MONTREAL, May 5, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - The Regroupement des aveugles et amblyopes du Québec (RAAQ) is asking banking institutions for their collaboration in a research project which launched in January 2021 and is aimed at developing a recommendation guide to help these institutions offer more accessible online services.
A worrying situation aggravated by the current crisis
Disabled people can navigate the Internet without much difficulty with appropriate adaptive technologies and if websites meet certain accessibility standards. "The current health crisis put a spot light on how important it is to develop accessible websites. Blind and partially sighted people had to suddenly turn to the Internet to manage their assets. It was very hard for some of them," said Carole Giguère, President, RAAQ.
The RAAQ notes that the accessibility for transactional services offered on Canadian banking institutions' websites still have a long way to go for people with visual disabilities, although the rules for web content accessibility (WCAG 2.0) developed by the W3C Consortium have existed for over 10 years. "Imagine how difficult accessing these services is for people with visual, hearing, motor or cognitive disabilities. Simply paying a bill, downloading a monthly statement, making an Interac e-Transfer or searching for a transaction can be a major challenge," continued Giguère.
An open and innovative project
Funded in part by the Government of Canada through the Canadian Accessibility Standards Development Organization Fund, the RAAQ research project includes a series of user tests, followed by an analysis of the results and a recommendation guide being sent to support the banks in setting up more accessible and inclusive web platforms. This will allow clients with disabilities to have an easier time making their daily financial transactions. the RAAQ can count on the help of two key partners to succeed in this key mandate, the Confédération des organismes de personnes handicapées du Québec (COPHAN) and the Fédération des Mouvements Personne d'Abord du Québec (FMPDAQ). "Today, we're reaching out to banking institutions so that, together, we can carry out this project to improve how inclusive financial institutions are and the quality of life for people who are blind or partially sighted," said the RAAQ President.
About the Regroupement des aveugles et amblyopes du Québec
The Regroupement des aveugles et amblyopes du Québec's (RAAQ) mission is to advocate for and defend the rights of the blind and amblyopes in Quebec and lead the way for their full integration into every area of human activity. Our federation represents 21 associations that work with people with visual disabilities throughout Quebec.
SOURCE Regroupement des aveugles et amblyopes du Québec (RAAQ)
Antoine Perreault, Executive Director, RAAQ, Telephone: 438-393-7859, Email: [email protected]
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