Understanding barriers to accessibility
Barriers are obstacles. Barriers to accessibility are obstacles that make it difficult — sometimes impossible — for people with disabilities to do the things most of us take for granted — things like going shopping, working, or taking public transit. When we think of barriers to accessibility, most of us think of physical barriers — like a person who uses a wheelchair not being able to enter a public building because there is no ramp. The fact is there are many kinds of barriers. Some are visible. Many are invisible.
Barriers to Accessibility |
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Type of Barriers |
Examples |
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Attitudinal barriers are those that discriminate against people with disabilities. |
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| Information or communication barriers happen when a person can't easily understand information. |
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| Technology barriers occur when a technology can't be modified to support various assistive devices. |
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| Organizational barriers are an organization's policies, practices or procedures that discriminate against people with disabilities. |
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| Architectural and physical barriers are features of buildings or spaces that cause problems for people with disabilities. |
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Source: Access ON, Ministry of Community and Social Services





