Access Working Group (AWG)

The Access Working Group (AWG) was established by the Treasury Board Internet Advisory Committee (parent committee) on August 1, 1997 to engage in collaborative activities between government, private sector and community organizations that have a stake in ensuring equitable access to information and services, especially for, but not limited to persons with disabilities, for the purpose of providing input to Government of Canada (GoC) policy making.

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AWG Next Meeting

When:

1st Tuesday of every month

Time:

1:30 PM to 3:00 PM

Location:

10 Wellington, Gatineau, Quebec, Boardoom #2134, 2nd floor

Mandate

The mandate of the AWG is to provide feedback and proposed solutions to common Government of Canada Web accessibility issues for the Treasury Board Secretariat, Web Managers Council (WMC) and other web, accessibility, procurement and policy groups. The AWG will focus on inclusion by design and full accessibility, meaning that the AWG is not just looking for technically accessible solutions, but ones that are also fully usable for persons with disabilities. (Updated 2016-07-05)

Roles

The Access Working Group has two essential roles: as an advisory body and as a working group providing expertise and independent review for the TBS, the Web Manager’s Council and Web Renewal Initiative.

In its role as an advisory body, the AWG would improve the accessibility of GC-Wide Web Based information and services by:
- Assisting TBS and the WMC identify Web Accessibility Issues and priorities for persons with disabilities and identify unresolved Web Accessibility Issues.
- Providing input and expertise on the development of Web standards and guidelines adopted by the GC.
- Providing advice on GC-wide initiatives and policies affecting persons with disabilities.
In its role as a working group providing expertise and independent review the AWG would be responsible to:
- Leverage the expertise of AWG members and Adaptive Computer Technology facilities for review and/or user testing on priority projects. Results and recommendations would be compiled by the AWG.
- Collaborate with the other working groups to ensure that accessibility requirements are incorporated in their advice, recommendation, etc.
- Report regularly on the work plans of the AWG and to report on the status of deliverables.

Added:

2010-02-19

Updated:

2016-07-05

Work Plan

The Work plan for the AWG will be developed by the members taking into consideration the work plans of other core working groups and will be driven by the priorities set by TBS. This plan will be reviewed on a quarterly basis. The AWG will report on work plans and the status of deliverables.

Added:

2010-02-19

Updated:

2016-07-04

Membership Criteria

Membership on the Access Working Group is intended to reflect its role as a voice for the needs of Web accessibility community & persons with disabilities.

Membership will be comprised as follows:

1/3rd Web Developers with an interest in improving accessibility of Web products;
1/3rd Users of adaptive technology and adaptive technology practitioners
1/3rd Web Accessibility practitioners. For example: Testers and Web Project Managers

Membership on the Access Working Group is open to all federal civil servants. Each member must be appointed by a manager at their organization, who is at the EX minus 1 level or higher.

To ensure continuity and stability of involvement, discussion, and information flow, substitutions are discouraged; however, each member may appoint an alternate who will be empowered to fully participate in the Access Working Group’s work in place of the regular member.

The AWG with the prior approval of the Chair(s) of the parent committee, may invite membership above and beyond the membership criteria and retain such assistance and direct such work as may be necessary to facilitate its work. Membership in the AWG could change, as work items are completed and new ones are undertaken.

Members are expected to:

Attend meetings on a regular basis. To remain a member, a representative cannot miss 2 meetings in a row, without prior notice and a valid justification.
Participate in the working groups activities and projects. This may include reviewing documentation such as standards, guidelines, best practices, doing accessibility testing, and providing feedback and recommendations. Members are expected to contribute a minimum of 10% of their time to the activities and projects of the working group. This is 2-3 days per month. Any member that does not contribute in any way, in a six-consecutive month period will become an observer.

Updated:

2010-02-24

Current Priorities

Updating the Working Group Mandate / Reviewing Membership and Recruiting
Provide advice to WMC and TBS regarding update of Web Standards, within AWG's area of expertise
Evaluate accessibility of WXT (ongoing)
Review of Template Development Deliverables

Added:

2010-02-24

Updated:

2016-07-04

AWG Projects

Related Communities -------------------

Updated:

2010-02-24

Keeping informed

People to follow on Twitter

Hashtags to follow

#GCdigital
#OneGC
#GCmeet
#GCLeaders
#GCSecurity
#GCA11y
#GCEvent
#AccessAbility
#AccessibleCanada

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Date modified:: 2023-10-06