all customers, employees and visitors including people with disabilities. We will carry out our functions in a manner that delivers an accessible customer service experience.
Iversoft is committed to providing our goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. This commitment will be incorporated whenever possible and will ensure that persons with disabilities will benefit from the same services, in the same place and in similar ways of others. We will evaluate our multi-year accessibility plan every 5 years and modify it accordingly to keep it up to date, most effective and respectful.
We are committed to improving policies, programs, practices and services for everyone. Consideration of ongoing identification of barriers will be the responsibility of Iversoft and will, wherever practicable, be incorporated in the multi-year plan.
Actions Taken
Iversoft has trained and will continue to provide training to all employees and others who deal
with the public or third parties on Iversoft’s behalf. The training will be provided to new hires on
their first week at Iversoft.
Training will include:
- An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians and Disabilities Act, 2005 and the
- requirements of the customer service standard
- How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
- How to interact with assistive devices, service animals, or support persons that may be
- used by customers with various disabilities
- Explore ways to improve customer service principles and skills by examining ways to
- lessen barriers for those with disabilities.
Iversoft employees will also be trained when changes are made to the accessible service plan.
Definitions
Disability:
- Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical coordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device.
- A condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability
- A learning disability or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language
- A mental disorder, or
- An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997.
Assistive Devices
A device used to assist persons with disabilities in carrying out activities or in accessing the services of persons or organizations covered by the Customer Service Standard. These may include wheelchairs, hearing aids, canes, and screen readers.
Service Animals
Any animal used by a person with a disability for reasons relating to the disability where it is apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability.
Support Person
A person who accompanies a person with a disability in order to assist him or her with their communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs or with access to goods or services.
General Provisions
The Provision of Goods and Services to Persons with Disabilities
Iversoft will use reasonable efforts to guarantee that its policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the following principles:
- Iversoft’s goods and services are provided in a way that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities
- The provision of Iversoft’s goods and services to persons with disabilities are integrated with those provided to persons who do not have disabilities unless an alternative measure is necessary to enable a person with a disability to obtain, use or benefit from our goods or services.
- Persons with disabilities are given an opportunity equal to that of persons without disabilities to obtain, use or benefit from Iversoft’s goods and services.
- Communication with persons with disabilities involves taking into consideration their disability
- Allowing people with disabilities their service animal, assistive devices, support person when receiving goods or services from Iversoft and providing the appropriate training to Iversoft employees beforehand
Assistive Devices and other Measures that Assist with Accessibility
An assistive device is any tool, piece of technology, or equipment that a person with a disability uses to help them with daily living. These could include a wheelchair, hearing aids, white canes, listening devices, etc. We will ensure that our employees are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by people with disabilities when accessing Iversoft’s services.
We welcome people with disabilities and their service animals. We welcome people with disabilities and their support persons.
Exceptions to these conditions may occur in situations where Iversoft has deemed the assistive devices as a possible risk to the health and safety of a person with a disability or the health and safety of others on the premises. In these cases and others, Iversoft may offer a person with a disability other reasonable measures to assist him or her in obtaining, using and benefitting from our goods and services wherever we have such other measures available. It should be noted that it is the responsibility of the person with the disability to ensure that his or her assistive device is operated in a safe and controlled manner at all times.
Feedback
Feedback is encouraged and always welcome. Anyone who wishes to provide feedback on how Iversoft has provided accessibility services for people with disabilities can do so via phone, in person, through email, or other methods. All feedback will be directed to Iversoft’s Human Resources Director, Steph Barlow. Visitors can expect to hear back in 2-3 days. Complaints will be addressed according to our company’s regular complaint management procedures.
Availability and Format of Documents Required by the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (Ontario Regulation 429/07)
This publication is available through:
- Iversoft’s website: iversoft.ca
- Iversoft’s electronic policy manual “Confluence” – accessible by all employees
- Accessible formats of the plan will be available upon contact with the Human Resources department
All documents required by the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service including Iversoft’s policies, procedures, and practices, notices of temporary disruptions, training records and written feedback process are available upon request.