- Created
- November 15, 2021
1. Introduction
This plan details the Pacific Training Centre for the Blind and Camp Bowen’s goals to improve their accessibility.
2. Accessibility Goals
2.1. Goals Met in Previous Year
A. Implement Zoom to provide clearer audio quality during conference calls, especially useful for staff, participants, and stakeholders who are Deafblind but can still hear some.
- Goal Type
- Short-Term
Result - This has been rolled out and is being used for roundtables and select classes.
B. Implement an in-house-developed Zoom bridge to provide easier access for those calling by traditional telephone but unable to recall or enter long strings of numbers typically required by zoom and other conference systems.
- Goal Type
- Short-Term
Result - This has been implemented and is used everywhere Zoom is used. Several participants are already taking advantage of it.
C. Purchase Braille displays for use by students and staff, especially those who are Deafblind, to access lessons, homework, and reports.
- Goal Type
- Short-Term
Result - 8 of these have been purchased. 3 have been deployed so far and 1 additional deployment is immediately pending. 4 40-cell Braille displays were purchased on a deal where 1 14-cell Braille display was included at little to no charge with the purchase of each 40-cell display. so far, the displays deployed are the 40-cell models. The 14-cell displays have been designated for deployment once the available inventory of 40-cell Braille displays is deployed.
2.2. Goals Still In Progress
A. Redesign the student absences reporting system to reduce cognitive overloading.
- Goal Type
- Long-Term
Progress - Initial work on designing a better interaction model for this system has been conceptualized and the technical aspects of possible ways on how to implement the solution have been researched.
Position(s) Responsible - PTCB Director of Operations
Timeline
- June: Implement a beta
- June: Collect feedback from staff and participants
- July: Implement changes based on feedback
2.3. New Goals
A. Simplify the phone system to allow callers to more easily access a live agent for those with limited ability to use phone keypads or who get cognitive overload when dealing with automated phone systems.
- Goal Type
- Short-Term
Position(s) Responsible - PTCB Director of Operations
Timeline
- June: Rewrite the phone scripts and generate the corresponding audio files to add an option to speak to a team member at the beginning of the main menu. Also change Voicemail script.
B. Hire an accessibility consultant to work with our architects to ensure accessibility is incorporated into the design of the Bowen Island Centre for the Blind and Deafblind.
- Goal Type
- Short-Term
Position(s) Responsible - Camp Bowen Executive Director
Timeline
- March: Write and publish call for proposal
- April: Interview and hire candidates
C. Secure funding for and hire a professional captioner to foster greater participation in group and organization-wide activities by people who are Deaf and Deafblind.
- Goal Type
- Short-Term
Position(s) Responsible - PTCB Director of Operations
Timeline
- March: Research captioning services/captioners
- April: Review and select a captioning service/captioner
D. Redevelop the Accessibility Plan and Accessibility Policy to take into account new accessibility challenges and solutions introduced by the shift to campus-style instruction at the Bowen Island Centre for the blind and Deafblind.
- Goal Type
- Short-Term
Position(s) Responsible - PTCB Program and Student Affairs Coordinator
Timeline
- May: Brainstorm changes to the Accessibility Plan
- June: Start putting together new goals
- July and August: Redevelop Accessibility Policy
- October: Finalize goals
3. Review
This plan will be updated as needed and will be reviewed and updated each November.
