As the UI/UX Designer at Laurentian University, I led the institution’s web accessibility initiative to meet Ontario’s AODA mandate. My work included developing an official policy, training staff, and auditing all university-affiliated websites to ensure compliance with WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA standards by the January 1, 2021 deadline.
Problem
With the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) compliance deadline approaching, Laurentian needed to ensure that all public-facing websites and digital content met accessibility standards. Failure to comply could lead to legal, reputational, and user experience challenges, particularly for students, staff, and community members relying on assistive technology.
Solution
I created and implemented a comprehensive web accessibility strategy that included:
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Drafting a university-wide accessibility policy
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Conducting WCAG 2.0 audits across all web properties
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Training content creators and developers on best practices
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Ensuring all new digital assets were designed with accessibility from the start
Impact
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Legal Compliance: Met AODA and WCAG 2.0 Level AA requirements ahead of the 2021 deadline.
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Inclusive User Experience: Enabled barrier-free access to digital content for individuals with disabilities and users of assistive tech.
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Wider Reach: Improved accessibility for seniors, multilingual users, and mobile users, expanding the audience.
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Enhanced SEO & Usability: Clean, semantic markup and accessible design contributed to better search visibility and a smoother user experience.
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Institutional Leadership: Positioned Laurentian as a leader in digital accessibility in the post-secondary sector, reinforcing its commitment to equity and inclusion.