[homeles_ot-l] Fwd: {ODSPAction} FW: Survey on Experiences of People with Disabilities at Tribunals

Thu Jul 3 15:50:46 EDT 2008

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tyler Hnatuk <thnatuk at communitylivingontario.ca>
Date: Thu, Jul 3, 2008 at 3:46 PM
Subject: {ODSPAction} FW: Survey on Experiences of People with Disabilities
at Tribunals
To: odspaction at googlegroups.com

 Hi all,

ARCH has distributed this survey on the experience of people with
disabilities at the social benefits tribunal WSIB and the landlord tenant
board.  Note that you can complete the survey by telephone by calling
*1-866-482-2724
or TTY at 1-866-482-2728.*

 ------------------------------
*From:* Keith Powell
*Sent:* Friday, June 27, 2008 1:30 PM
*To:* Orville Endicott; Gordon Kyle; Tyler Hnatuk
*Cc:* Keith Powell
*Subject:* FW: Survey on Experiences of People with Disabilities at
Tribunals

 fyi

*Terri*

*Terri Newton*
*Executive Secretary
(416) 447-4348 ext. 228*

*Community Living Ontario
terri at communitylivingontario.ca*

**

www.communitylivingontario.ca

 ------------------------------

*From:* Theresa Sciberras [mailto:scibert at lao.on.ca]
*Sent:* June 27, 2008 12:39 PM
*To:* Theresa Sciberras
*Cc:* archst3 at lao.on.ca
*Subject:* Survey on Experiences of People with Disabilities at Tribunals

Dear Members,
The success of one of our current law reform projects depends on our ability
to reach out to you, and, if you are an organization, to your members for
their comments. The project is aimed at increasing access to administrative
Tribunals in Ontario for persons with disabilities.

In order to write an effective policy submission to prompt change in the
Tribunals' approach to accommodating people with disabilities, we want to
survey your members about their experiences and concerns about the
accessibility of the Social Benefits Tribunal, the Workplace Safety and
Insurance Appeals Tribunal and the Landlord and Tenant Board.

If you are an organization, we would greatly appreciate if you could
distribute the notice below to your members by posting it on your list-serve
or website or publishing it in your newsletter. If you post the notice below
on your list-serve, please include two identical versions of the survey: one
in word format; another in text format.

If you are unable to distribute the survey to your members, please let us
know so we could outreach to your members in other ways. If you are an
individual, please review the notice below.

*NOTICE ON THE SURVEY*

*The ARCH Disability Law Centre, a community legal aid clinic dedicated to
defending and advancing the equality rights of persons with disabilities, is
conducting an overview of the barriers for people with disabilities at
Tribunals in Ontario.*

*If you had or are waiting to have a Hearing and/or Mediation at the Social
Benefits Tribunal, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal or
the Landlord and Tenant Board and you have a disability, we need you to tell
us about your experience at the above Tribunals by completing our
confidential survey. Your responses to questions in this survey will have a
direct impact on making the justice system more accessible for people with
disabilities.*

*To complete the survey, please go on-line to*
http://archdisabilityl.survey.sgizmo.com* **or phone Viktoria at ARCH
Disability Law Centre Toll-free at 1-866-482-2724 or TTY at 1-866-482-2728.*

*If you received this notice by e-mail, the survey should be attached to the
e-mail in word and text formats. Please fill it out the version of the
survey which you find the easiest to read and send it to ARCH Disability Law
Centre by email to **archst3 at lao.on.ca* <archst3 at lao.on.ca>* or by mail to
425 Bloor St. East Suite 110, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3R5*.

<<confidential survey on experiences of people with disabilities at
Tribunals.FINAL.TEXT.txt>> <<confidential survey on experience of people
with disabilities at Tribunals.FINAL.WORD.doc>>

Theresa Sciberras
Program Assistant
ARCH Disability Law Centre
425 Bloor St. E. Ste. 110
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3R5
Tel.: 416-482-8255 Toll-free: 1-866-482-2724
Fax: 416-482-2981 Toll-free: 1-866-881-2723
TTY: 416-482-1254 Toll-free: 1-866-482-2728
E-mail: scibert at lao.on.ca
Website: www.archdisabilitylaw.ca

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Confidential Survey on Experiences of People with
Disabilities at Tribunals

What is this survey about?

This survey is about the experiences of people with disabilities at the
Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal, the Social Benefits
Tribunal, and the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Who should complete this survey?

People who have disabilities and who had or are waiting to have a Hearing
and/or Mediation at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal, the
Social Benefits Tribunal, or the Landlord and Tenant Board.

Who is distributing this survey?

ARCH Disability Law Centre is distributing this survey.

ARCH Disability Law Centre is a community legal aid clinic dedicated to
defending and advancing the equality rights of persons with disabilities.
ARCH fulfills its mandate in many ways, through law reform initiatives,
community development, a telephone summary advice and referral service,
public legal education, and test case litigation.

Why should you complete this survey?

Your responses to questions in this survey will have a direct impact on
making the justice system more accessible for people with disabilities.

The findings of this survey will be summarized in a report that will be
posted on ARCH Disability Law Centre website and distributed to the Chairs
of the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal, the Social Benefits
Tribunal and the Landlord and Tenant Board. This work will be an important
resource for everyone working towards improving access to justice for people
with disabilities.

The information that you provide in this survey will be kept strictly
confidential.

How can you complete the survey?

1. You can complete the survey in plain text format and send it to ARCH
Disability Law Centre by e-mail to archst3 at lao.on.ca or mail to 425 Bloor
St. East Suite 110, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3R5

2. You can complete the survey on-line at
http://archdisabilityl.survey.sgizmo.com

3. You can complete the survey by phoning Viktoria at ARCH Disability Law
Centre Toll-free at 1-866-482-2724 or TTY at 1-866-482-2728.

PLEASE COMPLETE THE SURVEY BY AUGUST 11TH, 2008!

PART A: GENERAL INFORMATION

1. In which Board/Tribunal did you have or are waiting to have a Hearing
and/or Mediation? Please select one of the following by putting an 'X'
before your selection.

- Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal.
- Social Benefits Tribunal.
- Landlord and Tenant Board.

2. If you had a Hearing and/or Mediation, in what year was it held? Please
provide information below.

3. If you had a Hearing and/or Mediation, what was the city and the main
intersection where your Hearing and/or Mediation was held? (For example:
Toronto, Yonge/St. Clair) Please provide information below.

4. Around the same time as you were dealing with the Board/Tribunal, did
someone decide that you could no longer make decisions about your money or
property? Please select one of the following by putting an 'X' before your
selection.

- Yes. If yes, when?
- No.

5. Please describe your disability/disabilities. (optional) Please provide
information below.

PART B: MAKING DECISIONS

6. Please describe if you had any trouble understanding what was happening
at the Board/Tribunal? (For example:  why you were at the Board/Tribunal;
what information the Tribunal/Board needed from you; what were next steps at
the Board/Tribunal) Please provide information below.

7. Please describe if you had any trouble making decisions for yourself at
the Board/Tribunal, including understanding what would follow from your
decisions (For example: what forms to fill out; what you were asking from
the Board/Tribunal; understanding that if you did not give the
Board/Tribunal forms on time, you might lose your right to go to the
Board/Tribunal) Please provide information below.

8. Did anyone tell you that they were worried that you did not understand
what was happening at the Tribunal/ Board? Did anyone tell you that they
were worried that you had trouble making decisions for yourself at the
Tribunal/ Board? Please select one of the following by putting an 'X' before
your selection.
- No
- Yes. If yes, please describe who was worried and why.

9. Did the Tribunal/ Board tell you that you needed someone to help you make
decisions?
- No
- Yes.

10. Did someone help you make decisions about what was happening at the
Tribunal/ Board (For example: family member, friend, health professional,
social worker, litigation guardian. Please select one of the following by
putting an 'X' before your selection.

-No
-Yes. If yes, who? Did he/she speak with you about those decisions? Did you
agree with the decisions? Please provide information below.

11. Was there a way for the Board/Tribunal to make it easier for you to
understand what was happening at the Board/Tribunal (For example: pamphlets
about the Hearing and/or Mediation; frequent breaks; availability of support
persons to relieve anxiety; scheduling short Hearings and/or Mediations;
someone at the Board/Tribunal to answer questions) Please provide
information below.

PART C:  BEFORE THE HEARING AND/OR MEDIATION

Section 1: Board/Tribunal Website

12. If you used the Board/Tribunal website, how difficult was it for you to
understand the information on the website?  Please select one of the
following by putting an 'X' before your selection.

- very easy
- easy
- hard
- very hard
- question does not apply to me
- do not remember

13. If you used the Board/Tribunal website, please describe your experience
with the Board/Tribunal website, including any challenges that you faced.
(For example: Did your screen reader/ or speech recognition software work on
the website?) Please provide information below or select "question does not
apply to me" by putting an "X"

- Question does not apply to me.

Section 2: Communication with a Board/Tribunal representative before the
Hearing and/or Mediation.

14. Did you make contact with a Board/Tribunal representative before your
Hearing and/or Mediation?
- Yes.
- No. If no, please skip questions 15-16 and go to question 17.

15.  Did a Board/Tribunal representative tell you what the Board/Tribunal
does to help people with disabilities? Please select one of the following by
putting an 'X' before your selection.

- Question does not apply to me
- No
- Yes. If yes, what exactly did the representative tell you about how the
Board/Tribunal helps people with disabilities? (For example: alternative
formats of forms; assistance in completing forms; extra time to complete
forms; sign language interpreter at the Hearing and/or Mediation)

16. Please describe your experience communicating with a Board/Tribunal
representative before your Hearing and/or Mediation, including any
challenges that you faced. (For example: Were you able to understand what a
Board/Tribunal representative told you? Were you able to communicate your
concerns/questions to a Board/Tribunal representative? If you told a
representative that you had a disability, did he/she communicate with you in
a manner that reflected your needs?) Please provide information below or
select "question does not apply to me" by putting an "X"

- Does not apply to me.

Section 3: Completing the Board/Tribunal Forms

17. Was there anything you needed because of your disability to help you
complete the Board/Tribunal forms? (For example:  forms in alternative
formats; someone to fill out the forms for you?) Please select one of the
following by putting an 'X' before your selection.
- No
- Yes. If yes, please describe what you needed.

18. Did you ask the Board/Tribunal to give you what you needed? Please
select one of the following by putting an 'X' before your selection.

- Yes. If yes, how did the Board/Tribunal respond?
- No. If no, why not? (For example: I did not know that the Board/Tribunal
could give me what I needed; I found someone to complete the forms for me.)
- Question does not apply to me.

Section 4: Requesting Disability Accommodation for the Hearing and/or
Mediation

19. Was there anything you needed because of your disability in order to
participate in a Hearing and or Mediation?  (For example: sign language
interpreter; support person, intervenor for Deaf-Blind persons;
communications facilitator; real-time captioning; use of a service animal;
more time; frequent breaks; having a Hearing and/or Mediation at certain
times of the day; having a Hearing and/or Mediation over the telephone or
video conference) Please select one of the following by putting an 'X'
before your selection.
- No.
- Yes. If yes, please describe what you needed

20. If you had needs, did you or your representative ask the Board/Tribunal
to give you what you needed? Please select one of the following by putting
an 'X' before your selection.

- Yes. If yes, how did the Board/Tribunal respond? (For example: Did the
Board/Tribunal tell you to arrange a sign language interpreter or did the
Board/Tribunal arrange a sign-language interpreter for you?)
- No. If not, please describe why not.
- Do not know.

21. How difficult was it to ask the Board/Tribunal to give you what you
needed?  Please select one of the following by putting an 'X' before your
selection.
- very easy
- easy
- hard
- very hard
- Question does not apply to me.
- Do not remember.

PART D: HEARING AND/OR MEDIATION.  If you are still waiting for a Hearing
and/or Mediation, you do not need to answer any more questions. Thank you
for completing the survey.

22. What type of Hearing and/or Mediation did you have? Please select one of
the following by putting an 'X' before your selection.
- In-person Hearing and/or Mediation
- Video conference Hearing and/or Mediation
- Telephone Hearing and/or Mediation

23. If you had an in-person Hearing and/or Mediation, please describe any
difficulty that you had getting to the Hearing and/or Mediation as well as
getting around the building where the Hearing and/or Mediation was held.
(For example: Did you have difficulty understanding where and when the
Hearing and/or Mediation was being held? Did you have difficulty finding
accessible transportation to get to the building where the Hearing and/or
Mediation was held?) Please provide information below or select "question
does not apply to me" by putting an "X" before it.

-Does not apply to me.

24. If you received assistance from the Board/Tribunal with your needs
related to a disability, how satisfied were you with the quality of
assistance that the Board/Tribunal provided to you.  Please select one of
the following by putting an 'X' before your selection.
- not satisfied
- satisfied
- very satisfied
- Question does not apply to me.
- Do not remember.

25. If you received assistance with your needs related to your disability,
how could the assistance be improved? Please provide information below or
select "question does not apply to me" by putting an "X" before it.

- Question does not apply to me.

26. Please describe if you had any difficulty participating in a Hearing
and/or Mediation. (For example: Was the background noise interfering with
your ability to listen and focus on the Hearing and/or Mediation?  When
responding to questions, did you feel comfortable asking that the questions
be repeated at a slower pace or rephrased? Were you able to see the speakers
mouths if it helped you understand them?) Please provide information below
or select "question does not apply to me" by putting an "X" before it.

- Does not apply to me.

Thank you for completing the survey.

If you would like to receive a copy of the Report that will summarize and
analyze the findings of this survey, please provide your mailing address
below.

-- 
Terrie ( mocharebyl at gmail.com )
"If you see an injustice being committed, you aren't an observer, you are a
participant." June Callwood
Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and
renders the present inaccessible. Maya Angelou
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