Accessible by Design

When creating brochures—whether for healthcare, government services, education, or community outreach—clarity and accessibility are non-negotiable. In Ontario, that’s not just best practice—it’s the law. Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), public-facing content must be accessible to people of all abilities.

As a translation company deeply committed to inclusive communication, we help clients ensure their brochures are not only accurately translated, but also accessible to all—regardless of language or ability.

What Makes a Brochure AODA-Compliant?

To be AODA-compliant, brochures must follow principles that align with accessible design and clear communication. Here are some of the key elements:

• Plain Language: The source text should be easy to understand. AODA encourages the use of straightforward language and avoids jargon.
• Readable Fonts: Fonts should be legible—typically sans-serif, with sufficient spacing.
• Contrast and Colour: There must be strong contrast between text and background. Colour should never be the only method of conveying meaning.
• Clear Layout: Use of headings, white space, and logical structure improves comprehension for everyone.
• Alt Text for Graphics: Any key images or icons should be described for people using screen readers.
• Hyperlinks: Use descriptive text (“Learn more about this”, instead of “Click here.” Ensure links are visually distinct and pass contrast checks.
• Logical Navigation: For digital brochures, the content should follow a logical reading order. Use tags in PDFs (Headings, Paragraphs, Lists, etc.) to support screen readers.

Where Translation Meets Accessibility

Translating a brochure into another language—especially Indigenous languages or newcomers languages—is about more than words. It’s about preserving all of these accessible design elements so that every reader has the same level of access.

At wintranslation, we take accessibility seriously throughout the translation process and we understand AODA requirements. We ensure your translated brochures and other communications products fully retain the accessibility features of your original AODA-compliant documents. In our work, we carefully preserve these features and we also offer feedback if we spot opportunities for improvement.

We Maintain Layout and Structure

• Our DTP and project management teams work together to preserve headings, white space, fonts, and visual flow.
• We anticipate and address layout changes that may result from text expansion during translation.

We Translate Alt Text and Link Descriptions

• We ensure alt text is localized, so it makes cultural and linguistic sense
• Link descriptions are translated meaningfully, preserving purpose and context

We Offer Alternative Format Options

• If you’re offering a large print or audio version in English, we can help produce those formats in other languages too.

We Verify That Translated PDFs are AODA Compliant

We use tools to scan and flag basic issues like missing alt text, untagged content and failed contrast, check the tags and test the reading order

We also manually verify the alt text for each image, icon or graphs, making sure they display correctly and clearly describe the image purpose.

We check the links, ensuring they are descriptive, and they work.

If the brochure is translated into different languages, or available in different formats like large print, audio, we make sure that the client has included a note specifying these things (e.g., “This document is available in large print, other languages upon request.”)

Accessibility Is Inclusion—and It’s Worth Doing Right

Being AODA-compliant isn’t just about avoiding fines—it’s about being truly inclusive. Your brochure might be the first point of contact for someone looking for housing, health services, education, or community support. Making that content accessible in multiple languages—and in accessible formats—means opening doors, building trust, and respecting everyone’s right to information.

At wintranslation, we help you deliver accessible, high-quality translations that reflect both your values and your obligations. Let’s make sure your message reaches everyone—clearly, respectfully, and accessibly. Contact us for a free brochure translation estimate.