Step 5
Develop an Accessibility Plan

Once you’ve completed a review of your goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations, it is time to create an accessibility plan. Generally, it makes sense to have two separate accessibility plans for programs and then for the facility; this is because they address two different types of access and are often the responsibility of different staff.

A program accessibility plan lays out what program, policy, or procedure needs to be modified, how to modify it, who will modify it, and when to address the issue. This includes your policies, procedures and rules, operations and equipment, the materials and documents present at your business, and effective communication. 

A facility accessibility plan includes a schedule to remove any physical barriers into and throughout the facilities, which includes the path to the buildings, the elements of the building itself, signage, and the placement of furniture and goods around the facility.  

Preparing an accessibility plan will help keep tasks organized, show how much work needs to be done, and create a timeline. It may look daunting, but don’t be overwhelmed. Many barriers can be quickly removed or updated to eliminate several barriers at once. An accessibility plan ensures that nothing is missed or forgotten. Timelines can vary based on the size of a business and the resources available, but the key to being successful is to create a plan that includes regular updates over time. An accessibility plan can be measured in weeks or months depending on the barriers identified in a self-evaluation.  

We have template Accessibility plans for you to use (which you can find here), but your Program Accessibility plan needs to include: 

  • A list of business policies, programs, and procedures; 
  • Changes or modifications that need to be made in order to ensure equal access by those with disabilities; 
  • Who is responsible to implement those changes to policies, programs, and procedures; 
  • A timeline for action; 
  • A space for additional comments. 

 


A Facility Accessibility Plan needs to include: 

  • The method used to remove barriers and restore access; 
  • The schedule to remove architectural and procedural barriers including a date to start and complete barrier removal; 
  • The name of the person/group responsible for barrier removal. This should include the person from your team as well as any outside contractors being hired; 
  • Cost estimates; 
  • Sources of funding. This can be a good place to record where you will use grant and tax credit money, if applicable 
  • A space for additional comments. 

Seek Feedback

It is best practice to get feedback on your Accessibility Plans before starting to enact barrier removal. The Plans should be circulated internally to solicit feedback from heads of departments and staff. Outside of your business, seek comments from members of the public, disability groups, and individuals with disabilities. Some businesses use this opportunity to create an advisory committee made up of interested community members like local disability organizations or business-specific stakeholders. An advisory committee can offer feedback on the feasibility of suggested removal practices, provide information on contractors, and help identify issues. This committee can then be included for later feedback on your transition, accessibility issues, and serve to network your business to the disability community in the future.