Draft standard

CAN-ASC-6.5 – Accessible and Equitable Generative and Physical Artificial Intelligence Systems

Information
Designation number
CAN-ASC-6.5
Priority area
Built environment
Status
Draft
Developed by
Accessibility Standards Canada
Date posted
May
2026
Publication date
To be determined
Table of contents
Technical committee members

Lisa Snider, Senior Digital Accessibility Consultant and Trainer, Access Changes Everything Inc.    

Nancy McLaughlin, Senior Policy Advisor on Accessibility, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

John Willis, Senior Program Advisor, OPS Accessibility Office, Centre of Excellence for Human Rights.    

Jutta Treviranus (Chairperson), Director of the Inclusive Design Research Centre and Professor, OCAD University  

Gary Birch, Executive Director, Neil Squire Society    

Lisa Liskovoi, Senior Inclusive Designer and Digital Accessibility Specialist, Inclusive Design Research Centre, OCAD University    

Clayton Lewis, Professor, University of Colorado    

Julia Stoyanovich, Associate Professor and Director, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University

Anne Jackson, Professor, Seneca College    

Kave Noori, Artificial Intelligence Policy Officer, European Disability Forum    

Mia Ahlgren, Human Rights and Disability Policy Officer, Swedish Disability Rights Federation

Sambhavi Chandrashekar (Vice-Chairperson), Global Accessibility Lead, D2L Corporation    

Julianna Rowsell, Senior Product Manager, Product Equity, Adobe    

Kate Kalcevich, Head of Accessibility Innovation, Fable    

Saeid Molladavoudi, Senior Data Science Advisor, Statistics Canada    

Merve Hickok, Founder, President and Research Director, Alethicist.org, Center for AI and Digital Policy, University of Michigan

Tara Connelly MA RP – Assistant Director Research and Development Accessibility Institute Carleton University 

Areas of Focus

The purpose of CAN-ASC-6.5 is to develop a standard that goes above mandatory minimum technical specifications and produces equity- based technical requirements.

There are common areas where people with disabilities may face barriers related to artificial intelligence technologies, including generative and physical artificial intelligence systems. These include, but are not limited to:

  • User interfaces
  • Training data and model assumptions
  • Language, communication, and comprehension
  • Visual content generation and interpretation
  • Audio and speech generation and recognition
  • Cognitive accessibility and usability
  • Reliability, accuracy, and trustworthiness
  • Privacy, consent, and data governance
  • Human oversight, escalation, and redress