[Music] welcome to the aoda the accessibility for ontarians with Disabilities Act or aoda customer service training this training will provide employees with training required under the aoda accessibility is not just good practice if is the law accessibility benefits all of us agenda during this training video you will learn all about the aoda its objectives and purpose you'll also learn about the Ontario Human Rights Act customer and customer service defined employee responsibilities terminology and definitions different disabilities assistive devices and customer service guidelines disruptions in service the feedback process access and safety in an emergency there will be an overview of customer service guidelines and a quiz yes there is a quiz at the end of this presentation take your time use the training manual provided to you and take time to review the material before you write the quiz the aoda accessibility for ontarians with Disabilities Act the purpose of the aoda is to achieve a fully accessible Ontario by 202 25 develop accessibility standards and enforce the standards the ACT will apply to all public and private organizations with one or more employees objectives this training video will help you understand the purpose of aoda the accessibility for ontarians with Disabilities Act you'll also learn how to interact and communicate with persons with disabilities learn how to interact with people who use assist devices and require assistance of a guide dog other service animal or support person learn how to communicate A disruption and service and you'll gain an understanding of the purpose of the feedback process the aoda ensures persons with disabilities are able to access Services easily and are provided with consistently High customer service standards and follows the ideals of dignity Independence integration and equal opportunity every workplace will have different policies and procedures but will have the same overall purpose the Ontario Human Rights Act the aoda does not replace the Ontario Human Rights Act but is in addition to this act a person with a disability can file a complaint under the aoda and the Ontario Human Rights act any person representing an organization can be named in a complaint compl and can be called to an Ontario Human Rights tribunal your responsibilities must be taken seriously because there can be consequences who is a customer a customer is a person or organization that buys goods or services from a store or other business this includes persons with disabilities we are all customers and consumers what is customer service customer service is assistance and other reason resources that a company provides to the people who buy or use its products or Services simply customer service is any interaction with another human being during the course of your workday employee responsibilities all employees will be required to attend and complete customer service accessibility training provide consistently high levels of customer service to all customers and ensure they are served in a manner that allows access access to all products and services offered you will employ the skills and knowledge presented in the customer service accessibility training program to ensure that customers are served appropriately it is also your responsibility to inform management of any issues regarding accessibility or disruptions in service the facts studies show that businesses lose 25% of their customers because of poor customer service dissatisfied customers will tell at least 10 people not to shop at a business and those people will tell about five others research shows that it costs about six times as much to attract a new customer through promotions and advertising as it does to keep an existing one by giving refunds or offering samples no company can survive without repeat business returning customers account for about 85% of total sales statistics approximately 1.8 million of all ontarians live with a disability and this is increasing as the population gets older in 2026 approximately 16% of people in Canada will have a disability customer service principles positive customer service for all persons with disabilities is based on principles of dignity Independence equal opportunity and integration the person's self-respect is key and not treated as an afterthought or with less quality of service or inconvenience this preserves their dignity the principle of Independence is provided through the ability to do things on one's own without unnecessary help the principle of equal opportunity is met when reasonable efforts are made to provide individuals with disabilities opportunities equal to that given to other customers customers in the ability to access goods and services and integration is achieved when individuals with a disability can benefit from the same services in the same place and in the same or similar way as other customers unless an alternate measure is necessary to enable the person to access goods and services terminology when referring to someone with a disability it is extremely important that you put the person first it is a person with a disability not a disabled person disability defined a disability is any degree of physical disability malformation or disfigurement disabilities include diabetes epilepsy a brain injury any degree of paralysis amputation lack of physical coordination blindness or visual impediment sness or hearing impediment muteness or speech impediment a condition of mental disorder or a developmental disability or a learning disability physical Reliance on an assistive device or person assistive devices assistive devices includes tools technology or other mechanisms that enables a person with a disability to do everyday tasks and activities it helps the person to maintain their independence at home home at work and in the community there are a variety of assisted devices that some of your customers may use depending on their disability many will be personal assisted devices meaning they are owned and brought along by the individual the assistance may also be in the form of a support person support persons support persons assisting a person with a disability may be a paid professional a volunteer a family member or a friend support people may work for a variety of social service agencies they may help with moving things communicating behavior management and errands support persons are there to assist their client who is your customer interact with your customer a support person will decide when it is appropriate for them to be communicated with service animals service animals accompanying persons with disabilities are welcome in a business unless the animal is excluded by law for example in a place where food is prepared or stored if a service animal is forbidden by law employees should ensure that the person is able to access our services with alternate assistance a service animal may be a cat bird monkey or other animal not just a dog other animals include miniature horses which can be trained to guide the blind to pull wheelchairs or support for persons with Parkinson's disease a helper monkey is a type of assistance animal similar to an assistance dog that is specially trained to help quadr plgics other people with severe spinal cord injuries or others with Mobility impairments barrier the word barrier means anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of his or her disability it can be a physical archetyp Ural or an information or Communications barrier an attitudinal barrier a technological barrier a policy or a practice types of barriers types of visible barriers include architectural structural or physical these barriers may result from the design of a building such as stairs doorways the width of hallways and even room layout other types of visible barriers include information or communication barriers these barriers can make it difficult for people to receive or convey information things like small print size low color contrast between text and background confusing design of printed materials and the use of language that is not clear or plane can all cause difficulty types of invisible barriers include attitudes system or technological barriers attitudinal barriers are perhaps the most difficult barriers to overcome some people don't know how to communicate with those who have visible or non-visible disabilities or they simply discriminate against them because of stereotypes they may feel that they could offend the individual with a disability by offering help or they ignore or avoid the people with disabilities altogether if this were to happen the customer may provide feedback to your organization or they have the right to contact the human rights Coalition systemic barriers can occur through policy IES and procedures these are any practices or rules that restrict people with disabilities technological barriers or lack of it can prevent people from accessing information everyday tools like computers telephones and other AIDS can all present barriers persons with physical disabilities physical disabilities include a range of functional limitations from minor difficulties in moving or coordinating one part of the body through muscle weakness Tremors and paralysis a physical disability may affect an individual's ability to perform manual tasks such as holding a pen turning a key or gripping a door knob move around independently control the speed or coordination of movement reach pull or manipulate objects or have strength or endurance commonly used assisted devices persons with physical disabilities may use Mobility devices such as a wheelchair scooter Walker cane or crutches personal oxygen tank which helps people breathe or they may need the assistance of support persons or animals customer service guidelines when you encounter persons with physical disabilities do not touch move or lean on wheelchairs or other Mobility devices these are part of a person's person space make sure ramps and corridors are free of clutter if a counter is too high or wide step around it to provide service provide seating for those that cannot stand in line and speak to the customer not the support person when helping a person with a physical disability speak directly to the person who has the disability not his or her support person or companion be patient people with some types of disabilities may take take a little longer to understand and respond so please listen carefully consider offering interactive devices such as self-served checkouts or direct payment devices that can be used by people with various types of disabilities or offering alternate Services persons who are deaf or hard of hearing hearing loss can cause problems in distinguishing certain frequencies sounds or words a person who is deaf deafened oral deaf or heart of hearing may not be able to use a public telephone understand speech or sounds in noisy environments or pronounce words clearly enough to be understood keep in mind a person with a hearing impairment may not hear fire alarms or other sounding devices commonly used assisted devices people who are deaf or hard of hearing may use an FM transmitter system or other amplification devices a hearing aid which makes sounds louder and clearer a teletypewriter known as TTY where the person types their message on the TTY keyboard and messages are sent using telephone lines to someone who has a t or to an operator like B relay service who passes the message to someone who doesn't have a TTY they may also use alerting devices that connect to a doorbell telephone or alarm that emits a loud sound sound or blinking light to let someone with a hearing loss know that an event is taking place customer service guidelines people who are deaf may use a sign language interpreter to communicate always direct your attention to the person who is deaf not The Interpreter if necessary write notes back and forth to share information keep a pen and paper available at your customer service desk or wherever you may need to communicate with a person who is deaf or or heart of hearing face the person and keep your hand and other objects away from your face and mouth to enable lip reading speak clearly and do not shout can you easily read this slide for some of your clients or customers they may have difficulty reading the company's information or product labels just as you are finding it difficult to read the information on this slide persons that are blind or visually impaired Vision disabilities range from slightly reduced visual Acuity to total blindness vision loss can result in difficulty reading or seeing faces difficulty maneuvering in unfamiliar places the inability to differentiate colors or distances a narrow field of vision the need for bright light or contrast and night blindness commonly used assisted devices a person that is blind or visually impaired may use a digital audio player a magnifier a portable global positioning system known as GPS a white cane which helps people find their way around obstacles or a service animal most commonly a guide dog customer service guidelines don't leave your customer in the middle of a room show or guide him or her to a chair or a comfortable location be clear and precise when giving directions particularly to a person who is blind for example when guiding a person you can say two steps behind you a meter to your left don't use visual terms like over there or point in the direction and when providing printed information offer to read or summarize it verbally identify yourself before making physical contact if the person uses a service animal do not touch or approach the animal it is working verbally describe the setting form and location as necessary and offer your arm to guide the person do not grab or pull persons with speech disabilities speech disabilities involve the partial or total loss of the ability to speak typical disabilities include problems with pronunciation pitch and loudness horseness or breathiness stuttering or lurring and speech commonly used assisted devices persons with speech disabilities may use augmentative and alternative communication devices these devices help people with communication disorders to express themselves these devices can range from a simple picture board to a computer program that synthesizes speech from text customer service guidelines when you encounter a person with a speech disability if possible communicate in a quiet environment give the person your full attention don't interrupt or finish their words or sentences ask them to repeat as necessary or write their message and always verify your understanding persons with mental health disabilities mental health includes a range of disorders however there are three main types of mental health disability anxiety mood and behavioral persons with mental health disabilities may seem edgy or irritated act aggressively be perceived as pushy or abrupt be unable to make a decision start laughing or get angry for no apparent reason a person with a mental health disability may have difficulty with one several or none of these the inability to think clearly they may have hallucinations for example hearing voices seeing or feeling things that aren't there depression or acute mood swings for instance they may go from happy to depressed with no apparent reason for the change they may display signs of poor concentration difficulty remembering or apparent lack of motivation commonly used assistive devices persons with mental health disabilities may use a support person or they may have notes or lists that they must refer to When shopping or doing business customer service guidelines always speak to the customer not the support person the support person will assist when necessary treat a person with a mental health disability with the same respect and consideration you have for everyone else be patient as they think speak or check their notes be confident and reassuring listen carefully and work with your customer to try to meet their needs if someone appears to be in a crisis ask him or her to tell you the best way to help do not touch them during this time treat each person as an individual ask what would make him or her the most comfortable and respect his or her needs to the maximum extent possible try to reduce stress and anxiety in this situation take the client away from the situation noise and distractions to facilitate one-on-one service removing an audience is very helpful less assistance is more in this type of situation stay calm and courteous even if the customer exhibits unusual behavior focus on the service they need and how you can help don't assume that because a person has one disability they also have another for example if a customer has difficulty speaking it doesn't mean they have an intellectual or developmental disability as well ask your customer to repeat the information if you don't understand ask questions that can be answered with yes or no if possible try to allow enough time to communicate with your customer as they may speak more slowly don't interrupt or finish your customer sentences wait for them to finish and if you know their name use it while talking to them persons with learning disabilities learning disabilities include a range of disorders that affect verbal and non-verbal information acquisition retention understanding and processing people with a learning disability have an average or above average intelligence but they process information and express knowledge in different ways this can result in difficulties in Reading problem solving time management and ways of finding and processing information commonly used assisted devices people who have learning disabilities may use an electronic notebook or laptop computer personal data man managers mini pocket recorders or smartphones people with learning disabilities who use these devices are just like the rest of the population who uses their phones or other ways of keeping their information and tasks organized customer service guidelines learning disabilities are generally invisible and the ability to function varies greatly respond to any requests for verbal information assistance in filling forms and so on with courtesy and allow extra time to complete tasks if necessary persons with intellectual disabilities intellectual disabilities affect a person's ability to think or reason it may be caused by genetic factors such as Down syndrome or exposure to environmental toxins such as INF fetal alcohol syndrome a person with an intellectual disability may have difficulty with understanding spoken and written information information conceptual information perception of sensory information or memory intellectual disabilities are also sometimes known as developmental disabilities commonly used assisted devices persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities may use communication boards such as a bliss board used to pass on a message by pointing to symbols words or pictures or they may use speech generating devices used to pass on a message using a device that speaks when a symbol word or picture is pressed customer service guidelines for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities use Clear simple language be prepared to explain and provide examples regarding information remember that the person is an adult and unless you are informed otherwise can make their own decisions be patient and always verify your understanding when speaking over the phone to a person with a disability speak naturally clearly and directly don't worry about how the person's voice sounds concentrate on what they are saying don't interrupt or finish your customer sentences give your customer time to explain or respond if you don't understand simply ask again or repeat or rephrase what you heard and ask if you you have understood correctly for example you could say so you would like a refund for the regular price and only be charged the sale price that it is listed at now is this correct and if an interpreter or relay service is being used speak naturally to the customer not The Interpreter notice of disruptions in service under the aoda companies must provide persons with disabilities advanced notice should any planned or unplanned disruption of service occur workplaces need to provide as much advanced notice as is possible regarding any planned or unplanned disruption in service or availability of accessible products Andor services for example a shopping mall has scheduled maintenance on one of its elevators and it will be unavailable for 2 days the mall posted the plan disruption on its website a week in advance and posted a sign by the elevator the day before the disruption these notices explain the reason for the disruption its expected length and where an alternative elevator is available in another area of the mall how to provide notice the notice must indicate any alternatives which exist to allow persons with disabilities to access your goods or services during the disruption service disruptions will be posted in writing at all entrances and at the point of disruption where possible your organization must make every effort to provide notice to persons with disabilities over the phone and on the company website feedback process under the aoda companies must Implement a process to provide persons with disabilities the opportunity to give feedback on the services provided to them your workplace needs to provide feedback forms along with alternate methods for providing feedback such as as verbally over the phone and through email or your website upon request all persons with disabilities will receive acknowledgement of their feedback along with any resulting actions based on the feedback received safety in an emergency procedures for fire and other emergencies must be adapted to include the evacuation of people with disabilities check evacuation routes for obstacles can wheelchair chairs get through if the person is blind offer your arm for guidance if the person is deaf you may have to write down instructions overview of customer service guidelines Wheelchairs and other Mobility devices are part of a person's personal space don't touch move or lean on them keep ramps and corridors free of clutter if a counter is too high or wide step around it to provide service provide seating for those that can not stand in line don't touch or handle an assisted device without permission don't move items or equipment such as canes and Walkers out of your customer's reach if you have permission to move a person in a wheelchair remember to wait for and follow the person's instructions confirm that your customer is ready to move describe what you are going to do before you do it try to avoid uneven ground and object don't leave the person in an awkward dangerous or undignified position such as facing a wall or in the path of opening doors speak naturally and directly to your customer not his or her companion or support person if you need to have a lengthy conversation with someone in a wheelchair or scooter consider sitting so that you can make eye contact ask before you help people with physical disabilities often have their own ways of doing things let your customer know about accessible features in the immediate area like automatic doors accessible washrooms elevators or ramps whether in person or over the phone your first phrase should always be how may I help you in conclusion policies may be very general or you may need to be more specific based on organizational needs and the type of service always treat others as you would like to be treated remember we are all customers and consumers disability or not and what you have learned today isn't just considered nice to know it's the law now that you have finished watching the video it is time to take the aoda customer service standards quiz if you require time to review the material in the manual do so now when you are ready to write the quiz ask the person facilitating this process for the quiz the quiz consists of 20 multiple choice questions you must score a minimum of 80% to obtain a satisfactory score or pass your organization must keep the test and record of training on file [Music]