Accessible Design

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AODA

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Accessible Design * AODA *

Accessible Document System — George Brown College

Annual Reports, Books, Brochures, Print-Ready PDFs – George Brown College

Designed a series of accessible document templates for George Brown College, ensuring compliance with AODA/WCAG standards while maintaining a clear and consistent visual identity across institutional communications.

My Role

As a Graphic Designer, I was responsible for developing accessible document layouts that aligned with AODA/WCAG standards while maintaining George Brown College’s visual identity. My work focused on establishing clear typographic hierarchy, optimizing color contrast for readability, and creating structured, reusable templates that could be used across departments. I collaborated with internal marketing team to ensure the designs were both compliant and practical for everyday use by non-designers.

Challenge

The project required meeting strict accessibility requirements while preserving the college’s established visual identity.

Design Approach

The approach centered on clarity and accessibility. I developed a strong typographic hierarchy, improved spacing for readability, and applied high-contrast color combinations in line with WCAG standards. Layouts were simplified and structured to support both digital viewing and accessibility across assistive technologies.

Adding custom alt text to every image was an important part of the process. This example shows a detailed description written for screen readers — helping visually impaired users fully understand the content and context.

Once everything was tagged and tested, I used Adobe Acrobat Pro to run a full accessibility check. The final document passed all key areas — including logical reading order, alt text, and contrast.

Chef School Apprenticeship

Academic Division Highlights Book

One of several annual reports I’ve helped design and remediate. These large-format PDFs require thoughtful typography, consistent tagging, and accessible layout structure — especially in elements like the Table of Contents, which must be fully navigable via assistive tech.

Note: Due to confidentiality, only a brief selection of accessibility projects is shown.

Designing for accessibility isn’t just about compliance—it’s about inclusion. Whether it’s a brochure, a digital report, or a program guide, making content accessible ensures that everyone, regardless of ability, can engage with and benefit from the information. I believe thoughtful, inclusive design leads to better communication, stronger communities, and a more equitable future.