Canadian Banks embrace Accessibility to ensure Privacy and Security and Prevent Fraud

OTTAWA, Feb. 27, 2013 /CNW/ - As Fraud Prevention Month approaches, T-Base Communications commends financial institutions for their commitment to ensuring that privacy and security includes accessibility. While the financial industry has always been focused on important privacy and security issues guided by legislation and standards such as Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS), and now accessibility law has come into play under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), with deadlines pending for corporations and government to ensure information, communications and technology accessibility.

According to a Canadian Bankers Association survey conducted in late 2012, How Canadians Bank, Canadians are embracing new technology choices to make their personal banking more convenient including; online, mobile and telephone banking. But as technology may change how consumers perform daily financial transactions, so must institutions in the way they offer services to a demanding market, advises T-Base Communications. Jeff Potts, President and CEO of T-Base said he has seen a shift in how their customers are responding. "Canadian banks and credit card companies are indeed providing more choice, while at the same time, ensuring that their blind and low vision customers are afforded full information accessibility, protecting their privacy and security, and thereby managing their risk," adds Mr Potts.

In light of increased levels of awareness with Fraud Prevention Month, Sharlyn Ayotte, blind Strategy Officer for T-Base says that accessible financial information is critical to ensuring private and secure delivery to the blind and low vision consumer population. "It is absolutely essential that blind and low vision banking customers have an opportunity to review their private and confidential information independently, and securely.  Disclosing pin numbers and account details to sighted peers, friends and family is never a good idea - so Canadian banks and credit card providers should be commended for their consideration of accessibility in the way they communicate." adds Ayotte.

Ms Ayotte stresses that despite the adoption of paperless transactions, there is a portion of the customer base that will always require paper based alternatives such as braille and large print - freely available from all Canadian banks and credit card providers.  "As the population ages, it is reasonable to expect that the group of older individuals who are blind or have low vision will grow", says Sharlyn Ayotte. "Providing information in a format that consumers can understand is essential for this portion of the consumer base in order to review transactions, make independent, and fully informed financial decisions about their future."

About T-Base Communications Inc.

T-Base Communications helps organizations communicate effectively with their blind, deaf-blind, partially sighted and print disabled customers who cannot access information in conventional print or online formats, and at the same time ensuring full compliance with all applicable legislation. T-Base Communications is fully PCI compliant and is the North American, leader in the design, production and delivery of information in braille, large print, audio and online for Canada's leading financial services companies, telecom service providers, governments and educational institutions.

SOURCE: T-Base Communications

Deanna White, Media Relations
[phone] / 1-800- 563-0668 Ext. 231
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website: www.tbase.com 
Twitter: @tbasecomm