hey all ! so this is an exciting day – the day i post the first version of our very own accessibility audit. i couldn’t have done this without the help of a friend over at the radical access mapping project in vancouver. this audit is based on the one they use for spaces in vancouver, adapted in several ways to fit this city. a lot of the questions are the same or very similar because i think there are certain access factors that absolutely, without a doubt, need to be included. so thank you again to the RAMP project for all your hard work – couldn’t have done this without you !
and now, on to the good stuff. this audit will eventually become a PDF form that can be easily filled out with any PDF editing software (i.e. adobe reader). for now though, i give you the audit in its entirety to give you an idea of what our project is all about. if you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, please feel free to drop us a line ! we’d love to hear from you. this part of the process is all about getting feedback, so please don’t be shy, especially if there’s something you think should be added to the audit.
the audit comes with 22 sections, as follows (in order of appearance) : signage and wayfinding ; lighting ; vehicle and mobility device parking ; physical access – exterior ; transit ; doors ; lifts, elevators, and escalators ; stairs, steps, and ledges ; ramps : exterior ; ramps : interior ; hallways and floors ; assistive listening devices, sound, and interpretation ; in case of emergency ; seating ; food and beverage, transactions, and ATMs ; scent-free spaces ; smoking areas ; borrowing/renting wheelchairs/mobility devices ; service animals ; staff policies/disability awareness ; communication ; and washrooms. we’re also definitely open to adding or changing sections if that’s something that comes up along the way. not every question in every section will apply to every space we audit – for example, some are specific to venues ; some spaces may not have washrooms, etc.
so here we go ! enjoy, and again, we welcome any and all feedback on this form. accessibletoronto audit form v1.0
quinto @ accessibletoronto
accessibletoronto 
Love your for and analysis. I have not reviewed all sections completely but I have a couple of observations. The headings ‘sometimes / always / never’ should follow from page to page. Second, the word space can have several meanings depending upon what you are reviewing. If the space is a building with multiple rooms, are the rooms surveyed separately? If not, how would they be addressed? I have made physical assessments of schools in Arkansas and minimizing the paper is challenging. It seems that not all rooms in a structure would require the rigors of your form. Keep at it. I am working with a non-profit group in Cleveland, MAHO, that provides housing for people with physical disabilities. We are researching materials to provide people with disabilities, the resources to make their lives easier as well as educate the community at large about people with disabilities. I am focusing on the built environment. We work under the name Accessible Housing Resource Center.
dear john,
in the newest version of the audit form the headings always/sometimes/never/etc. do follow from page to page, we’ve got that covered !
as for your second point, if a space (by that i mean business, venue, etc. as a whole) is comprised of multiple rooms we audit them separately if all rooms have public access and if there are significant changes in access information from room to room.
we agree that not all spaces, and not all rooms within any given space, require usage of all parts of our form. in many spaces that we audit, entire sections are not applicable to any particular space.
we will be sure to check out your project ! keep up your work as well; it’s important stuff. we thank you for contacting us and for your input !
– quinto @ accessibletoronto