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Accessibility at CNIB

Main Content

Whether you’re a participant in our programs, a donor, or a member of our staff or volunteer team, the CNIB Foundation is committed to being accessible and inclusive to everyone.

That’s been our approach during 100 years serving Canadians who are blind or partially sighted.

And that’s why we’re proud to share our new multi-year accessibility plan . It will guide all organizations within the CNIB Group in being best-in-class participants in true accessibility and inclusiveness, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005) and other disability legislation. 

This multi-year accessibility plan covers 2018 to 2022. Check back on this page for reports on our progress and additional planning documents as we have them. 

Our accessibility commitment to you

Accessibility is our collective responsibility to our colleagues, clients and volunteers. We will ensure adequate time and resources to promote accessibility so that every individual is supported for success in his or her organizational role, obligations or community outreach.

Our accessibility team

Our accessibility team is dedicated to the delivery of the multi-year accessibility plan and to all aspects of accessibility policy, practice and advocacy at the CNIB Group.

  • Mahadeo Sukhai, Chief accessibility officer
  • Michaela Knot, Specialist, accessibility
  • Jacqueline Rennebohm, Consultant, accessibility and human resources 

Clear Print Accessibility Guidelines

Print that’s easy on the eyes

CNIB’s goal is to create a better Canada – a barrier-free Canada – where every individual, regardless of vision loss, is able to fully participate in the world around them.

Creating this barrier-free Canada means not only ensuring buildings and roadways are safe and accessible for all citizens to enjoy; it also means ensuring that the way we communicate with each other is just as accessible – things like signs, ads, books, websites, brochures, product packages and so many other communication materials we absorb in everyday life.

How do we do that? By making the print we produce as clear and readable as possible.

Readability shouldn’t be an afterthought when producing materials. It should be the first step in making your merchandising, service, location or information accessible to everyone, no matter how much vision they have.

Keep the following Clear Print guidelines in mind as you design your products, and you’ll reach a wider audience.

Contrast

Use high-contrast colours for text and background.

Good examples are black or dark blue on a white or yellow background, or white/yellow text on a black/dark blue background.

Type Colour

Printed material is most readable in black and white. If using coloured text, restrict it to things like titles, headlines or highlighted material.

Point Size

Bigger is better. Keep your text large, preferably between 12 and 18 points depending on the font (point size varies between fonts). Consider your audience when choosing point size.

Leading

Leading is the space between lines of text and should be at least 25 to 30 per cent of the point size. This helps readers move their eyes more easily to the next line of text. Heavier typefaces will require slightly more leading.

Font Family and Font Style

Avoid complicated or decorative fonts. Choose standard fonts with easily recognizable upper and lower case characters. Arial and Verdana are good choices.

Font Heaviness

Choose fonts with medium heaviness and avoid light type with thin strokes. When emphasizing a word or passage, use a bold or heavy font. Italics or upper case letters are not recommended.

Letter Spacing

Don’t crowd your text: keep a wide space between letters. Choose a monospaced font rather than one that is proportionally spaced.

Margins and Columns

Separate text into columns to make it easier to read, as it requires less eye movement and less peripheral vision.

Use wide binding margins or spiral bindings if possible. Flat pages work best for vision aids such as magnifiers.

Paper Finish

Use a matte or non-glossy finish to cut down on glare. Reduce distractions by not using watermarks or complicated background designs.

Clean Design and Simplicity

Use distinctive colours, sizes and shapes on the covers of materials to make them easier to tell apart.

Giving feedback

As we move forward with our multi-year plan and other efforts to improve accessibility at the CNIB Foundation, we want to hear from you with feedback and suggestions. Contact accessibility@cnib.ca or call 1-866-563-2642.

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