McGraw Hill Canada strives to deliver its goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.
We are committed to developing, implementing, and enforcing accessibility standards for the benefit of all of our Canadian customers as outlined in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act (AODA) in accordance with the stated timelines.
"At McGraw Hill, we believe that learning changes everything – and we're committed to breaking down the barriers that stand in the way of students realizing their full potential. Ensuring that our products are accessible to all learners is one of our top priorities, and is central to the design and development of every learning experience we provide."
Simon Allen, CEO, McGraw Hill
Our Process
We develop, implement, and enforce accessibility standards for the benefit of all of our Canadian customers as outlined in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act (AODA) in accordance with the stated timelines. All new digital product development adheres to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Level 2.1 AA. As our products evolve, we regularly conduct audits on new features and content – remediating gaps to increase our compliance.
Along with having an internal accessibility team, we partner with industry-recognized third-party vendors for consultation and their objective evaluation of the accessibility compliance of our products. Whenever possible, we engage with users with a range of abilities to ensure usability and accessibility for all learners.
We Partner with You
We partner with administrators, instructors, and accessibility specialists to create a meaningful and engaging learning experience for all students.
And we don’t stop there – we also engage with advocacy organizations and user groups that are committed to accessibility.
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We are a participating publisher in AERO (Alternate Education Resources Ontario) – a web-based digital repository operated by the Ministry of Education in partnership with the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities – which works directly with both the Boards of Education and the Accessibility Offices in post-secondary institutes along with publishers of educational material.
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We are a proud Employer Partner of the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI). www.ccdi.ca
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We collaborate with the Book Industry Study Group, Software & Information Industry Association, and the IMS Global Learning Consortium; we also engage with organizations such as The Center for Accessible Media at WGBH (NCAM) and the National Federation of the Blind.
This collective feedback is essential to our progress in accessibility and usability.
Product Accessibility
We at McGraw Hill Canada are committed to developing products that can be accessed and used by any and all learners, including those with disabilities, and have created a culture that considers those with differing learning and access needs from the outset. This effort includes a comprehensive strategy that combines planning, research, training, and product development activities with both McGraw-Hill employees and third-party content partners.
We are committed to developing, implementing, and enforcing accessibility standards for the benefit of all of our Canadian customers as outlined in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disability Act (AODA) in accordance with the stated timelines. As of January 2012, the customer service standard has been implemented, and our progress towards accessibility for Information and Communication, Employment, and Design of Public Spaces will be tracked through our Accessibility Plan found on this site.
This Accessibility Plan covers the achievements and plans for our Canadian customers and employees and is based on the Ontario legislation – Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). This Plan may be updated as needed to meet the needs of MHE’s customers and employees.
- Creation of Accessible Products – McGraw Hill is making efforts to have all new content and software follow the WCAG version 2.1 AA guidelines and best practices. To achieve this and continuously improve the accessibility of our products, we are utilizing our internal product teams, engaging with external experts, and soliciting user feedback.
- Community Inclusion – In addition to developing experiences that meet the recommended guidelines, we are engaged with accessibility advocacy organizations, forums, and user groups in order to get confirmation that the software and content we produce is not only compliant but, more importantly, usable by learners.
- Employee Training – Accessibility is central to our design and development efforts. Employees and resource providers in those roles have been educated and trained on accessibility guidelines to support the development of products that are compliant with WCAG 2.1 AA guidelines.
- Alternative Content – We recognize that we need to work closely with all of our education partners as we progress towards our accessibility goal. In the event that alternative content formats are required, we evaluate the options and (whenever possible) provide the necessary content.
To request a copy of our Accessibility Plan, please email us at [email protected]
Learning Resources and Alternative Formats
In 2015, we established WCAG Level AA criteria as our standard for all products. We’re committed to producing content and technology that helps all learners succeed.
eBooks
Our e-book was built with WCAG 2.1 AA criteria in mind from the start. It includes support for various assistive technologies, consistent navigation, no keyboard traps, zoom capabilities, captioning for media, timing options & accessibility for mobile devices as well.
PowerPoints
Accessible PowerPoints that comply with WCAG 2.1 AA criteria are available across our portfolio upon request.
Video Content
The majority of our Higher Education videos are closed captioned and/or have transcripts available and all new videos are closed captioned and/or have transcripts available.
We make it easy to request digital files in alternative formats to accommodate students with disabilities – at no cost to you. Visit our Alternate File Format Request page.
We make it easy to request digital files in alternative formats to accommodate students with disabilities – at no cost to you.
Visit our Alternate File Format Request page.
Supporting Documentation
Because of our commitment to aligning our digital solutions to WCAG 2.1 AA criteria, we offer supporting documentation and materials to assist you. We have a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) for our digital platforms, regularly updated Accessibility Conformance Reports (ACRs) to show iterative improvements, a cross-product rubric, and an accessibility multi-year plan. You can request any of these materials from your Account Manager or email us at [email protected].