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Postsecondary Education Standards Development Committee: Feedback Survey on Initial Recommendations

About this survey

Introduction

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 sets out to identify, prevent and remove barriers for people with disabilities. This supports a more accessible Ontario through the development, implementation and enforcement of accessibility standards that apply to the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

The role of the Postsecondary Education Standards Development Committee is to develop recommendations for government on reducing and preventing accessibility barriers for students in publicly funded colleges and universities. The committee’s primary mandate is to determine the measures, policies, practices and requirements to be implemented and the timeframe for their implementation. This work is being done in tandem with another Standards Development Committee, focused specifically on Kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) education.

By completing this survey by September 29, 2021, you can help the committee strengthen their recommendations.

The survey is intended to gather your feedback on these recommendations. The committee's initial recommendations are provided in the survey below. You can also review them by reading the committee's Initial Recommendations Report (https://www.ontario.ca/page/development-proposed-postsecondary-education-standards-2021-initial-recommendations-report).

After the public feedback period, the committee will review all feedback before it submits its final report and recommendations to the Minister for Seniors and Accessibility for consideration.

To proceed with the survey, click "Next" button below. To go back to a previous page, click the "Back" button at the bottom of each page. Do not use your browser's back arrow.

Please note that on mobile applications the "Next" and "Back" buttons appear as triangular arrow icons rather than button links.

Survey overview

https://www.ontario.ca/page/development-proposed-postsecondary-education-standards-2021-initial-recommendations-report

https://www.ontario.ca/page/development-proposed-postsecondary-education-standards-2021-initial-recommendations-report

https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/05a11

The survey questions are based on the committee’s initial 179 recommendations, organized into the following nine focus areas, as well as the long-term objective of the standard. Feedback on all the areas listed below is preferred, however, you may skip ahead to provide thoughts on only specific areas (links are provided at the bottom of the page, or on the next screen for mobile users):

long-term objective general overarching barriers attitudes, behaviors, perceptions, assumptions awareness and training assessment, curriculum and instruction digital learning and technology organizational barriers social realms, campus life physical and architectural barriers financial barriers

In addition, there are several questions related specifically to the 75 recommendations developed by a sub-committee comprised of members of the Postsecondary and K-12 committees, focused on transition planning (for example, moving between levels of education, or to school, work or community).

Each page of this survey presents one broad theme from the committee's report. You will find an introduction to each theme at the top of the page, followed by survey questions. If you would like to review the full recommendations for each theme, they can be found after the survey questions.

Following the feedback sections of the survey, there is an optional demographic information section that you may choose to complete. You may also submit the survey without completing the demographic information section. That section is intended to help the committee better understand where feedback to their recommendations is coming from, helping them to consider potential disparities in the impacts of accessibility barriers on specific socio- and -ethno-demographic communities in Ontario.

The survey may take up to 45 minutes depending on the detail of the answers you provide. You are not required to respond to all of the questions in order to submit it. If you want to take pauses as you complete the survey, you can save your responses. A link will then be emailed to you so that you can return to your responses and complete the survey. You may also submit general feedback on the reports and recommendations by email at [email protected].

Identifying information will remain confidential as per the Government of Ontario's Privacy Policy. Responses will remain anonymous. We are committed to protecting your privacy whether you are browsing for information or conducting business with the

https://www.ontario.ca/page/privacy-statement

government through electronic channels. The optional personal information you chose to provide (for example, email address and demographic data) and your feedback will be collected by the ministry, anonymized and shared with the committee. The handling of all personal information by Government of Ontario organizations is governed by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. For more information specific to this survey [feedback request], please see the end of the survey.

Please note you will not receive an individual response to your submission.

If you have any difficulty completing the survey, including if you require an accessibility accommodation, please contact the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility:

by email at [email protected] toll-free at 1-866-515-2025 or 416-849-8276 TTY at 1-800-268-7095 or 416-325-3408

To continue to the next section, click "Next" button below. If you prefer to move to a specific section, please select one from the list below. At the end of each section, you will have the option to move on to any of the other sections.

Long-term objective of an accessibility standard for postsecondary education

Answer

General overarching barriers AnswerBarrier area 1: Attitudes, behaviours, perceptions, assumptions AnswerBarrier area 2: Awareness and training AnswerBarrier area 3: Assessment, curriculum and instruction AnswerBarrier area 4: Digital learning and technology AnswerBarrier area 5: Organizational Barriers AnswerBarrier area 6: Social realms, campus life AnswerBarrier area 7: Physical and architectural barriers AnswerBarrier area 8: Financial barriers AnswerEducation Technical Sub-Committee: Accessible transitions for students with disabilities in K-12: to the workforce, the community and postsecondary education

Answer

Long-term objective of an accessibility standard for postsecondary education

Full text of long-term objective:

Recommendation 1: The long-term objective of the standard:

With the support of the Ontario government, postsecondary publicly funded colleges and universities in Ontario will implement an intentional strategy:

http://www.mgs.gov.on.ca/en/infoaccessandprivacy/STDU_101453.html

that actively engages students with disabilities in the ongoing identification, removal and prevention of barriers;

that recognizes disability as a critical aspect of the education sector’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion that creates policies, procedures, and guidelines through an intersectional accessibility lens and;

where teaching and learning practices take into account the diversity of learning environments and needs throughout the academic journey.

Realization of the long-term objective will result in all students with disabilities living and learning in an environment where they will:

feel valued, welcomed, and a sense of belonging navigate transparent systems without barriers be provided with opportunities to realize their full potential both inside and

outside of the classroom have an equal opportunity to contribute, to learn and to demonstrate their

knowledge

1) Do you agree with the long-term objective?

( ) Yes

( ) Yes, with some changes

( ) No

2) If there is anything you would add, remove or change about the proposed long-term objective, please let us know, using the comment box below:

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To continue to the next section, click "Next" button below. If you prefer to move to a specific section, please select one from the list below.General overarching barriers AnswerBarrier area 1: Attitudes, behaviours, perceptions, assumptions AnswerBarrier area 2: Awareness and training AnswerBarrier area 3: Assessment, curriculum and instruction AnswerBarrier area 4: Digital learning and technology AnswerBarrier area 5: Organizational barriers AnswerBarrier area 6: Social realms, campus life Answer

Barrier area 7: Physical and architectural barriers AnswerBarrier area 8: Financial barriers AnswerEducation Technical Sub-Committee: Accessible transitions for students with disabilities in K-12: to the workforce, the community and postsecondary education

Answer

Additional Feedback AnswerDemographic questions (optional) Answer

General overarching barriers

Introduction

The Honourable David Onley, in his third legislative review of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 in 2019, noted that Ontarians with disabilities continue to face “soul crushing barriers.” Unfortunately, these barriers are often the result of attitudes that devalue and limit the potential of persons with disabilities.

The following recommendations are intended to support the implementation and future success of the Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards. Currently, students with disabilities are often considered as an afterthought in the development of policies and budgetary decisions, thus perpetuating the perception that students with disabilities are not valued or heard. To maximize the long-term impact of the standards, it is essential that ministries stop working in silos and work together to ensure that the spirit of collaboration and partnership is embedded across the Ontario government. Without such a collaborative environment, we risk leaving students with disabilities behind.

3) Do you agree with the recommendations below?

( ) Agree

( ) Agree, with some changes

( ) Disagree

4) If there is anything you would add, remove or change about these recommendations, please let us know, using the comment box below:

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Click the "More" link below to view the full text of the general overarching barriers recommendations

Recommendation 2: Proposed standards (non-regulatory)

It is recommended that the Minister for Seniors and Accessibility and Minister of Colleges and Universities co-sign and distribute a memo to all public and private colleges and universities indicating:

the proposed standards are available for public comment the proactive nature of the act and the institutions’ requirements under the

act Postsecondary institutions are encouraged to implement strategies,

whether or not there are standards in place, so as not to delay addressing some of the barriers that can be reduced or eliminated before a new regulation is enacted.

Recommendation 3: Roll out of recommendations (non-regulatory)

The Committee proposes that the Ontario government use the technical expertise of the Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards Development Committee members to clarify intent and technical accuracy during the regulatory drafting stage.

Recommendation 4: Collaboration between ministries (non-regulatory)

It is recommended that ministries with the Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards within their mandate, cooperate, collaborate, and hold each other accountable, to ensure its success.The Committee recommends that the Ontario government set up a structural and procedural arrangement to ensure broad communication and partnerships between ministries to support work related to the education sector and students with disabilities.

Recommendation 5: Future initiatives (non-regulatory)

It is recommended that future Ontario government initiatives and strategies aimed at persons with disabilities proactively consider the needs of students with disabilities and the recommendations of the Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards Development Committee. This includes programs that appear to be outside the education sector but impact the participation of students with disabilities in the education sector including the Assistive Devices Program, the Ontario Disability Support Program, and attendant care services.

Recommendation 6: Postsecondary education accessibility standards plain language version

This Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards shall in its entirety be produced in a plain language version. This plain language version of the standards shall be between 70.0 to 95.0 on the Flesch-Kincaid readability test and use easy-to understand culturally sensitive images as required.

Timeline: Within one year of regulation being enacted

To continue to the next section, click "Next" button below. If you prefer to move to a specific section, please select one from the list below.Long-term objective of an accessibility standard for postsecondary education

Answer

Barrier area 1: Attitudes, behaviours, perceptions, assumptions AnswerBarrier area 2: Awareness and training AnswerBarrier area 3: Assessment, curriculum and instruction AnswerBarrier area 4: Digital learning and technology AnswerBarrier area 5: Organizational barriers AnswerBarrier area 6: Social realms, campus life AnswerBarrier area 7: Physical and architectural barriers AnswerBarrier area 8: Financial barriers AnswerEducation Technical Sub-Committee: Accessible transitions for students with disabilities in K-12: to the workforce, the community and postsecondary education

Answer


Barrier area 1: Attitudes, behaviours, perceptions, assumptions

Introduction

Persons with disabilities face barriers resulting from ableism which can then assume the form of internalized ableism. That is when negative attitudes and beliefs about disability, expressed or held by others (often, people in positions of authority), are directed towards persons with disabilities, and then accepted or endorsed by them on a personal level. This results in a negative self-view including feeling "less than" and a burden, self-doubt of one’s capabilities, and, that a perception that they do not “fit” or belong. Ableism can significantly and negatively affect a person’s well-being, performance, and access to opportunities in work and school.

The Committee is in agreement with the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s (2018) view that “we will not have an accessible province by 2025 without tackling the social attitudes that prevent persons with disabilities from participating and contributing to the

http://www3.ohrc.on.ca/sites/default/files/Policy%20on%20accessible%20education%20for%20students%20with%20disabilities_FINAL_EN.pdf

community.”

In this section, we offer specific recommendations in the following five areas, while also recognizing a multidimensional framework is required to shift culture to create lasting attitudinal and behavioural change:

Transformational Leadership Accountability: Metrics and Performance Measures Research and Scholarship Awareness Language

It will be through the combination of and synergy among all the postsecondary education recommendations, the other accessibility standards and strong transformational leadership, that will help shift attitudes, behaviours, perceptions and assumptions.


( ) Agree


( ) Disagree


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Click the "More" link below to view the full text of the attitudes, behaviours, perceptions and assumptions recommendations

Theme 1: Transformation leadership

Recommendation 7: Change management plan All publicly funded colleges and universities shall develop a change management strategy to respond to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005) recommendations, and articulate this strategy to students, staff, and faculty.

To consistently integrate the commitments and values of inclusion into daily practices and decision making, the institution’s change management strategy shall incorporate:

who will lead the implementation of the Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards

establishing a communication plan how the institution intends to engage Senior leaders, Managers and

Supervisors to roll-out the plan how to leverage resources to effect change

Timeline: Within six months of the regulation being enacted

Recommendation 8: Communication strategy on commitment to accessibility

Senior executive leadership must develop, and adopt, an annual communication strategy that is readily accessible and understandable. The communication strategy shall:

o inform the institutional community and the public of the institution’s commitment and values related to accessibility and inclusion of persons with disabilities

o clarify the relationship between the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and Ontario Human Rights Code, and the rights of students with disabilities to be accommodated in connection with programming and academic life and experiential learning under legislated requirements and the principles of the institution on equity, diversity, inclusion, accommodation, and transitions

o emphasize collective responsibilities under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the Ontario Human Rights Code

o encourage a culture of accountabilityo communicate a statement of principles on accessible and inclusive

pedagogy/andragogy that takes into account: o the diversity of learning environments within postsecondary education,

including experiential learning (for example, classroom learning, labs, fieldwork, practicum placements, apprenticeships, in-person and online, etc.)

o formal and informal learning environmentso the diversity of learning needs within the student population, inclusive of

the different ways that students, particularly students with disabilities, take in, process and communicate information

o the diversity of academic environments and programs within colleges and universities (for example, college diplomas, university Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral programs, first versus second entry programs, post graduate diplomas and certificates, etc.)

o the diversity of teaching staff within colleges and universities (research faculty, teaching faculty, part-time and sessional faculty, instructors, etc.)

o learning expectations, both explicit and hidden, within academic courses, programs and disciplines.

o individuality and uniqueness in teaching approaches and learning expectations in course and program syllabi, among institutions, and even among faculty within the same department at a given institution

Evidence of attainment of the Commitment to Accessibility will be provided through Annual Status Reports and the institutions Statement of Commitment will be reviewed and updated every three years. Timeline: Within six months of the regulation being enacted

Recommendation 9: Infrastructure and resources (non-regulatory)

To support the success of the Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards, the Ontario government, as well as Colleges and Universities shall demonstrate their commitment to accessibility and disability inclusion through their actions.

New Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards come with additional responsibility for an already overburdened system. It is recommended the Ministry of Colleges and Universities and postsecondary institutions allocate sufficient resources and build infrastructure across the institutions and ministries to implement the standards and change management plan. Providing adequate resources demonstrates a significant commitment to address the barriers in the education system faced by students with disabilities. The intended uses for increased resources include but are not limited to:

supporting the change management plan. Increasing funding and support to staff responsible for the act to support the change management plan

increasing support to the services for students with disabilities: make use of federal funding and increase the existing Accessibility Fund for Students with Disabilities to enhance services and supports available for students with disabilities at postsecondary institutions (Council of Ontario Universities, 2020) as defined by the Accessibility Fund for Students with Disabilities eligibility requirements

supporting universal design and online learning infrastructure: ensure postsecondary institutions have the resources and infrastructure to engage students and that all students have an equal opportunity to succeed (Council of Ontario Universities, 2020)

oo a recent example f this is Ontari’s Virtual Learning Strategy,

launched in 2020. securing services for multimedia accessibility (for example, closed captioning and

described video) training disability-specialized career centre staff and expand programming to

support student transition to employment capacity building activities in consideration of funding these activities per

collective agreements and to address resistance and attitudinal barriers

Recommendation 10: Leveraging funding (non-regulatory)

https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/59600/ontario-invests-in-virtual-learning-strategy

It is recommended that postsecondary institutions’ senior executive leadership identify fundraising efforts targeted to support disability related initiatives, especially initiatives that support the objectives of the Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards and combating ableism.

Such initiatives may include scholarships for low income students with disabilities, innovative programs for students with disabilities, research and scholarship in the field of disability, etc.

Recommendation 11: Traditions, Myths, Symbols (non-regulatory)

Colleges and Universities are encouraged to ensure a consistency in their efforts on a symbolic level to demonstrate that accessibility and inclusion are priorities.

This includes, but is not limited to:

recognition and celebration of efforts that support equity-deserving groups and align with the institutions’ equity, diversity and inclusion commitment. This can be through outlets such as award ceremonies

letter of support from senior executive leaders for accessibility efforts to keep the objective of these standards at the forefront and demonstrate ongoing efforts to shift attitudes and behaviours

an annual memo from senior executive leaders celebrating occasions such as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and National Accessibility Week

Theme 2: Accountability: metrics and performance measures

Recommendation 12: Annual status report

Every publicly funded university and college should review, update and maintain the Annual Status Report on the progress of actions taken related to the regulatory and non-regulatory recommendations in the Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards, including Quality Assurance related metrics and innovative practices as they become available.

Timeline: Within one year of the regulation being enacted

Recommendation 13: Improving campus climate related to accessibilitya. The Ontario government shall develop or update an existing accessible

standardized campus climate instrument to be administered to all enrolled students and current employees at postsecondary institutions to measure the effectiveness of efforts to address ableism amongst the students, and employees to identify gaps in initiatives to shift attitudes, behaviours, beliefs and assumptions related to disability.

The instrument shall assess a wide range of accessibility-related issues including, but not limited to:

satisfaction of students with disabilities about accessibility and accommodations (on campus and experiential learning)

satisfaction of students with disabilities with campus life and engagement the experiences of students with ableism, external and internal, and their sense

of belonging faculty/instructor/administration awareness of and attitudes towards students with

disabilities, accessibility and accommodations inclusive teaching practices awareness and attitudes of non-disabled students towards their peers with

disabilities, accessibility and accommodation

b. Each postsecondary institution shall develop a plan to administer the instrument, to manage the analysis, and to respond to the feedback. Each postsecondary institution shall notify the prospective survey participants about the accessible formats and communications supports available to aid completing the campus climate instrument.

Additionally, the plan must:

consider, where possible, embedding relevant accessibility or disability questions within existing surveys (for example, employees Education, Diversity and Inclusion surveys, student feedback surveys, etc.) to reduce survey fatigue

c. Make publicly available in the Annual Status Report the aggregate results within six months of administering the climate instrument.

d. Specify the actions the institution will take to address the findings of the campus climate instrument questions including creating a Committee to analyze and respond to the survey responses.

Each postsecondary institution’s Annual Status Report shall include the progress of measures taken to address these findings.

e. Each postsecondary institution shall administer the standardized campus climate instrument every three years.

Timeline: a) Published within eighteen months of the regulation being enacted b) within two years of the regulation being enacted; c) Within six months of administering the survey; d) Within thirty months of the regulation being enacted; e) Within three years of the previous survey being administered

Recommendation 14: Establish a committee

Each institution shall establish or entrust a new or existing Committee with the responsibility of addressing their community’s disability-related attitudes, behaviours,

perceptions, assumptions, physical barriers, etc. This Committee will analyze the findings of the campus climate instrument and advise how best to respond to the feedback while also complying with the postsecondary education regulations. The Committee Chair should have content knowledge in the area of disability and intersectionality.

Postsecondary institutions shall ensure that student members of this Committee are fairly compensated and are engaged throughout the entire planning and design process for any physical spaces, and in any plans, procedures or policies developed as part of these standards.

The Committee shall meet a minimum of twice annually and report to a Senior Executive Leader (for example, Vice President of Human Resources and/or Vice Provost, Students). The input of this Committee, including the responses to their input, shall be included in all project updates and the final accessibility report/review.

The majority of the members of the Committee must be students and employees with diverse lived experiences of disability and with consideration of intersectional identities, and include but not be limited to:

representative(s) from the Office(s) for Students with Disabilities representative of an Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (2005) lead

for the institution, if applicable representative of the HR department managing staff/faculty accommodations representative(s) of other Human Rights Offices, if applicable, established at the

institution (for example, race relations, indigenous, sexual diversity office, etc.) representative(s) from Facilities Services for the institution to address physical

barriers other representatives of persons with, and without, disabilities as designated by

the institution to ensure a range of perspectives

Timeline: Within thirty months of the regulation being enacted

Recommendation 15: Representation data collection

The Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility, in collaboration with partner ministries and stakeholders, shall create a standardized mechanism for postsecondary institutions to collect data about students with disabilities and persons with disabilities they employ, including tracking most common institutional barriers and human rights complaints.

All postsecondary institutions shall collect, analyze and report this data in the Annual Status Report. The institutions shall:

clearly set out a purpose of data collection that is consistent with the Ontario Human Rights Code

advise the people about whom data are being collected, as well as the broader public in general: why such information is being gathered, its potential uses, how the data will be collected, and the steps taken or, that will be taken, to protect privacy and confidentiality of responses

collect aggregate data that must not include any information that would reveal the identity of persons with disabilities

take measures to respond to trends and address inequalities that may arise from data collection (for example, underrepresentation of people with certain types of disabilities), recognizing representation does not measure inclusion

ensure data collection procedures, storage, access and disclosure are carefully controlled. Always respect confidentiality and dignity

Data collected must include, but are not limited to:

number of students with disabilities registered with the offices for students with disabilities

the nature of the primary disability (for example, physical, developmental/intellectual, mental health, etc.), nature of secondary disabilities, and be disaggregated to determine whether the student identifies with any other Code ground (for example, sex, race, Indigenous ancestry, etc.

proportion of first-entry undergraduate, and graduate students, who self-identify as a student with a disability and the proportion of these students who identify themselves as holding other identities (for example, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Black, etc.)

number of students with disabilities participating in academic pathway programs, if applicable

number of non-teaching employees who self-identify as a person with a disability number of faculty/instructors who self-identify as a person with a disability

Timeline: Within eighteen months of the regulation being enacted

Recommendation 16: Metrics and performance measures

To assess the institutions’ performance, and prevent or ameliorate disadvantage, measures of retention, graduation rate, and time to completion will include collecting data on full-time and part-time students with disabilities.

The institutions will analyze the retention, graduation and time to completion rates and shall determine if specific interventions to improve retention and graduation rates are required. This may include assessing if barriers, including attitudinal barriers, impact these rates. If specific action is taken, this shall be reported in the Multi-Year Accountability Report.

Where other data are collected to assess the institutions’ performance, postsecondary institutions will identify strategies to ensure part-time students with disabilities are not

excluded from data analysis.

Timeline: Within two years of the regulation being enacted

Theme 3: Research and scholarship

Recommendation 17: Research and scholarship (non-regulatory)

It is recommended that the Ministry of Colleges and Universities and publicly funded Colleges and Universities:

embed accessible and inclusive pedagogy/andragogy as a criterion for evaluation into institutional teaching awards

embed accessible pedagogy/andragogy as a criterion for evaluation into provincial and institutional research grants and funding opportunities

stimulate funding for research and scholarship in the area of disability incentivize research and scholarship in the area of disability including

embedding accessible pedagogy/andragogy as a criterion for evaluation into provincial and institutional research grants and funding opportunities and into institutional teaching awards

create scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled in disability studies to support research and scholarship in this area

encourage inter-disciplinary collaborations to advance disability knowledge in higher education

Theme 4: Awareness

Recommendation 18: Awareness

The Ontario government shall take an active role in the promotion of a cultural shift towards an accessible and inclusive society.

The government will develop guidance documents for obligated organizations and conduct a sustained, multi-faceted ongoing public education campaign on accessibility. Any guidance materials developed should support the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Policy on Accessible Education for Students with Disabilities, Policy on Ableism and Discrimination Based on Disability, and be made in collaboration with members of the disability community.


Theme 5: Language

Recommendation 19: Language

http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-ableism-and-discrimination-based-disability

http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-ableism-and-discrimination-based-disability

http://ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-accessible-education-students-disabilities#overlay-context=en/policy-employment-related-medical-information

The Ministry shall adopt new definitions provided in the glossary of terms (Appendix B), in the new Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards.

Timeline: To be included in the regulation before enactment


Answer

General overarching barriers AnswerBarrier area 2: Awareness and training AnswerBarrier area 3: Assessment, curriculum and instruction AnswerBarrier area 4: Digital learning and technology AnswerBarrier area 5: Organizational barriers AnswerBarrier area 6: Social realms, campus life AnswerBarrier area 7: Physical and architectural barriers AnswerBarrier area 8: Financial barriers AnswerEducation Technical Sub-Committee: Accessible transitions for students with disabilities in K-12: to the workforce, the community and postsecondary education

Answer


Barrier area 2: Awareness and training

Introduction

Accessibility and inclusion are constantly evolving, and knowledge that may be current one year is likely to be outdated the next. Recommendations in this section build upon the requirements of the information and communications standards. However, there is currently no requirement for periodic refreshing of any previously received staff training.

Our recommendations are meant to cascade and be viewed as a whole. We present an overarching recommendation for strong leadership by the Ontario government in coordinating the development of the nine training recommendations for specific audiences.

To ensure a consistent and portable quality of training for all postsecondary employees and students, the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility should take the lead in developing, renewing and providing standardized accessibility training across the province regardless of postsecondary institution.

All employees (faculty and teaching staff, as well as, academic, student services and support staff) should receive foundational employee onboarding training and awareness education related to the act and how it applies to a postsecondary education setting,

ableism and discrimination, as well as, engage in activities to promote self-examination. As with other mandatory training for staff, accessibility training should be renewed on a regular basis.


( ) Agree


( ) Disagree


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Click the “More” link below to view the full text of the awareness and training recommendations

Theme 1: Government leadership

Recommendation 20: Accessibility lens training

Individuals responsible for developing and/or delivering institutionally sanctioned programming must be trained on applying the accessibility lens (recommendation 99) in all programming. This include student groups, student unions and societies.

Timeline: Within two years of regulation being enacted

Recommendation 21: Training

The Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility will engage persons with disabilities to co-develop standardized training for employees on their rights and responsibilities under the Ontario Human Rights Code, Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards and all other accessibility standards as they apply to postsecondary institutions. Online and in-person components shall be provided at no cost to postsecondary institutions across the province. All postsecondary institution employees shall undergo this training as soon as practicable after they are assigned their applicable duties.

Timeline: To be developed within one year of the regulation being enacted. Training to be implemented within one year after development.

Recommendation 22: All employees

All postsecondary institution employees shall undergo mandatory employee training at on-boarding and be renewed every three years. This training will be a combination of on-line and in-person components that will educate employees on their rights and responsibilities under the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards and all other accessibility standards as they apply to postsecondary institutions, and on ableism, microaggressions, and discrimination.

Timeline: Within one year of Ministry making training available to postsecondary institutions (recommendation 21).

Theme 2: Training for specific audiences

Recommendation 23: Educators

In addition to recommendation 22, all postsecondary educators shall undergo mandatory educator training related to:

Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR) with an emphasis on their responsibility in procurement and purchase of accessible equipment and accessible course content materials

the accommodation process as outlined by the Ontario Human Rights Commission

the Marrakesh VIP Treaty (formally the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works by Visually Impaired Persons and Persons with Print Disabilities)

o the Ontario government shall develop the mandatory training resources on the Marrakesh Treaty

the impact choosing textbooks late has on students with disabilities the minimum accessible and inclusive pedagogy/andragogy standards per

Assessment Curriculum and Instruction Barrier recommendations 31 and 32 related to accessibility standards for teaching and learning. This also supports the Digital Learning and Technology Barrier recommendation 78, and the Organizational Barriers recommendation 107

Employee training must be renewed every three years.


Recommendation 24: Postsecondary education administrators and leadership

In addition to recommendation 22, all postsecondary education administrators and senior leadership shall undergo mandatory training related to:

system-level barriers to accessibility and the impacts of policy decisions organizational responsibility for preventing and addressing human rights issues

including organizational liability for the actions of employees (for example, faculty refusing academic accommodations or purchasing inaccessible educational technology)

developing, preventing and removing barriers with an accessibility lens staffing decisions (for example, late hiring and sessional staff) and their impact

on students with disabilities the impacts of lack of funding for additional accessibility training on the overall

experience of students with disabilities the importance of allyship



Recommendation 25: Disability services staff

In addition to recommendation 22, all postsecondary education Disability Services staff shall undergo:

deeper understanding of ableism, microaggressions, and discrimination social aspects of disability and unique barriers students with disabilities

experience in the postsecondary education environment allyship transition for students with disabilities


Timeline: Within one year of Ministry making training available to postsecondary institutions (recommendation 2 1 ).

Recommendation 26: Career counsellors/advisors

In addition to recommendation 2 2 , all postsecondary education career counsellors/advisors, Co-op officers, shall undergo mandatory career counselling training related to:

e mployment standards under the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation specialized training on career transitions for persons with disabilities and

counselling students with disabilities on career options how intersectionality may further compound the challenges students with

disabilities may have in employment



Recommendation 27: Media/creative arts staff

In addition to recommendation 22, all postsecondary education Media/creative arts staff shall undergo mandatory media and creative arts training related to:

creating and assessing accessible media and responsibilities under the Information and Communication Standards

media portrayal of people with disability using inclusive language



Recommendation 28: Information technology/communications

In addition to recommendation 2 2 , all postsecondary education Information technology (IT)/communications staff shall undergo mandatory IT/communications training related to:

creating and assessing accessible media and responsibilities under the Information and Communication Standards

digital/accessible learning technologies using inclusive language



https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/110191

https://ontariogov-my.sharepoint.com/personal/annlouise_fitzpatrick_ontario_ca1/Documents/Documents/Initial%20Report%20-%20PSE/PSE%20Barrier%20Areas%20Introduction%20Narratives%20-%20Feb%208%202021%20V2.docx


Recommendation 29: Facilities Management/Design/Construction staff

In addition to recommendation 22, all postsecondary education Facilities Management staff shall undergo mandatory architecture and design training related to:

physical and architectural barrier recommendations 127 -129 . the training will align with the standards developed under the physical and

architectural barrier, including recommendation 15 0 , any professional working with the institution by the vendor for which they are working at the time of bidding for a project shall provide proof of training.



Recommendation 30: Event planners and hostsa. The Ministry, in collaboration with postsecondary institutions shall consult

with stakeholders - to create and/or adopt an accessible event planning tool.

b. Postsecondary institutions shall publish and require the use of the accessible event planning tool indicated when delivering in-person and virtual events and activities to ensure they are accessible to students with disabilities.

c. All postsecondary education staff responsible for event planning shall undergo mandatory event management training that includes in-person and on-line components on their rights and responsibilities under the Ontario Human Rights Code, Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards and all other accessibility standards as they apply to postsecondary institutions. Individuals who are responsible for or highly involved/integral to the planning and hosting of events shall complete the training. These individuals include, but not limited to:

a. student affairs personnelb. student government, student societies/associations and student groups c. orientation leadersd. sports & recreation staff and volunteerse. residence administration and staff, including residence life personnelf. personnel responsible for planning large-scale institutional events such as convocation

Training shall include how to create accessible media and other responsibilities pertaining to planning or hosting events as required by the information and communication standard s and must be renewed every three years.



Timeline: The accessible event planning tool to be adopted within one year of regulation being enacted. Training in the use of the accessible event planning tool to be administered within one year of the PSE adopting the tool.


Answer

General overarching barriers AnswerBarrier area 1: Attitudes, behaviours, perceptions, assumptions AnswerBarrier area 3: Assessment, curriculum and instruction AnswerBarrier area 4: Digital learning and technology AnswerBarrier area 5: Organizational barriers AnswerBarrier area 6: Social realms, campus life AnswerBarrier area 7: Physical and architectural barriers AnswerBarrier area 8: Financial barriers AnswerEducation Technical Sub-Committee: Accessible transitions for students with disabilities in K-12: to the workforce, the community and postsecondary education

Answer


Barrier area 3: Assessment, curriculum and instruction

Introduction

Postsecondary institutions have grappled with providing equitable access to assessments, curriculum and instruction for students with disabilities. This struggle arose because the current pedagogical practices in higher education evolved from a system that did not consider the full inclusion of students with a diverse range of abilities and learning needs. As a result, students with disabilities have come to rely on a cumbersome and expensive process of vetting and approving academic accommodations so that they may gain equal access to postsecondary education.

We approached the barriers in our learning environments with a systemic lens – that the system was not designed for inclusion, and in order to change this we need to look at all the overall systems that impact and support learning in postsecondary education.

pedagogy/andragogy accessible format educational materials institutional responsibility quality assurance diversity of learning environments proposals


( ) Agree


( ) Disagree


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Click the “More” link below to view the full text of the assessment, curriculum and instruction recommendations

Theme 1: Pedagogy/andragogy

Recommendation 31: Accessibility standards for teaching and learning

The Ontario government shall work with postsecondary institutions, especially with their centres for teaching and learning, to create a common set of minimum accessibility standards for teaching and learning. The set shall include best practices for teaching in a variety of settings, including but not limited to in-person and virtual:

lecture seminar labs studios field placements clinical placements

The minimum standards and expectations should be created from the best research, reports, and practices, including but not limited to:

Universal Design for Learning (CAST) Accessiblecampus.ca (COU)

https://accessiblecampus.ca/

https://www.cast.org/impact/universal-design-for-learning-udl

Timeline: Within two years of the regulation being enacted and to be reviewed every five years

Recommendation 32: Inclusion of standards on accessible and inclusive pedagogy/andragogy in the quality assurance process

a. Postsecondary institutions should implement the standards and guidelines in recommendation 31 to embed accessible and inclusive pedagogy/andragogy requirements within their quality assurance processes. Postsecondary institutions should collaborate with Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance and the Ontario College Quality Assurance Service to meet this recommendation.

b. Non-Regulatory best practices to be shared across postsecondary education sector.

Timeline: a) To be developed within one year of the regulation being enacted and reviewed and updated within one year of recommendation 31 coming into effect

Recommendation 33: Employable skills for students with disabilities in alternate pathway programs

Require postsecondary institutions, in collaboration with industry experts and the disability community, to ensure that students with disabilities in alternative pathway programs obtain a portfolio of employability skills prior to completion, where appropriate.


Theme 2: Accessible format educational materials

Recommendation 34: Accessibility of textbooks and reading packages

Postsecondary institutions shall mandate the use of textbooks and reading packages which are available in multiple formats (hard copy, electronic copy, audio, etc.), in compliance with the Marrakesh Treaty.

Furthermore, postsecondary institutions shall require that accessible format textbooks and reading packages be available within three weeks of acquisition of materials for the class at large. Postsecondary institutions shall ensure that materials published within the past decade are compliant, and older materials are made compliant on request.

Timeline: To be developed within one year of the regulation being enacted and reviewed

Recommendation 35: Accessibility of course materials and assessments

https://www.wipo.int/treaties/en/ip/marrakesh/

All course materials and assessments created by faculty and members of teaching teams shall be produced in an accessible format that can be converted to meet different accessibility needs.

Where accessible formats are not available, course materials and assessments sourced by faculty and members of teaching teams, alternative means of representing the information content which permit students with disabilities to access the learning and equal opportunity to achieve the relevant essential requirements, shall be provided.


Recommendation 36: Accessibility of multimedia course materials and assessments

All multimedia course materials and assessments created and sourced by faculty and members of teaching teams shall be produced and available in multiple accessible formats.

Where accessible formats are not available for multimedia course materials and assessments sourced by faculty and members of teaching teams, alternative means of representing the information content which permit students with disabilities to access the learning and equal opportunity to achieve the relevant essential requirements, shall be provided.


Recommendation 37: Training about accessible document and multimedia formats (non-regulatory)

The Ontario Government shall develop the mandatory training resources on accessible documents and multimedia resources for recommendation 22.

Recommendation 38: Resources (non-regulatory)

In consideration of the costs involved in hiring subject matter experts in accessible and inclusive pedagogy / andragogy , and creating accessible materials, the Ontario government should provide dedicated funding to the universities and colleges to support these standards.

Recommendation 39: Access to instructional information (non-regulatory)

Teaching staff shall ensure that the verbal contents of their presentations, labs, studios and lectures (for example, PowerPoints) can be captured by students in formats appropriate to their accessibility needs. Where necessary, this includes the timely publication of printed and digital course materials.

Theme 3: Institutional responsibility

Recommendation 40: Linking assessments to essential academic requirements

Where this is not already in practice, postsecondary institutions shall ensure that programs and courses explicitly identify how each assessment connects to the essential academic requirements, taking into consideration the method of course delivery (in person, remote, online, blended).

Timeline: Beginning one year after the regulation has been enacted, and no later than one quality assurance cycle after this point

Recommendation 41: Resource guides on accessible and inclusive pedagogy /a ndragogy

The Ministry of Colleges and Universities, working with Colleges Ontario, the Council of Ontario Universities and postsecondary institutions shall create and make available resource guides on accessible and inclusive pedagogy / andragogy . These resource guides shall be shared with all teaching staff, including but not limited to, full-time, part-time and sessional faculty, lab demonstrators, teaching assistants, and guest presenters involved in their courses. Where possible, resource guides should be tailored to broad discipline areas, particularly those with more significant technical considerations (such as STEM, healthcare, the arts). These resource guides should be refreshed regularly (for example, once every five years), and should be independent of method of course delivery (in-person, blended, remote, online, etc.). These resource guides should be developed using the statement of principles on accessible and inclusive pedagogy/andragogy .

Timeline: Within three years of the regulation being enacted

Recommendation 42: Guidance on synchronous and asynchronous learning (non-regulatory)

The Ministry of Colleges and Universities, working with Colleges Ontario and the Council of Ontario Universities, should develop a series of best practices and guidance documents on creating and accommodating accessible and inclusive synchronous online and asynchronous online course content delivery. These guides should be made for faculty, instructors and course designers to use in their teaching practice.

Recommendation 43: Expert resources on accessible and inclusive pedagogy / andragogy (non-regulatory)

Postsecondary institutions should create staff roles for dedicated experts on accessible and inclusive pedagogy / andragogy to act as a resource for course coordinators, part time and sessional faculty, lab demonstrators, teaching assistants, and guest

presenters involved in their courses. Where possible, discipline-specific expertise should be cultivated within each institution.

Theme 4: Quality Assurance

Recommendation 44: Adherence to accessible and inclusive pedagogy /a ndragogy standards

Postsecondary institutions shall report on their adherence to accessible and inclusive pedagogy / andragogy guidelines/standards through their quality assurance processes , for both newly developed programs and courses, and when reviewing existing programs and courses.


Recommendation 45: Identification and communication of bona fide and essential academic requirements

Essential academic requirements of a program/course need to be explicit and available to all stakeholders. To parallel the K-12 system and to comply with the Ontario Human Rights Commission recommendation (8.4.5 – bona fide academic requirements, Accessible Education for Students with Disabilities), postsecondary institutions must identify bona fide essential academic requirements for all programs and courses and make them publicly available. This can be accomplished through the quality assurance process and posted in multiple locations such as the program website, program manual, and course outlines/syllabus.


Recommendation 46: Reporting of accessibility of course materials

Use of accessible format course materials shall be evaluated and documented by departments/faculties as part of the quality assurance process.


Recommendation 47: Accessibility embedded into the quality assurance process (non-regulatory)

The Ministry of Colleges and Universities should work with Ontario Universities Council on Quality Assurance and the Ontario College Quality Assurance Service to include

https://www.ocqas.org/

https://oucqa.ca/

https://oucqa.ca/

minimum accessibility standards and guidelines (recommendations 31, 44 and 45) into the program review and approval process.

Recommendation 48: Documenting accessibility in student course feedback surveys

Postsecondary education student course feedback surveys and program reviews shall include mandatory question(s) related to the Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards compliance and inclusive instructional design (such as, integrate lived experiences of students with disabilities, including those with intersectional identities, and backgrounds, of both students and teaching team) in the learning environment. The responses to these questions shall be made available to the faculty member’s direct supervisor and data collected will be reported as part of the Quality Assurance Review.


Theme 5: Diversity of learning environments

Recommendation 49: Specialized discipline hubs (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, trades, healthcare and the arts) (non-regulatory)

Postsecondary institutions shall create internal discipline-specific expertise “hubs” in developing accessible and inclusive pedagogy and andragogy approaches in these fields. These “hubs” shall be formed by identifying faculty and teaching staff in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), trades, healthcare and arts disciplines to work with centralized institutional resources (see recommendations 39 and 41) and, where appropriate, external subject matter experts.

Recommendation 50: Virtual and in-person labs and simulations (non-regulatory)

Postsecondary institutions shall facilitate regular reviews of existing and new lab- and practical space oriented instruction, including the context of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, healthcare and arts programs, as part of the quality assurance process. These reviews will focus on the essential academic requirements of the labs and practical activities, in order to ensure that students with disabilities have equal opportunity to participate in this aspect of their programs effectively. Reviews shall take place through the quality assurance process for courses and programs.

Postsecondary institutions shall ensure that all in-person and virtual labs and practical activities are delivered in accessible ways that allow for equal opportunity for student engagement, with audio description, captioning and sign language interpretation as appropriate.

When sourcing simulation activities to complement or supplement in-person and virtual labs, postsecondary institutions shall provide support to teaching teams to ensure the

accessibility of the simulation activities.

Recommendation 51: Symposia, seminars, colloquia and conferences

Postsecondary institutions shall mandate that all seminars, symposia, colloquia and conferences that are part of the formal and informal learning requirements of programs of study adhere to accessible and inclusive event planning and content delivery guidelines. (Applicable both to in person and virtual events.)


Recommendation 52: Graduate supervision

a) Ministry of Colleges and Universities, working with the Council of Ontario Universities, shall develop a common set of guidelines and resources for graduate faculty members in accessible and inclusive supervision of graduate students with disabilities, including best practices for virtual supervision.

b) Postsecondary institutions shall mandate that all faculties of graduate studies and graduate departments have explicit policies, practices and guidelines on accessibility and accommodation for graduate students with disabilities, which are developed in a consultative manner. Policies should include consideration of disclosure, accommodation, student supervision and graduate assessments (for example, comprehensive exams and thesis defenses), and take into account the roles of graduate students as academic/research staff and university employees.

c) Review of these policies shall be attached to the graduate program quality assurance process.

Timeline:a) Within one year of the regulation being enactedb) Within three years of the regulation being enacted c) Beginning one year after ‘Part b’ has been enacted, and no later than one quality assurance cycle after this point

Recommendation 53: Admission and employment offer letter practices for graduate students

Postsecondary institutions shall review admissions and employment offer letter practices for graduate programs and academic employment opportunities, to ensure that they are clearly separated, with appropriate accessibility and accommodation language that directs students to the relevant offices for each aspect of their graduate student experience.


Recommendation 54: Student employee accommodations

Postsecondary institutions shall ensure that student employees are included in all employee policies related to provision of workplace accommodations and that these policies and procedures are clearly communicated and accessible to all stakeholders. Accommodations for students to meet the expectations of their employment will be provided through the employee accommodation policies and procedures in keeping with the employment standards and guidelines set out by the Ontario Human Rights Commission on accommodating persons with disabilities.


Recommendation 55: Professional practicum placement supervision a. Postsecondary institutions, working with appropriate stakeholders including

students with disabilities, shall develop a common set of guidelines and resources for practicum placement preceptors in accessible and inclusive supervision of students with disabilities, including virtual supervision best practices.

b. Review of these guidelines shall be attached to the program quality assurance process.

Timeline:a) Within one year of the regulation being enactedb) Beginning one year after ‘Part a’ has been enacted, and no later than one quality assurance cycle after this point

Recommendation 56: Tracking of accessibility supports in the work integrated learning setting

Postsecondary institutions shall create and maintain a record of accessibility features and supports available for students with disabilities at placement settings prior to finalizing agreements for work integrated learning placement opportunities in a consultative manner.


Recommendation 57: Jurisdiction of accessibility supports in work integrated learning settings (non-regulatory)

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility should provide guidance to postsecondary institutions and employers with respect to the division of responsibilities and applicability of the act’s standards and accommodations (Ontario Human Rights Commission) for students with disabilities in required work integrated learning settings.

Theme 6: Proposals

Recommendation 58: Competencies and professional societies (non-regulatory)

The Ministry of Colleges and Universities should take a leadership role in ensuring accessibility for students and new professionals with disabilities by advocating for accessibility standards to their competencies (which become bona fide academic requirements in postsecondary education) to be created and adopted by accreditation and professional bodies (for example, Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons), both provincial and national.

Recommendation 59: Communities of practice (non-regulatory)

Ministry of Colleges and Universities should work with discipline-specific professional societies to encourage the establishment of communities of practice whereby accessible format materials and specialized accessibility solutions to student needs (particularly those involving mainstream and assistive technology deployed in new ways) can be shared between and amongst institutions and faculty members in a proactive manner. Over time, this will result in the creation of a province-wide series of discipline-specific resource hubs for accessible format materials and academic accommodations.

Recommendation 60: Accessible technology (non-regulatory)

In alignment with Phase 2 of the Information and Communications recommendations and the proposed “accessibility ecosystem” model, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities should work with postsecondary institutions on relationship building with technology vendors to work towards accessibility in new innovative technologies and platforms that can impact education in the next decade.

Recommendation 61: Resource library (non-regulatory)

Postsecondary institutions, in collaboration with the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, should create a centralized repository of accessible and inclusive course content, including, but not limited to, print matter, textbooks and accessible multimedia resources, potentially housed through the institutions’ libraries. Via such a repository, faculty and teaching team members can share (upload or download) accessible course content.

Recommendation 62: Braille, captioning, described video and sign language interpretation

a. The Ontario government should explore, in partnership with postsecondary institutions, employers and apprenticeship bodies, establishing a postsecondary course to train live captionists, possibly in partnership with a court stenographer’s course.

b. The Ontario government should explore, in partnership with postsecondary institutions, employers and apprenticeship bodies, increasing capacity in the

https://www.ontario.ca/page/review-information-and-communications-standards-2020-final-recommendations-report

province’s training capacity for American Sign Language interpreters, with an emphasis on technical American Sign Language (particularly for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, trades and healthcare fields).

c. The Ontario government should explore, in partnership with postsecondary institutions, employers and service providers, increasing capacity in Braille production for educational materials in the province.

d. The Ontario government should explore, in partnership with postsecondary institutions, employers and service providers, increasing capacity in described video production for educational materials in the province.

e. The Ontario government shall create tools, resources and guidelines for the use and increased availability of Described and Integrated Described Video.


Recommendation 63: Standards applying to teaching team and student-facing staff (non-regulatory)

The Ontario government should ensure that the Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards apply effectively to accessibility barriers experienced by administrators, faculty, adjunct faculty and teaching staff in the context of postsecondary education.


Answer

General overarching barriers AnswerBarrier area 1: Attitudes, behaviours, perceptions, assumptions AnswerBarrier area 2: Awareness and training AnswerBarrier area 4: Digital learning and technology AnswerBarrier area 5: Organizational barriers AnswerBarrier area 6: Social realms, campus life AnswerBarrier area 7: Physical and architectural barriers AnswerBarrier area 8: Financial barriers AnswerEducation Technical Sub-Committee: Accessible transitions for students with disabilities in K-12: to the workforce, the community and postsecondary education

Answer


Barrier area 4: Digital learning and technology

Introduction

In an accessible digital learning environment, students with disabilities must be able to

independently and effectively access and use technology, produce and consume content, and engage in learning. The context of the recommendations in this section span the postsecondary digital learning environment, where learning takes place online, remotely, or blended using digital technology and digital content.

These recommendations were developed by committee members with expertise in digital technology, pedagogy, content, policy, procurement, and practice. Each requirement involves barriers experienced or witnessed by one or more members.

Our recommendations fall into the following six key areas:

accessible technology accessibility plan accessible procurement support accessibility training/practice accessible and inclusive pedagogy/andragogy accessible content


( ) Agree


( ) Disagree


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Click the “More” link below to view the full text of the digital learning and technology recommendations

Theme 1: Accessible technology

Recommendation 64: Accessible and usable technology

Technology used in digital learning must be accessible to, and usable by students with disabilities and be compatible for use with common assistive technologies and

devices to accommodate a wide range of disability-related needs.

Timeline: Within six months regulation being enacted

Recommendation 65: Accessible Technology Definitions

The Ministry of Colleges and Universities to provide and adopt clear and consistent definitions across the education sector for key terms relating to digital learning and technology.


Recommendation 66: Accessible technology alternative

In cases where technological accessibility barriers continue to exist, a functionally usable alternative option meeting the requirements of the course and agreed upon by both the student and the educator must be provided for each barrier with an explanation prior to the start of the course or as soon as reasonably possible.

Timeline: Within six months of regulation being enacted

Recommendation 67: Accessible technology alternative documentation and review

All instances of functionally usable alternative options will be documented and reviewed by the postsecondary institutions each term to determine if a more suitable permanent solution has been identified, in the case of any of the following:

if the student is still registered in the course, by the student and educator where the student is no longer taking the course, by the institutional lead

for accessibility in consultation with the educator


Theme 2: Accessibility plan

Recommendation 68: Digital learning and technology plan

Each postsecondary institution must develop and make publicly available a plan to seamlessly include accessibility in the digital learning and technology used throughout the academic journey of all students with disabilities.


Recommendation 69: Digital learning and technology plan consultation

The Digital Learning and Technology plan must be created in consultation with a diverse body of stakeholders that includes students with disabilities.


Recommendation 70: Equitable access to digital technology

Regardless of the stage in the learning process, equitable access to resources, opportunities, and services should be made available to students with disabilities at no additional cost to the student.


Recommendation 71: Identify and communicate digital learning and technology intentions

Postsecondary institutions and educators are required to identify in advance, and to communicate to students, the accessibility features of the digital technology and learning components needed to meet the essential requirements of each course.

Course syllabi, where known in advance, will indicate which technology will be used in the courses. Where new technology is introduced after the start of class, class input will be sought, and feedback related to accessibility will be addressed as a priority.


Recommendation 72: Accessibility of the technology

Postsecondary institutions shall include in their Digital Learning and Technology plan a way to provide, communicate, and reinforce with educators a mechanism to vet the accessibility of the technology and content used.


Recommendation 73: Removal of digital learning and technology Barriers

Postsecondary institutions shall plan for the identification of, and removal of, systemic and environmental barriers that hinder a student’s digital learning.


Recommendation 74: Accessible communication process

Postsecondary institutions shall ensure the availability of accessible communication processes for collaboration: student-to-student, student-to-educator, and student-to-internal and external partners.


Recommendation 75: Digital inclusion in multi-year plan

Postsecondary institutions shall report in their multi-year accessibility plan and the annual status reports, how they have implemented their commitment of disability inclusion for all stages of the academic journey, including addressing any inequities to digital learning .


Theme 3: Accessible procurement support (non-regulatory)

Recommendation 76: Accessible digital technology lead (non-regulatory)

a. Postsecondary institutions should appoint at least one high-level, institutional employee as the “accessible digital technology lead,” to support faculty/educators in the procurement /acquisition of digital technologies for learning, content creation, and training. If a separate “accessible digital technology lead” is not possible, then

the accessibility lead for the institution must take on this role, which may involve additional training.

b. The accessible digital technology Lead should have demonstrated knowledge or qualifications in accessible technology core requirements to ensure purchases have the highest degree of conformance with accessibility standards.

c. It shall be the responsibility of the accessible digital technology Lead to incorporate accessibility design criteria and features when procuring or buying goods, services or facilities, for example as included in the US Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) (according to the Section 508 Regulations)

Recommendation 77: Accessible digital technology lead reporting (non-regulatory)The digital technology accessibility plan should report on the activities and accomplishments of the accessible digital technology Lead in the annual status report.

Theme 4: Accessibility training/practice

Recommendation 78: Time to practice and learn digital learning and technology accessibility features

Students must be given the time to learn and practice the accessibility features of digital technologies before having to use them in learning.

https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat

https://www.section508.gov/sell/vpat


Recommendation 79: Mitigation of technology barriers

To ensure effective mitigation of technology barriers, students with disabilities shall be offered an accessible feedback, tracking and reporting mechanism along with the contact information of the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility compliance support services and technical services in the institution. The accessible digital technology Lead shall include information from this feedback process in assessing the accessibility of the technologies procured/acquired. Systematic feedback shall also be obtained periodically from a representative sample of students with disabilities.


Recommendation 80: Assessment methods

Instructors shall include details of tools proposed to be used for assessment in the course syllabus. When not known in advance, students with disabilities must be given an opportunity to learn and practice any new digital technologies in a mutually agreed upon time frame, which considers the circumstances of the requester, and the urgency of the request, before using them in any assessments.


Theme 5: Accessibility and inclusive pedagogy/andragogy

Recommendation 81: Accessibility of digital teaching and learning tools

Postsecondary institutions must ensure that accessibility is at the foundation of the use of digital tools in the practice of Universal Design (UD) principles and their application to accessible and inclusive pedagogy / andragogy guidelines.


Recommendation 82: Digital teaching and learning tools barriers

When introducing new digital teaching and learning tools in the practice of inclusive teaching, postsecondary institutions should ensure that they do not create additional barriers to access for students with disabilities, by consulting the committee established in recommendation 14.


Recommendation 83: Usability of digital learning and technology environments

Postsecondary institutions shall ensure the usability of the digital learning environment for all students, including those with diverse information processing styles and sensory/physical attributes through appropriate accessible feedback, tracking and reporting mechanisms.


Theme 6: Accessible content

Recommendation 84: Accessible content, resources, tools and processes

Postsecondary institutions shall support educators by providing them with tools and processes, as well as by offering centralized resources ( for example,, people, budget, etc.) when sourcing, acquiring, producing and maintaining accessible content.


Recommendation 85: Support for educators and staff

Postsecondary institutions shall include in their Digital Technology Accessibility Plan how they intend to support educators and staff in the provision of accessible content for all program and services.


Recommendation 86: Consulting students

Postsecondary institutions shall consult a body of students with diverse disabilities when acquiring content, or tools for authoring content, to ensure that they are accessible.


Recommendation 87: Accessible portable documents formats (PDF)

Postsecondary institutions shall provide all documents in an accessible format. In the case of a PDF this Committee is recommending a phased approach:

phase 1: postsecondary institutions shall use a PDF document only if an accessible alternative format is also simultaneously available.

phase 2: postsecondary institutions shall provide suitable software and training for the creation of accessible PDFs to the PDF/UA 1 /ISO 14289 standard. Following this date, any document provided as a PDF must meet this international standard. However, to phase in this requirement it is expected that postsecondary institutions continue to publish PDF-based digital content to be as accessible as their training and applications permit, even if an accessible alternative is provided. This will lessen any remediation costs if there is a need to

go back and ensure that currently produced PDFs meet the PDF/UA 1/ISO 14289 standard. This will also demonstrate the postsecondary institutions commitment and progress towards creating accessible PDFs.

Timeline: Phase 1: Within six months of regulation being enacted. Phase 2: Within two years of the regulation being enacted

Recommendation 88: Software and training for accessible PDFs

Postsecondary institutions shall provide suitable software and training for creation of accessible PDFs.



Answer

General overarching barriers AnswerBarrier area 1: Attitudes, behaviours, perceptions, assumptions AnswerBarrier area 2: Awareness and training AnswerBarrier area 3: Assessment, curriculum and instruction AnswerBarrier area 5: Organizational barriers AnswerBarrier area 6: Social realms, campus life AnswerBarrier area 7: Physical and architectural barriers AnswerBarrier area 8: Financial barriers AnswerEducation Technical Sub-Committee: Accessible transitions for students with disabilities in K-12: to the workforce, the community and postsecondary education

Answer


Barrier area 5: Organizational barriers

Introduction

The recommendations in this section are intended to reduce, and ideally to eliminate, systemic barriers by developing and implementing organizational policies and procedures that consider the rights and needs of all students with disabilities.

Our recommendations were informed by the collective professional or lived experience of the members of the Committee.

The following guiding principles helped to shape all recommendations in this section: 1)

postsecondary institutions will create and maintain welcoming and accessible environments that facilitate full participation of all students and 2) students with disabilities will experience barrier-free access to every aspect of their postsecondary experience, including exploration of postsecondary options through application and admissions processes, day-to-day curricular and co-curricular activities, and on to graduation.

Our recommendations fall under the following six themes:

admission and accommodation processes accessibility lens in institutional policies handling of accommodation requests inclusive teaching and learning environments service animals business continuity plans


( ) Agree


( ) Disagree


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Click the “More” link below to view the full text of the organizational barriers recommendations

Theme 1: Admission and accommodation process Recommendation 89: Transition supports and programming

Postsecondary institutions should seek feedback and recommendations from students with disabilities to help guide the development of transition programming and supports for students during their first year of postsecondary study and at each transition point in

their academic journey (for example, experiential learning opportunities, co-op placement, internships, etc.).


Recommendation 90: Admissions processes

Application processes, admission tests, other admission screening and any post-admission tests must meet the following accessibility standards:

applications, application instructions and information about pre- and post-testing or screening processes will state that accommodations are available and the means by which to access those accommodations.

all admissions documents, including applications and tests, will be readable using assistive technology and all multi-media materials related to the admissions process will be closed captioned, American Sign Language, Langue des signes québécoise, Described and Integrated Described Video where possible and appropriate (French and English). Where these are not available, this will be noted, and alternative options will be offered.

alternative options for accessibility will be readily available as required, including, but not limited to braille, large print texts, or reading information aloud to applicants/students.


Recommendation 91: Access to disability accommodation information

Postsecondary institutions will provide the public and all applicants for admission with easily located, timely and effective information in accessible formats about the available services, programs and supports for students with disabilities and how to access them. The information should emphasize the need for students with disabilities to alert the postsecondary institution as early as possible about their disability accommodation needs.


Recommendation 92: Documentation policies for academic accommodations

The Ontario government shall consult postsecondary institutions, students with disabilities and other stakeholders to develop common documentation requirements for the provision of accommodations that are consistent with the OHRC “Policy on Accessible Education for Students with Disabilities” (March 2018), section 8.7.

Based on these requirements, postsecondary institutions shall develop in a collaborative manner, a consistent and clear set of policies and practices about the

http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-accessible-education-students-disabilities


nature and extent of documentation required to establish eligibility for academic accommodation. These policies will be readily available in an accessible format on postsecondary institutions’ public facing websites and all other institutional communication channels.


Recommendation 93: Interim academic accommodations

Postsecondary institutions shall establish a clear practice with respect to providing interim academic accommodations while waiting for further medical or psychological documentation before confirming the accommodations. The practice shall include a statement with respect to the maximum time that interim accommodations will be provided (for example, no less than one semester) that may lead to adjustments to the academic accommodations. The practice on providing interim academic accommodations shall be included in the broader policy on documentation requirements noted in recommendation 92.


Recommendation 94: Full participation

Postsecondary institutions will ensure that students with disabilities are informed, as early as possible in a readily accessible and understandable way, of the institution’s recognition of its duty to ensure that all academically qualified students with disabilities have the right to full participation and full inclusion in all the postsecondary institution’s programming, events, orientations and academic life.


Recommendation 95: Clear policies and procedures

Postsecondary institutions, in collaboration with Ontario government, Colleges Ontario and the Council of Ontario Universities shall develop, communicate and implement clear policies and procedures and best practice guidelines, that are demonstrably consistent with each other outlining the process by which students with disabilities can access accommodations for academically related learning activities, including, but not limited to:

classroom libraries common areas online learning tools including accessible software tests/ examinations internships practica

co-ops field placements apprenticeships work integrated learning other experiential learning that are part of their academic program of study

These policies, procedures and guidelines should include considerations of disclosure, accommodation, student supervision and assessments. They should also focus on “soft” accessibility features, including but not limited to set up of pods, maximum number of persons in a room, accessible seating etc.

Institutions shall also develop policies and procedures related to priority access requests (for example, request for priority enrollment in a course, accessible housing placement, etc.) and ensure experiential learning partners are aware of the requirement to accommodate.

Note: Given that the Ontario government has mandated that all students should have experiential learning opportunities, we recommend that the government increase the Accessibility Fund for Students with Disabilities to provide funding for accommodations in work integrated learning settings.

Timeline: Develop within six months and implement within two years of regulation being enacted

Recommendation 96: Disability accommodation plans

Postsecondary institutions shall establish and maintain an individualized, dignified and accessible procedure for students with disabilities to request and effectively take part in the development and implementation of plans for accommodating their disability-related needs.

Postsecondary institutions shall provide information about this procedure to students with disabilities in a readily accessible and timely manner.

In accordance with the OHRC Policy on Accessible Education for Students with Disabilities (2018), students with disabilities shall be invited to actively participate in a joint in-person or virtual meeting with Student Accessibility Services (SAS) to plan for their disability-related supports and accommodations. In the interest of the developmental process, students will be encouraged to participate on their own to assist them in developing their self-advocacy skills. However, if a student with disabilities deems it necessary, they may also decide to involve any support persons and professionals that can assist them in the accommodation planning meeting(s).




Recommendation 97: Disability accommodation caseload - expectations

Student Accessibility Services (SAS) staff should carry a reasonable client load to ensure students will receive appropriate support and timely accommodation. To that end, we recommend that the Ministry of Colleges and Universities undertake a system-wide caseload study, considering the new and changing demands in the provision of education services (Ontario Human Rights Commission, 2018, p. 110), (for example, an increase in the number of students with mental health disabilities requested services) to address trends in required supports. This study will determine:

if, and how, client load impacts the wellbeing, retention, and success of students with disabilities

current client load levels for SAS staff across the postsecondary sector in Ontario what constitutes a reasonable client load for SAS staff providing services to

students with disabilities if the learning strategist and assistive technology positions developed as a result

of the Learning Opportunities Task Force are still able to provide high-impact services and address barriers to learning based on the number of students with disabilities enrolled in services

the need for additional funding to the Accessibility Fund for Students with Disabilities to achieve reasonable client loads

how the findings of the autism spectrum transition pilot projects can be rolled out across all Ontario postsecondary institutions to manage staff client load and help students on the autism spectrum transition to postsecondary education and provide the resources and supports needed for students to build their skills

Timeline: Within eighteen months of regulation being enacted

Recommendation 98: Disability accommodation caseload - reporting

Postsecondary institutions will monitor and report on the caseload numbers of students with disabilities (as a ratio in comparison to SAS staff) in their Accessibility Fund for Students with Disabilities annual report.


Theme 2: Accessibility lens in institutional policies

Recommendation 99: Accessibility Lens

The Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility shall collaborate with relevant stakeholders to develop an accessibility lens for postsecondary institutions to use in all decision making, including but not limited to, developing or revising institutional policies, procedures,

https://news.ontario.ca/en/bulletin/28365/more-supports-for-students-with-autism-spectrum-disorder

https://carleton.ca/fita/wp-content/uploads/Final-report-1997-2000.pdf


processes, programs, social programs and activities.

Stakeholders shall include, but are not limited to:

students with disabilities disability (accessibility) services offices at postsecondary institutions accessibility coordinating committees at postsecondary institutions College Committee on Disability Issues Inter-University Disability Issues Association National Educational Association of Disabled Students

All postsecondary institutions shall be required to adopt the use of this accessibility lens in decision making as indicated above.

All postsecondary institutions shall update current accessibility training programs to include training for employees on using an accessibility lens in decision making as indicated in recommendation 22.

The Ontario government shall support ongoing research and development of accessibility tools that effectively identify and remove barriers and publication of research results.


Recommendation 100: Report on training

Postsecondary institutions will report on their use of the accessibility lens and associated training in the multi-year accessibility plan and the annual status reports.


Recommendation 101: Rights and needs of students with disabilities

Postsecondary institutions shall consider the rights and needs of all students with disabilities, regardless of part-time/full-time status or level of study at the postsecondary institutions, when establishing all policies and procedures that could have an impact on students.


Recommendation 102: Alternate program pathways

Postsecondary institutions must consider and offer alternate pathways (such as, Program maps) for students with disabilities in academic and professional programs (all programs including certificate, diploma, degree and graduate education) who may need adjustments to time-to-completion [deadlines unless there are bona fide program

requirements that would prevent the postsecondary institutions from offering those alternate pathways].

The process for considering the individual needs of students with disabilities with respect to alternate pathways must be communicated clearly and transparently at the pre-admission and admission stages.

These program maps shall be made available in accessible format to all prospective and current students, academic teams and program coordinators, and staff in the offices for students with disabilities.


Recommendation 103: Transparent policies and procedures

All academic and administrative policies and procedures at postsecondary institutions pertaining to students shall be transparent in purpose, written in clear language, and readily accessible by students with disabilities.


Recommendation 104: Accessible procurement policies and procedures

The Ontario government shall create a set of province-wide accessible procurement standards for educational resources to provide guidance to institutions with respect to accessibility principles in the purchase of educational equipment, educational technology, resources and other goods and services within the education context.

Procurement policies must ensure that all purchases made on behalf of the postsecondary institutions are consistent with accessibility requirements. All faculty members and administrative staff must be clearly informed of their responsibilities under the existing Ontario government accessibility laws on procurement.


Recommendation 105: Information and communication standards’ procurement adoption for accessible technology

We agree with and recommend the adoption of the Information & Communication Standards Review on ‘Recommendation 14: Procurement’ for any digital technology purchased.


Recommendation 106: Follow the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR), O. Reg. 191/11 procurement requirements

https://www.ontario.ca/page/review-information-and-communications-standards-2019-initial-recommendations-report

https://www.ontario.ca/page/accessibility-rules-procurement

Ensure any digital technology acquired otherwise for the purpose of learning must also respect the criteria set in the Procurement section of the IASR General Requirements (O. Reg. 191/11, s. 5(1); O. Reg. 413/12, s. 4.(1))


Recommendation 107: Review policies and procedures

All policies, procedures and academic conflict resolution processes for accessibility-related disputes at postsecondary institutions shall be subject to regular review and revision every five years in consultation with the postsecondary institution’s Accessibility Committee (as mentioned in recommendation 14) and representative students with disabilities at each postsecondary institution, to make sure they:

are consistent with the act reflect the current state of human rights law and policy consider changes in organizational structures or resources address new human rights issues emerging within the organization continue to be effective

Postsecondary institutions shall adopt an academic conflict resolution process for accessibility-related disputes that fall outside the classroom learning environment, for example in research labs, fieldwork or work integrated learning settings.


Theme 3: Handling of accommodation requests

Recommendation 108: Accessibility and accommodation coordinator/champion

To further ensure the effective accommodation of students with disabilities and the entrenchment of accessibility at the front lines, each postsecondary institution shall implement the following:

a. In a small postsecondary institution, without an Accessibility Office, such as one that offers only one or two academic faculties, one senior employee within the organization who reports to the organization’s chief executive officer, dean or director, should be designated as that organization’s Accessibility and Accommodation Coordinator/Champion. Their responsibility is to serve as the one-stop point person for students with disabilities seeking accommodations. In cases where this individual does not have adequate background or training, this must be addressed by the postsecondary institution.

b. In a large postsecondary institution such as a college or university that has several faculties or programs, each faculty or program should designate an Accessibility and Accommodation Coordinator/Champion with


responsibilities to promote academic accommodation and accessibility within that faculty or program. In cases where these individuals do not have adequate background or training, this must be rectified by the postsecondary institution.

c. In large postsecondary institutions with more than one Accessibility and Accommodation Coordinator/Champion, all the Coordinators/ Champions should establish a communication network so they can pool expertise and resources. The Accessibility Committee at each postsecondary institution shall serve a coordinating role for all the designated Accessibility Coordinators/ Champions at the postsecondary institution.

The designated Accessibility and Accommodations Coordinators/ Champions shall lead efforts at the organization towards incorporating accessibility into plans and decisions from the top down.


Recommendation 109: Refusal of disability accommodation request

If a postsecondary institution decides not to provide a requested disability accommodation, service, or support for a student, or to meet a disability-related need that the student identified, the postsecondary institution will provide verbal and written reasons for that refusal in a timely fashion, normally within three to five business days of formally communicating the refusal to the student.


Recommendation 110: Resolving disability accommodation refusal disputes

Postsecondary institutions must develop an effective and transparent mechanism to resolve disputes that arise in the accommodation process. The mechanism must be a respectful, non-adversarial internal dispute resolution review process for hearing, mediating and deciding on the concerns of students with disabilities. If a student disagrees with any aspect of the postsecondary institution’s decision on a request for accommodation or believes that the postsecondary institution has not provided supports or accommodations to which it had agreed, the student will be informed of the review and dispute resolution process. This tiered review process should include the following:

a. It should be very prompt and conducted expeditiously to ensure that students have opportunity to complete their course(s) and/or academic program during the relevant enrollment period. Arrangements for a student's accommodations should be finalized as quickly as possible, so that the student’s needs are promptly met.

b. Proposed services, supports, or accommodations that the postsecondary institution is prepared to offer should not be withheld from a student

pending a review. The student should not feel pressured not to seek a review, lest they be placed in a position of educational disadvantage during the review process.

c. The review process should be fair. The postsecondary institution should let the student know all issues or concerns with the student’s accommodation request and give the student an opportunity to voice their concerns.

d. The initial internal review and dispute resolution process should be led by a person or persons who are as independent and impartial as possible, including but not limited to individuals from an office of human rights or Faculty of Education on campus. They should have expertise in accessible education of students with disabilities. Where possible, they should not have taken part in any of the earlier discussions or decisions at that postsecondary institution regarding the services, supports or accommodations for that student.

e. At the review, every effort should be made to mediate and resolve any disagreements between the student and the postsecondary institution. If the matter cannot be resolved by agreement through this internal process, there should be an option for a qualified mediator who is external to the postsecondary institution to be appointed at no charge to the student, to consider the review. Postsecondary institutions shall identify in advance a mechanism to engage an impartial dispute resolution mediator with expertise in disability and postsecondary education. We recommend that the Ministry of Colleges and Universities establish a list of qualified impartial mediators to assist with this process.

f. If the outcome of the review with an external mediator is that the postsecondary institution refuses the student’s request(s), verbal and written reasons should be given for the decision and the student shall be informed of the option to pursue their concern through the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal.


Theme 4: Inclusive teaching and learning environments

Recommendation 111: Accessible education training

In addition to the training requirements outlined in the Information and Communication Standards sections 21 and 22, postsecondary institutions shall establish policies and procedures to ensure that all full-time, partial load, contract faculty/ instructors, and graduate student teaching assistants receive training with respect to accessible, inclusive teaching and learning strategies that are consistent with principles of inclusive, accessible education such as Universal Design in Learning (UDL) for in person and virtual teaching practices. Postsecondary institutions must develop mandatory training practices that respect their collective agreements and provide fair compensation for all employees not covered by collective agreements. Postsecondary institutions must also

https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/110191#BK9


develop mechanisms to ensure that teaching faculty who are hired late will receive such training. Postsecondary institutions shall provide evidence in their Annual Status Report to the Ministry of Colleges and Universities that Accessible Education Training opportunities have been provided to all teaching faculty and teaching assistants.


Theme 5: Service animals

Recommendation 112: Service Animal Definition for postsecondary institutions

We recommend remaining consistent with the existing Accessible Customer Service Standards sect. 80.45 (4) b) on use, and definition of Service Animals and refrain from using the term “support animal”. Based on part B of the definition in sect. 80.45 (4) b), an animal is a service animal provided that “the person with a disability provides documentation from one of nine regulated health professionals confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability”.

Further, we strongly recommend that on next review of the Customer Service Standards greater clarification is provided on the definition of service and support animals and the respective roles each play.

Timeline: Immediately upon regulation being enacted

Recommendation 113: Service and support animals policies and procedures

Postsecondary institutions shall establish clear policies and procedures with respect to service animals and support animals. These policies and procedures need to be readily available in accessible format to all students with disabilities. Where a policy exists that addresses pets on campus, the service animals policy shall supersede such a policy to ensure students with disabilities’ full access and integration on campus for students with disabilities.

Student Housing and all student residences must post the policy and make public the process for use of service and support animals in residence.


Theme 6: Business continuity plans

Recommendation 114: Business continuity plans

Postsecondary institutions shall create and/or update business continuity plans with prepared responses to potential disruptions to service delivery, building evacuations etc., that are dignified and independent for persons with disabilities. Such disruptions can occur due to emergency response situations, labour disruptions, public health



restrictions, or other disruptions to student education and services. For example, postsecondary institutions may need to collaborate with public transportation services to help ensure that students with disabilities have access to the campus during a labour disruption where picket lines are in force. Postsecondary institutions shall mandate that clear accessible resources and teaching strategies be developed for use in the case of a sudden change to the mode of education due to unexpected disruptions such as those noted above.

These resources will be made available to all teaching faculty and instructors, including but not limited to partial load instructors, part time and sessional faculty, lab demonstrators, and teaching assistants. This will ensure that accessibility preparedness is made a priority when planning for emergency situations.

The development of contingency plans must include an expert in accessibility to identify barriers throughout the planning. The plan must incorporate inclusive design principles and include mechanisms to maintain support services for students with disabilities if classes are held during a disruption to standard program delivery. Postsecondary institutions must use an accessibility lens when planning for resumption of studies to ensure that the needs of students with disabilities are considered at both the start and end of disruptions.

Timeline: Within one year of regulation being enacted and updated every three years.

Recommendation 115: Disruption impacts

If students with disabilities need to withdraw from their courses to take a disability-related leave due to disruptions of the sort noted in recommendation 114, postsecondary institutions shall:

establish and communicate a transparent process for students with disabilities (part-time and full-time) that permits students to suspend their studies and to resume their studies after a disruption related absence

not require students to reapply to the institution or their program to resume their studies

facilitate alternate pathways for students with disabilities, both full-time and part-time students, to complete their studies

not charge an application fee for students with disabilities to resume their studies after a disruption related absence



Answer

General overarching barriers Answer

Barrier area 1: Attitudes, behaviours, perceptions, assumptions AnswerBarrier area 2: Awareness and training AnswerBarrier area 3: Assessment, curriculum and instruction AnswerBarrier area 4: Digital learning and technology AnswerBarrier area 6: Social realms, campus life AnswerBarrier area 7: Physical and architectural barriers AnswerBarrier area 8: Financial barriers AnswerEducation Technical Sub-Committee: Accessible transitions for students with disabilities in K-12: to the workforce, the community and postsecondary education

Answer


Barrier area 6: Social realms, campus life

Introduction

Campus life involves a wide array of activities and opportunities for all students and provides an additional layer of learning and experience within the postsecondary setting. The "student experience" gained through participating in campus life is now an important piece of a student's skill development and employment outcomes.

Students with disabilities often cannot engage with campus life, in leadership roles that can influence campus decisions, or are restricted in their choice of educational institutions. Additionally, students with disabilities lack accessible, meaningful and predictable programming that facilitates their active participation in the social realm of campus life.

Recommendations in this section are focused upon identifying and removing barriers that hinder students with disabilities from accessing and successfully engaging with campus life outside of the classroom. We specifically focus on accessible events and off-campus activities, student leadership, and student engagement. Transition literature, government resources and consultation with provincial colleagues and stakeholders all support the development of recommendations.

We offer recommendations in three key areas:

accessibility supports leadership social belonging


( ) Agree


( ) Disagree


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Theme 1: Accessible supports

Recommendation 116: Student government funding for accessible supports (non-regulatory)

Student governments and societies should fund accessibility supports, such as sign language interpreting and attendant services, for students with disabilities to enable their access and participation in non-academic campus life activities that are sponsored by the student governments and student groups.

Recommendation 117: Institution funding for accessible supports

Postsecondary institutions will fund accessibility supports, such as sign language interpreting and attendant services, for students with disabilities to enable their access and participation in leadership roles on governance bodies.


Recommendation 118: Accessible information about supports

Postsecondary institutions will maintain accessible information about on and off-campus accessibility supports and service providers such as attendant services, sign language interpreters, real-time captioning, orientation and mobility trainers for individuals with vision loss.


Recommendation 119: Off-campus services

Postsecondary institutions will identify units or positions responsible for facilitating institutional contact with off-campus service providers, such as those listed in recommendation 118.


Recommendation 120: Attendant services

The Ontario government, in consultation with accessibility stakeholders, will develop a plan to increase the availability and quality of attendant services for postsecondary students with disabilities.


Theme 2: Leadership

Recommendation 121: Governance bodies

Postsecondary institutions will adopt policies and procedures that proactively seek to engage and appoint students with disabilities to their governance bodies.


Recommendation 122: Collect aggregate data

Postsecondary institutions will collect equity representation aggregate data of rates of participation by students with disabilities on all governance bodies such as Board of Trustees/Governors, Senate, and student government.


Recommendation 123: Report results

Postsecondary institutions will report the results of recommendations 121 and 122 in the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan and the Annual Status Reports, including planned adjustments to enhance the representation of students with disabilities on governance bodies.


Recommendation 124: Accessible sports and recreation programming (non-regulatory)

The Ministry of Colleges and Universities should work with provincial and national professional sport groups for persons with disabilities to create accessible sports and recreation programming to engage postsecondary students with disabilities.

Theme 3: Social belonging

Recommendation 125: Enhance student life and satisfaction

Using the results of measures indicated in recommendation 123 , postsecondary institutions will develop new programming or improve existing programming to enhance student life satisfaction for students with disabilities.


Recommendation 126: Student activity fees

Postsecondary institutions that transfer student activity fees to student government and/or student societies will require these bodies to report to the institution administration on their compliance with the act’s regulations in areas of student governance, clubs and groups, activities and events.



Answer

General overarching barriers AnswerBarrier area 1: Attitudes, behaviours, perceptions, assumptions AnswerBarrier area 2: Awareness and training AnswerBarrier area 3: Assessment, curriculum and instruction AnswerBarrier area 4: Digital learning and technology AnswerBarrier area 5: Organizational barriers AnswerBarrier area 7: Physical and architectural barriers AnswerBarrier area 8: Financial barriers AnswerEducation Technical Sub-Committee: Accessible transitions for students with disabilities in K-12: to the workforce, the community and postsecondary education

Answer


Barrier area 7: Physical and architectural barriers

Introduction

Recommendations in this section are focused on identifying and addressing barriers to accessibility in the built environment of postsecondary institutions. We took an expansive view of the “built environment,” acknowledging that access should not be limited to buildings but include all the human-made environments in which we live, work and study on a routine basis. In developing our recommendations, we focused on building on existing standards already in use at many postsecondary institutions and shaped our recommendations to address any gaps.

Our recommendations were developed by individuals with lived experience of barriers to the built environment, and those with oversight of providing accessible services and addressing systemic barriers in diverse postsecondary settings. These experiences helped us begin our work from the understanding that our institutions are not universally accessible.We organized our recommendations across five areas:

technical requirements – specifications for creating an accessible built environment

scope – where these standards apply maintenance and upkeep – ensuring what is accessible stays accessible planning, operations, decision-making, oversight – creating transparency,

disability-informed decisions and sustained changes awareness, user experience and transparency – improvement projects, signage,

training for architects

In focusing on these areas, we sought to bring some clarity to the legislative environment surrounding accessibility standards, to proactively address barriers, and to meaningfully embed the lived experiences of persons with disabilities in a way that honours intersectional identities. By taking this approach we sought to assist postsecondary institutions avoid mistakes, avoid significant costs in the future, and avoid creating long-lasting and hugely detrimental impacts that are difficult to fix.


( ) Agree


( ) Disagree


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Click the “More” link below to view the full text of the physical and architectural barriers recommendations

Theme 1: Technical requirements

Recommendation 127: Minimum accessibility technical specifications

The Government shall develop minimum accessibility standards for the built environment of postsecondary institutions, consisting of the technical specifications including, but not limited to those set out in the:

1. Brock University Facility Accessibility Design Standards (BUFADS), 20142. The Design of Public Spaces Standards3. Checklist for Making Science Labs Accessible for Students with Disabilities, 20144. CNIB Clearing Our Path Guidelines

These requirements should be revised to address considerations for service animals, neurodiversity and sensory sensitivities, and mental wellness. In order to appropriately incorporate these considerations, such standards should be co-designed with persons with lived of experience of these disabilities and organizations that serve in their interest.


Recommendation 128: Adopt minimum accessibility technical specifications

Postsecondary institutions under these standards must adopt the minimum accessibility technical specifications for the built environment.

Timeline: Within 18 months of regulation being enacted

Recommendation 129: Inclusive design principles in policies, practices and procedures

Postsecondary institutions must incorporate robust inclusive design principles into all policies, practices, and procedures which relate to the existing built environment and any future development or renovation initiatives. Such a process will involve a thorough review of these policies, practices and procedures to identify and remove any ableist assumptions, and then rebuild these policies with inclusive design principles at the core. Once that has been done, the use of inclusive design principles through the application

of an accessibility lens will be a regular part of any built environment policy review process.

Timeline: Within one year of regulation being enactedRecommendation 130: New built environment accessibility standards

The Government shall fully implement Recommendation 8 of the 2019 Onley Review: “Develop new comprehensive Built Environment accessibility standards” which shall entail:

1. Reviewing and revising the 2013 Building Code amendments for new construction and major renovations.

2. Reviewing and revising the Design of Public Spaces standards.3. Creating new standards that apply to retrofitting buildings.4. Report on harmonization process outlined in the Advancing Accessibility in

Ontario is a cross-government framework.

Timeline: January 1st, 2023 (in line with planned updates to Building Code)

Theme 2: Scope

Recommendation 131: Upholding accessibility standards in third-party controlled spaces

Postsecondary institutions shall ensure the accessibility technical specifications for the built environment as set out in recommendation 127 are upheld in buildings, venues, and spaces the institution uses, leases, or is affiliated with, but which may be owned, managed, or operated by other organizations or entities. Postsecondary institutions shall review existing agreements and include accessibility requirements in all future agreements. Postsecondary institutions have a duty to inquire about the accessibility of such built environment. If the built environment does not meet these standards, postsecondary institutions shall collaborate with the organizations or entities which own, manage, or operate the built environment(s) in question in order to bring the built environment(s) into compliance with the standards.

Timeline: Within eighteen months of regulation being enacted

Recommendation 132: Developing guidelines for accessibility standards in third-party controlled spaces (non-regulatory)

We propose that the Ontario government collaborate with Colleges Ontario and the Council of Ontario Universities to develop guidelines on the implementation of Recommendation 131. The guidelines shall cover:

i. Who is responsible in the organizations for upholding the requirementsii. How organizations can audit the accessibility of such spaces under

recommendation 131iii. Methods and mechanisms for resolving conflicts between parties.

Recommendation 133: Experiential learning off campus

The Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards for the built environment shall be applied to experiential learning activities that do not take place on the postsecondary institution’s campus ( for example, placement host sites); and include all spaces where non-educational services and activities take place on the postsecondary institution’s campus ( for example, health services, recreational, civic engagement, common areas in student residences).

1. Postsecondary institutions shall incorporate the technical specifications referred to in Recommendation 127 into the criteria and process of finding and matching experiential learning opportunities, such as co-op, apprenticeships or work-integrated learning placements.


Theme 3: Maintenance and upkeep

Recommendation 134: Revise maintenance plans and policies

Postsecondary institutions shall audit their built environment and identify all the features that are essential to ensuring and promoting accessible environments. From this review, the institution shall revise maintenance plans and policies to prioritize the timely maintenance and repair of these features to ensure their on-going use. Such features shall be defined as per the Access & Circulation and Washroom sections of the Brock University Facility Accessibility Design Standard.

Timeline: Within three years of regulation being enacted

Recommendation 135: Track and report spending on maintenance and upkeep

Postsecondary institutions shall track and report the historical (up to five years prior to compliance date for this recommendation) and current spending on the maintenance and upkeep of accessibility features as defined in Recommendation 134. This shall be included in all existing internal maintenance reports and be reported on an ongoing basis as part of existing provincial space management reporting systems ( for example, Council of Ontario Universities Committee on Space Standards and Reporting).


Recommendation 136: Funding maintenance and upkeep

The institutions should implement the accessibility lens to consider the impacts of decision making related to budgets on students with disabilities ( for example, if a building is not upgraded, how would this impact students with disabilities; or how would a reduction of the staff complement for snow removal impact students with disabilities navigating the campus?, etc.). Additionally, the Ontario government shall allocate funding to address ongoing efforts to improve physical accessibility and maintenance.

Based on the reports and data received as part of recommendation 135, the Ontario government shall develop expectations for postsecondary institutions to protect a minimum percentage of their facility repair and maintenance budget in order to dedicate it to the maintenance and upkeep of the accessibility features defined in recommendation 134.

The Ontario government shall also develop expectations for postsecondary institutions to protect a portion of their project budget to contribute to the on-going operation and maintenance of the planned accessibility features when planning and building new environment or facility improvement projects. This portion shall be used as a contingency in the event that these accessibility features are non-operational or fail to meet these standards prior to their anticipated maintenance schedule.


Recommendation 137: Procure inventory

Postsecondary institutions shall procure and have a standing inventory of commonly required maintenance and repair materials for accessibility features. Having materials readily available reduces the length of time for replacement or repair if the feature may become, or is unsafe to use.


Recommendation 138: Accessibility metrics

Postsecondary institutions shall develop or incorporate into existing monitoring and response frameworks, metrics specific to the features identified under recommendation 134 as essential to ensuring and promoting accessible environments. Such a framework shall be developed in collaboration with the consulting Committee referred to in recommendation 14 and include reasonable response times.


Theme 4: Planning, operations, decision-making and oversight

Recommendation 139: Identify barriers and provide accommodations

Postsecondary institutions shall proactively identify barriers in the built environment that

cannot be removed or avoided through alternative access due to legal or geographic barriers, such as heritage designation or zoning restrictions. For such barriers, institutions shall identify and prepare accommodations that can be readily accessed by institutional community members and visitors or produce an Equally Effective Access Plan. These accommodations must provide safe, equitable and equivalent access to persons with disabilities in such a way that maximizes accessibility.


Recommendation 140: Renovation, redesign, construction projects

Whenever the postsecondary institution is preparing to undertake a renovation, redesign or construction project, they shall specifically include expectations for the fulfilment of the accessibility standards (as per recommendation 127). This shall be included in all stages of the process including, but not limited to Request for Proposals (RFP) tender, contracting, project management and feedback, and approvals. Timeline: Within two years of regulation being enacted

Recommendation 141: Accessibility design experts and consultants

For any proposed building or construction projects, Built Environment accessibility consultants or firms shall be engaged to review the project and to conduct accessibility audits for compliance to accessibility standards (per recommendation 127). The results and findings shall be reviewed by the postsecondary institution’s accessibility Committee (per recommendation 14).

1. The Ontario government shall consult with accessible design experts, persons with disabilities and postsecondary institutions to devise a repository of accessible design consultants, as well as a rubric for how to choose them for design projects. In fulfilling this recommendation, we also propose that the creation of the repository and rubric take into consideration reducing the cost implications to postsecondary institutions from this recommendation and recommendation 142.


Recommendation 142: Construction projects reports

For any proposed new building or significantly renovated projects, built environment accessibility consultants shall track the accessibility deliverables and potential accessibility barriers (as per the criteria in the minimum accessibility technical specifications) in the course of the project and make reports of the findings. These reports shall be provided to the postsecondary institution, members of the institutional oversight/governance process and members of the community for comment. These reports shall receive dedicated time for members of the institutional

oversight/governance process to discuss and scrutinize the findings of the report at each stage of the process.


Recommendation 143: Construction projects tax credit (non-regulatory)

We propose the Ontario government develop an enhanced tax credit that is available to private donors to be applied to donations that fund a postsecondary institution’s renovation, redesign or construction project that is fully accessible under these standards. Postsecondary institutions may be eligible for this enhanced tax credit for diverting private bequeaths towards renovation, redesign or construction projects that are fully accessible under these standards.

Recommendation 144: Institution’s’ capital request expenditure

We propose that the Ontario government implement measures to identify and prioritize the provision and disbursement of public funds to any postsecondary institution’s capital request expenditure for renovations, redesigns or construction projects which comply with these standards or which bring their built environment into compliance with these standards. The postsecondary institution shall provide documentation to the Ontario government that shows the accessibility standards (per recommendation 127) have been met throughout the project.


Recommendation 145: The role of the consultation committee

The consultation Committee referred to in Recommendation 14 shall be engaged and regularly consulted throughout the institution’s general operations and management process to provide oversight and advice to aid the institution’s management and upkeep of the built environment. The input of this Committee, including the responses to their input, shall be included in all departmental reporting structures.


Recommendation 146: Procuring contractors and vendors

Whenever the postsecondary institution is preparing to procure or renew the services of contractors, vendors, independent agents, etc. for the maintenance of the built environment, the institution shall specifically include expectations for the fulfilment of the accessibility standards. This shall be included in all stages of the process including, but not limited to, tender, contracting, project management and feedback, approvals and performance assessments.


Theme 5: Awareness, user experience and transparency

Recommendation 147: Revised policies and facility accessibility design standards (non-regulatory)

We encourage Colleges Ontario and the Council of Ontario Universities to support their member organizations to develop revised policies and facility accessibility design standards that reflect and align with the new minimum accessibility technical specifications (as per recommendation 127).

Recommendation 148: Training for new and current architects (non-regulatory)

We encourage the Ontario Association of Architects, the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects and the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects to provide training to newly and currently certified architects about understanding and incorporating the new minimum accessibility technical specifications into designs.

Recommendation 149: Criteria for architects (non-regulatory)

We encourage the Ontario Association of Architects, the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, the Ontario Association of Landscape Designers and the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects to update all their criteria for membership and certification of architects, no matter what the pathway, to incorporate competencies in accessibility technical specifications and inclusive design principles.

Recommendation 150: Proof of training

As part of their procurement processes for tendering architectural and any other built environment services, postsecondary institutions shall request proof of completion of the training identified in recommendation 148 (or some other proof of competency in the interim). Such proof shall be provided for any professional working with the institution by the vendor for which they are working at the time of bidding for a project. Other proof of competency may include successful completion of the following:

1. Royal Architectural Society of Canada – Introduction to Successful Accessible Design

2. International Association of Accessibility Professionals – Certified Professional in Accessible Built Environments


Recommendation 151: Notice of temporary accessibility barriers

Postsecondary institutions shall provide up-to-date information about any temporary

accessibility barriers or service disruptions impacting the accessibility of the built environment. These notifications shall be provided both through institution-specific sources (such as temporary signage or alerts posted to student learning portals or website) and broader public sources (for example, Google Maps). Such notifications shall clearly identify what the barrier is, where it is, the nearest accessible route/service/facility, date and duration of the disruption, and contact information for an ombudsperson or other complaint resolution mechanism. Such notifications must be provided in a timely manner and be in an accessible format.


Recommendation 152: Accessibility during construction

In collaboration with the consultation Committee (as per recommendation 14) postsecondary institutions shall proactively devise plans and processes to maintain access during construction projects, both large and small. In addition to the notifications required in this recommendation, such plans and processes must seek to maintain accessibility during construction and, wherever possible, provide an alternative and equal means of access. Once devised, these plans and processes shall be made publicly available and in an accessible format.


Recommendation 153: Signage and wayfinding

Postsecondary institutions shall revise and, where necessary, add more accessible signage and wayfinding resources that make explicitly clear the availability of accessibility features in the built environment in order to facilitate independent navigation and wayfinding. Such information must be prominent and conform with accessibility standards related to information and communications, and the signage section of the Brock University Facility Accessibility Design Standards as per recommendation 127. These wayfinding resources include, but are not limited to:

1. exterior signage and maps (for example, direction posts)2. interior signage and maps (for example, wing layout)3. institutional websites (for example, campus maps)4. any temporary or emergency signage5. guided campus tours


Recommendation 154: Review the accessibility of the built environment

Postsecondary institutions shall routinely review the accessibility of the built environment. This review will be co-designed with the committee per recommendation 14. The results of the review shall inform planning for concrete next steps for

meaningful action. The plan should be reported and updated in line with the institutional multi-year accessibility plan and made publicly available.


Recommendation 155: System-wide improvement plan data

The Ontario government shall gather and collate the improvement plan data from postsecondary institutions in order to monitor and measure postsecondary system-wide accessibility. Such data should be made available to the public and reported on a frequent basis.


Recommendation 156: Improvement projects

Each year, postsecondary institutions shall plan, design, and implement projects to improve accessibility in the built environment so that it complies with the standards. The decisions shall be based on areas identified by the plan outline in recommendation 154. Any priority-setting and implementation shall be done in consultation with the Committee established per recommendation 14. Postsecondary institutions shall report in the annual status reports on the projects they have undertaken as part of their multi-year accessibility plan, and provide written explanation, should undertaking projects in a given year not be practicable.


Recommendation 157: Promote compliance with the act and Ontario Building Code (non-regulatory)

We encourage the Ontario government to launch initiatives to raise the public profile and promote compliance with the act and Ontario Building Code accessibility standards.


Answer

General overarching barriers AnswerBarrier area 1: Attitudes, behaviours, perceptions, assumptions AnswerBarrier area 2: Awareness and training AnswerBarrier area 3: Assessment, curriculum and instruction AnswerBarrier area 4: Digital learning and technology AnswerBarrier area 5: Organizational barriers AnswerBarrier area 6: Social realms and campus life AnswerBarrier area 8: Financial barriers AnswerEducation Technical Sub-Committee: Accessible transitions for Answer

students with disabilities in K-12: to the workforce, the community and postsecondary educationAdditional Feedback AnswerDemographic questions (optional) Answer

Barrier area 8: Financial barriers

Introduction

For students with disabilities, the financial barriers they experience are a web of complex systemic issues which can take many forms. In our discussions, we recognized that some financial barriers fell outside the scope of our mandate (for example, Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) reform), and chose to focus our recommendations on four key themes:

cost differentials transparency graduate student funding intersectionality

These areas were chosen to do two things: first, to “spotlight” issues (such as graduate student barriers and intersectionality) that are often not addressed in conversations around financial barriers and, second, to reduce the manifestation of inequity or potentially exclusionary elements of policy and practice.


( ) Agree


( ) Disagree


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Theme 1: Cost differentials

Recommendation 158: Definition of “part-time students with disabilities”

Postsecondary institutions shall adopt the provincial financial aid definition of full-time and part-time status discussed during the 2016 Ontario Student Assistance Program Reform Consultation for students with disabilities for the purposes of accessing financial aid. The definition is included as a reference: a student with a permanent or temporary disability who is enrolled in 40% or more of a full course load will be considered a full-time student for the purposes of applying to Ontario Student Assistance Program.


Recommendation 159: Application of “part-time students with disabilities” definition

Postsecondary institutions shall:

a. Create a flexible and confidential process within the institution for disbursement of funds in a timely manner to allow part-time students with disabilities to gain access to institutional scholarships, bursaries, etc. that are currently accessed by full-time students.

b. Regularly measure the effectiveness of these practices by assessing their impact on retention rates and the student experience of students with disabilities.

Timeline: Within one a) and two b) years of the regulation being enacted

Recommendation 160: Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario Recommendations – eligibilities, formulae and assessments

We agree with the recommendations in the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario’s Assessment of Debt Load and Financial Barriers Affecting Students with Disabilities in Canadian Post-secondary Education - Ontario Report (2011), and recommend that:

a. Postsecondary institutions shall reconsider eligibility requirements for institutionally based financial aid specific to students with disabilities so that students with disabilities remain eligible even when they are not eligible for basic provincial or federal assistance (for example, OSAP).

b. Where they do not already exist, postsecondary institutions shall adopt eligibility assessments that account for the full impact of a student’s

https://heqco.ca/pub/assessment-of-debt-load-and-financial-barriers-affecting-students-with-disabilities-in-canadian-postsecondary-education-ontario-report/

https://heqco.ca/pub/assessment-of-debt-load-and-financial-barriers-affecting-students-with-disabilities-in-canadian-postsecondary-education-ontario-report/

disability(ies) on their financial situation when applying for institutional funding.

c. The Ontario government and postsecondary institutions shall collaborate to improve information sources regarding government subsidies for indigenous and international students with disabilities, disability assessments, tax credits and other resources for students with disabilities.

d. Where it does not already occur within institutions, postsecondary institutions shall ensure that students with disabilities do not have to pay out of pocket for assessment costs or infrastructure costs associated with disability assessments.


Recommendation 161: Supplemental health insurance (non-regulatory)

Student unions should create and implement a mechanism to allow part-time students with disabilities to opt into the full-time supplemental health insurance plan to allow students to have the same level of access as full-time students.

Recommendation 162: Differentials in policies and practices

The Ontario government and institutional financial aid administrators:

a. review existing practices in order to determine whether differentials exist that disadvantage students with disabilities.

b. ensure all financial aid policies and practices address gaps and differentials identified in part a) above.

c. shall transparently account for disability related expenses in financial aid assessments and processes.

d. shall implement a process to allow later payment of tuition fees caused by delays in government funding for disability related needs without penalty of late payment fees.

e. shall collaborate with appropriate stakeholder groups to regularly measure the effectiveness of practices developed in response to b), c) and d) above on student retention and quality of experience of students with disabilities in postsecondary education.

Timeline: Immediate a), within one year (b-d) and two years e) of the regulation being enacted

Recommendation 163: Institutional fees


a. review existing institutional fee structures and policies in order to ensure that they are not profiting from the lack of choices and options that students with disabilities experience in paying for institutional services.

b. where necessary, revise and/or adopt policies and practices to ensure that students with disabilities shall not be charged institutional fees incurred due to a disability. For example, a student who needs to defer exams due to hospitalization should not be charged an exam administration fee to defer the exams.


Recommendation 164: Housing fees

Postsecondary institutions’ Student Housing and Residences Offices shall create a fee schedule that considers disability related needs related to room assignments. The policy must ensure students are not charged premium rates for costs incurred resulting from a disability (such as, single rooms vs double rooms fees, room for attendant).


Recommendation 165: Parking fees

Postsecondary institutions shall create a parking fee schedule that does not charge persons with ministry-issued disabled parking permits premium rates for premium parking locations if students are required to park in these locations due to a disability (for example, underground parking especially in the winter, disabled parking located adjacent to the building).


Recommendation 166: Ontario Student Assistance Program (non-regulatory)

The Ontario government shall respond to the 2016 Ontario Student Assistance Program Reform Consultation, which included changing the qualification to the following:

A student with a permanent or temporary disability who is enrolled in 40% or more of a full course load will be considered a full-time student for the purposes of applying through the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) Application for Full-Time Studies.

Review part-time percentage for eligibility.

Recommendation 167: Interconnection between financial aid and Ontario Disability Support Program (non-regulatory)

The Ontario government shall undertake a review of how scholarships and graduate studentships (Teaching Assistant-ships, Research Assistant-ships, Graduate Assistant-

ships) relate to both the student financial aid system and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), as well as how student financial aid and Ontario Disability Support Program intersect, in order to identify barriers faced by students with disabilities in postsecondary education.

Recommendation 168: Interconnection between Financial Aid and ODSP (2) (non-regulatory)The Ontario government should develop and implement a plan to address the barriers identified from the review in recommendation 167.

Theme 2: Transparency

Recommendation 169: Transparency of eligibility rules

Postsecondary institutions shall ensure that all financial aid policies, including those at the departmental and faculty level, clearly state the requirements or eligibility rules that have been created for students with disabilities.


Recommendation 170: Access to financial aid information

Colleges and universities ensure that all institutional financial aid information must be publicly available, easily located, readily accessible, presented in plain language and clear, to be readily available to and understood by students with disabilities.


Recommendation 171: Central tool (non-regulatory)

The Ontario government shall create and maintain a central tool to inform students with disabilities and financial aid administrators about eligibility guidelines of disability related funding programs ( for example, Ontario Student Assistance Program, Assistive Devices Program), applicable restrictions, how the funding programs interact with one another, as well as a timetable or calendar with important deadlines, and set up a notification system for students and other stakeholders to use in signing up for updates, reminders, etc.

Theme 3: Graduate student funding

Recommendation 172: Graduate student financial aid policy

We agree with the recommendations from the National Graduate Experience Taskforce (Understanding Accessibility for Graduate Students with Disabilities in Canada, 2016), and recommend that:

https://www.neads.ca/en/about/projects/graduate-taskforce/pdf/Graduate-Report-Extended-Executive-Summary.pdf

a. The Ontario government and postsecondary institutions shall create policy measures within provincial and institutional financial aid systems that recognize the different experiences and requirements of master’s and PhD student populations and provide funding options to meet their unique needs, with an emphasis on reducing the financial gap for graduate students with disabilities.

b. Postsecondary institutions shall review their financial aid policies around disability related leaves of absence, and, if not already in place, create and implement exceptions regarding leaves of absence in cases of disability-related circumstances.

c. Postsecondary institutions shall review institutional graduate funding packages to include disability-related considerations (for example, leaves, academic employment, funding for disability related accommodations to travel to academic conferences), where applicable.

d. Postsecondary institutions review their tuition policy and grant graduate students with disabilities eligibility for tuition reduction at the graduate level based on working capacity percentages (full course load equivalency), while being able to maintain full-time status and thus their eligibility to hold awards, bursaries and working opportunities.

e. Regularly measure the effectiveness of these practices by assessing their impact on retention rates and the student experience.

Timeline: Within one year (a-b), within two years (c-d) and within three years e) of the regulation being enacted

Recommendation 173: Dedicated accommodation funding

Postsecondary institutions shall create an institutional framework whereby students with disabilities can access dedicated internal funds to offset their accommodation and unique costs associated with their graduate programs.


Recommendation 174: Graduate scholarships

We agree with the recommendations from the National Graduate Experience Taskforce (Understanding Accessibility for Graduate Students with Disabilities in Canada, 2016), and recommend that:

a. The Ontario government undertake reviews of the practices and policies of the Ontario Graduate Scholarships program, as well as all other government-funded graduate scholarships, to ensure accessibility and full inclusion of students with disabilities, including students who are enrolled part time as a result of their disability.

b. As part of such a review, the Ontario government shall examine funding and application policies and practices to ensure accessibility for graduate


students, including demographic collection methods, application accessibility, equity of information provision, availability of dedicated accommodation funding, and policies around research load, time to completion and leaves.

c. The Ontario government shall ensure that the application forms and processes for the Ontario Graduate Scholarship program and other government-funded graduate scholarships are accessible to students using screen reader and screen magnifier software.


Recommendation 175: Federally funded graduate scholarships (non-regulatory)

We agree with the recommendations from the National Graduate Experience Taskforce (Understanding Accessibility for Graduate Students with Disabilities in Canada, 2016), and recommend that the Ontario Government should:

a. Encourage Federal research granting bodies to undertake reviews of the practices and policies of the Ontario Graduate Scholarships program, as well as all other government-funded graduate scholarships, to ensure accessibility and full inclusion of students with disabilities, including students who are enrolled part time as a result of their disability.

b. As part of such a review, Federal research granting bodies should examine funding and application policies and practices to ensure accessibility for graduate students, including demographic collection methods, application accessibility, equity of information provision, availability of dedicated accommodation funding, and policies around research load, time to completion and leaves.

c. Encourage Federal research granting bodies to ensure that the application forms and processes for graduate scholarships are accessible to students using screen reader and screen magnifier software.

Recommendation 176: Graduate funding guidelines


a. Review their graduate funding package guidelines and the intersection with accessibility policies (student facing and employee facing) to ensure that graduate students with disabilities are not disadvantaged, either by the impact of a Teaching Assistant-ship on disability support funding, or by being excluded from a Teaching Assistant-ship because of their disability.

b. Implement policies to remove the barriers identified in part a) and ensure that graduate students with disabilities are not disadvantaged by the institution’s graduate funding package guidelines.

c. Collaborate with appropriate stakeholder groups to regularly measure the effectiveness of practices developed in response to b) on student retention


and quality of experience of students with disabilities in postsecondary education.

Timeline: a) Within one year of the regulation being enacted, b) two years of the regulation being enacted, c) within three years of the regulation being enacted

Recommendation 177: Conferences


a. Ensure that student financial aid assessments for students with disabilities consider additional disability-related costs incurred while travelling to and participating in academic conferences.

b. Create a centralized “conference accessibility fund” for students to access when needing to travel to academic conferences, for use when advocacy with conference organizers has been exhausted without effect.

Timeline: Within 18 months of the regulation being enacted

Recommendation 178: Time to completion

Where it has been determined that time to completion of a graduate degree for a student with a disability can be extended as an accommodation, postsecondary institutions shall ensure that graduate student financial aid and funding programs are extended to graduate students with disabilities who, for disability-related reasons, are beyond the expected time to completion of their program.


Theme 4: Intersectionality

Recommendation 179: Intersectionality (non-regulatory)

The Ontario government and postsecondary institutions shall collaborate to ensure that existing and new financial aid policies and practices are reviewed and developed through an intersectional identity lens. These policies should be accessible, written in plain language, and made publicly available via institutional and provincial financial aid websites.


Answer

General overarching barriers AnswerBarrier area 1: Attitudes, behaviours, perceptions, assumptions AnswerBarrier area 2: Awareness and training Answer

Barrier area 3: Assessment, curriculum and instruction AnswerBarrier area 4: Digital learning and technology AnswerBarrier area 5: Organizational barriers AnswerBarrier area 6: Social realms and campus life AnswerBarrier area 7: Physical and architectural barriers AnswerEducation Technical Sub-Committee: Accessible transitions for students with disabilities in K-12: to the workforce, the community and postsecondary education

Answer


Education Technical Sub-Committee: Accessible transitions for students with disabilities in K-12: to the workforce, the community and postsecondary education

The Technical Sub-Committee (TSC) is comprised of representatives from both the K-12 and Postsecondary Education Standards Development Committees (SDCs).

The sub-committee’s mandate, as received from the Minister for Seniors and Accessibility, was to identify barriers that students with disabilities experience during transition, with a special focus on transition planning between the sectors, and to make recommendations for removing these barriers.

Transitions considered by the sub-committee included those into and within K-12 and from K-12 to work, the community and postsecondary education.Specifically, the purpose of the Technical Sub-Committee was to:

share information across the K-12 and postsecondary education standard development committees

consider areas of commonality and alignment provide practical advice and guidance to both Committees on transition planning

and alignment issues review and provide input on Committee meetings specific to transitions identify barriers to students with disabilities during transitions throughout their

educational career, and make recommendations for their effective removal

The sub-committee made 75 recommendations to remove barriers that impact on the transition experience of students with disabilities in the following five areas:

1. Transitions to and within K-12 Education2. Transitions from K-12 to postsecondary education3. Transitions for Indigenous students with disabilities4. Transitions from secondary school to the workplace and community5. Alternative transition programs/pathways

To continue to the next section, click "Next" button below. If you prefer to move to a specific section, please select one from the list below.Transitions to and within K-12 education AnswerTransitions from K-12 to postsecondary education AnswerTransitions for Indigenous students with disabilities AnswerTransitions from secondary school to the workplace and community AnswerAlternative transition programs/pathways AnswerAdditional Feedback AnswerDemographic questions (optional) Answer

Transitions to and within kindergarten to grade 12 education

Introduction

The recommendations in this section address the following:

creating transition facilitator/navigator positions across school boards mandated to specifically support the transition needs of students with disabilities

developing and sharing effective, evidence-based transition practices and resources to ensure consistency across the district school boards

inter-ministerial collaboration to share financial supports for students with disabilities

Improving curriculum design for learning skill development. eliminating streaming of students with disabilities improving the IEP process (including enhanced student participation), information

to student and parents, and providing more funding for assessments


( ) Agree


( ) Disagree


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The Ministry of Education shall:

1. Ensure the sharing of effective practices about effective transitions for students with disabilities by developing a repository and mechanism for sharing with school boards, students and their families.

2. Make available to school boards transition resources, guidelines and other materials that facilitate targeted instruction on self-advocacy, disclosure, and transition planning.

3. Make available to school boards, resources that support instruction for teaching the learning skills outlined in the report card, as these skills are directly linked to student achievement, and help students understand how they learn best and what supports they might require to access their learning.

4. In partnership with school boards, design an integrated transition planning approach with service providers and other partners who deliver services for students with disabilities so that multiple plans with similar and/or distinct goals are merged into one document.

5. Ensure consistency across boards in designing and implementing evidence-based transitional practices and processes with early intervention services across Ontario.

6. Ensure that all evidence-based transition practices and processes include a comprehensive system of services and supports for students with disabilities transitioning into kindergarten.

7. Mandate school boards to design strengths-based curriculum resources, assessment methods, and professional development for educators about assessing the resiliency needs of all students, including students with disabilities that will promote and enhance their mental health and well-being.

8. Mandate that school boards design curriculum resources that focus on the development of learning skills including executive functioning skills (for example, emotional and physical self-regulation, working memory, self-monitoring, organizational planning and prioritizing, and task initiation).

9. End the practice of prematurely streaming students with disabilities as well as students from cultural, linguistic and economically disadvantaged communities, into courses or academic streams, that limit options and pathways to postsecondary education and employment.

10.Collaborate with the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) and other relevant ministries to ensure that schools receive information about community and provincial supports, such as those available through Developmental Services Ontario (DSO) and the Ontario Disability Supports Program (ODSP). Such information shall include details about eligibility criteria and application processes.

11.Require school boards to make the information indicated in Recommendation #10 available to school staff and students with disabilities and their families beginning in Grade 7 through the Individual Education Plan (IEP) process.

District School Boards shall:12. Create a Transition Facilitator/Navigator position with a mandate to:

a. assist students to access special education supports b. educate school staff and secondary students about services, supports and accommodations typically available at postsecondary institutionsc. support students and their families, school staff and community agencies to identify pathways and develop transition plansd. support students to identify and access supports, services and accommodations at their chosen destinations e. consult and liaise with community disability service providers f. establish partnerships with social services agencies and business partners to support employment paths for graduating students with disabilitiesg. provide transition planning resource development and training for all school board and school staff

13. Ensure that co-operative education programs include accommodations and supports for all students as needed, including transportation to and from placements and support staff at placement as needed.

14. Where possible, and to the point of undue hardship, allow siblings of a student with a disability who attends a special education program outside of their home school, to attend that same school if requested by the family. Note: This does not include provincial schools, for example W. Ross MacDonald School.

15. Offer learning strategies courses in secondary school that are responsive and aligned with the IEPs of participating students.

16. Facilitate the participation of all students with disabilities in their IEPs and transition plans through teacher student conferences, beginning in elementary school.

17. Work with teachers to review curriculum and learning expectations (in literacy, social studies, etc.) that highlight the development of self-advocacy/self-awareness/resiliency skills. 18. Deliver professional development for educators about students disclosing their disability and how to help them identify and access available supports in secondary and postsecondary education, the workplace and in social situations.

19. Support instruction development for educators and students about the lived experiences of students with disabilities, the impact of their disability, how it might affect their need to request disability-related services, and how to identify and request specific

and reasonable accommodations.

20. Ensure that students with disabilities receive all necessary accommodations and other supports as outlined in their IEPs and transition plans when accessing summer or night school continuing education courses during their secondary school education.

21. Ensure that principals, guidance counsellors and high school teachers are informed about assessment requirements, including updated assessments (for example, psycho-educational), for postsecondary institutions.

22. Obtain information about the formal professional assessments that secondary school students with disabilities require to support their need for accommodations and supports at postsecondary institutions.

23. Ensure that students and their parents/guardians are given current information about why updated assessments are required prior to or when entering postsecondary education.

24. Ensure that students with an Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC), and their parents/guardians, are informed in Grades 7 through 10 about the importance of updating their assessment during Grade 11 and 12.

25. Ensure that students in Grades 11 and 12 are informed during their individual education plan review/renewal meetings and transition support meetings if/when their formal professional assessment must be updated.

26. Ensure that students with an individual education plan only that includes a transition plan, and their parents/guardians, are informed in Grades 7 through 10 that they will need an identification, placement and review committee if they will be requesting accommodations when they enter postsecondary education. As well as ensuring students and their parents/guardians understand accommodations in K-12 do not automatically translate to the postsecondary environment and an assessment of accommodations needs will be conducted in postsecondary.

27. Ensure that every student with an individual education plan in their transition plans from Grade 9 onwards, and specifically in the year prior to graduation, is informed about the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD) and the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities (CSG-PDSE). Information provided will include the following:

the Ontario Student Assistance Program Bursary for Students with Disabilities and the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities funding may be available for disability-related educational services and equipment.

eligibility requirements for students with permanent and temporary disabilities to be eligible for Ontario Student Assistance Program Bursary for Students with

Disabilities and the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities.

how and where to apply including timelines for application and the importance of applying to Ontario Student Assistance Program early, when the application system first opens in summer.

fees for new or updated assessments completed up to six months prior to postsecondary education enrolment may be eligible for reimbursement through the Bursary for Students with Disabilities (to be assessed by the Office for students with disabilities at the postsecondary school).

the costs of a Learning Disability Assessment may be eligible for Bursary for Students with Disabilities and/or Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities. To be considered, the assessment must have taken place no more than six months before the student’s study start date.

students attending publicly funded postsecondary schools need to apply to the Bursary for Students with Disabilities / Canada Student Grant for Services through the office for students with disabilities.

students should engage with the postsecondary disability services office before the start of the school term.

28. Inform every student with an individual education plan and transition plan from Grade 9 onwards, and specifically in the year prior to graduation, about other funding sources for psycho-educational assessments if they are not Ontario Student Assistance Program-eligible (for example, sliding fee scale support available through the Assessment Resources Centers [RARC, NOARC] and through family health plans).

To continue to the next section, click "Next" button below. If you prefer to move to a specific section, please select one from the list below.Transitions from K-12 to postsecondary education AnswerTransitions for Indigenous students with disabilities AnswerTransitions from secondary school to the workplace and community AnswerAlternative transition programs/pathways AnswerAdditional Feedback AnswerDemographic questions (optional) Answer

Transitions from kindergarten to grade 12 to postsecondary education

Introduction

a) Consistent and integrated transition planningThe recommendations in this section address the following:

establishing a professional learning community for Transition Facilitators/Navigators

co-creating a transition training program for students with disabilities for delivery in K-12 and postsecondary

publishing transition-related barriers and their associated removal timelines in multi-year accessibility plans

delivering assistive technology training for staff and students

b) Collaboration and coordinationThe recommendations in this section address the following:

enhancing funding for transition programming and transition facilitators/navigators

improving access to accessible instructional materials and adaptive technology in a timely fashion (such as, before the start of classes)

c) Documentation and funding barriersThe recommendations in this section address the following:

establishing consistent disability documentation requirements across postsecondary institutions

establishing consistent disability documentation requirements within the K-12 sector aligned with the Ontario Human Rights Code

providing accessible information about interim accommodations while waiting for documentation

increasing bursary funding for assessments and other disability-related needs


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( ) Disagree


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a. Consistent and integrated transition planning

The Ministry of Education shall:

29. Establish a centralized transitions hub that will serve as a professional learning community of practice for transitions facilitators/navigators (as identified in Recommendation #12). The hub will:

a. serve as a network for transitions facilitators/navigators throughout the provinceb. Facilitate sharing best practices in the field of transitions among public school boards and the postsecondary sectorc. Provide smaller boards partnership opportunities with other boards for partnerships in developing successful transition programs

30. Develop and share accessible information resources regarding supports available for students with disabilities at postsecondary institutions.

31. Direct K-12 boards to identify the barriers to transition at all levels of a student’s academic journey within their multi-year accessibility plans, indicating plans for barrier removal with appropriate timelines.

32. Ensure that assistive technology training is provided to staff and students as they explore the technologies required to access their learning in elementary schools, secondary schools, and as they transition to postsecondary institutions.

The Ministry of Colleges and Universities shall:

33. Enhance existing transition programs for incoming postsecondary students with disabilities, in collaboration with the Offices for Students with Disabilities and stakeholders that include students with disabilities, to ensure the transition programs include, but are not limited to, the following:

• self-advocacy skills• resiliency skills• disclosing their disability (if, when, and how)• how to describe the impact of their disability in daily life and at school• how to discuss one’s own disability and accommodation needs with postsecondary education accessibility personnel• understanding the link between disability documentation, one’s disability and functional limitations with academic accommodation needs• how to research, access and use assistive technologies used in secondary and postsecondary institutions • how to use personal assistive technologies with academic software/hardware requirements

• how to manage accessibility supports (for example, attendant services, sign language interpreters, etc.)• essential learning skills such as effective note taking, organizing schoolwork and study materials, creating academic work plans (daily, weekly, monthly, term), planning assignments, creating study aids, etc.• negotiating accommodations with professors (for example, assignment extensions)• articulating and negotiating accommodation needs with peers in group work

o understanding how to manage synchronous/asynchronous course worko navigating learning management systems

34. Postsecondary institutions shall promote and make the transition programs available on their website in a clear location.

35. The Ministry of Colleges and Universities shall provide government resources to develop and enhance the transition programs and supports.

b. Collaboration and coordination

The Ministry of Colleges and Universities, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, shall:

36. Review and enhance the current funding formula to ensure that each Ontario postsecondary institution enhances programming designed to support the transition needs of students with disabilities (programming as outlined in recommendation thirty-three).

37. Fund a Transition Facilitator/Navigator position for each postsecondary institution who will lead the institution’s response to supporting the transition needs of students with disabilities. Transition facilitators/navigators will:

• develop information and resources for the K-12 sector about services and supports, including accommodation services, available for students with disabilities at postsecondary institutions.• develop and deliver outreach and programming to students with disabilities to facilitate transitions.• coordinate with a range of institutional departments to educate programs on the transition needs of students with disabilities (this would include the admissions and recruitment, student life, residence and other departments operating transition programs).• advise the institution on transition-related barriers and make recommendations for their removal.

38. Establish a centralized Transitions Hub for postsecondary institutions that will

perform the same functions as indicated for the K-12 transitions hub in recommendation twenty-nine. The hub will:

a. serve as a Professional Learning Community of Practice network for Transitions Facilitators/Navigators throughout the province.b. facilitate sharing best practices in the field of transitions among colleges and universities.c. provide smaller schools partnership opportunities with other schools for partnerships in developing successful transition programs.d. consult with students with disabilities on transitioning from/into postsecondary education to develop resources and programs.e. connect with the K-12 Hub to ensure a common understanding of ongoing transition needs of students with disabilities.f. provide professional development opportunities to ensure transition navigators have sufficient training, expertise and education to support the needs of students with disabilities transitioning into postsecondary education.

39. Ensure students are aware of the need to request accessible format material (for example, braille textbooks) in the semester before starting their postsecondary studies.

40. In collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Colleges and Universities, transition navigators shall develop and deliver a plan to coordinate technological assessment needs of student with disabilities, so they have the assistive technologies they require before commencing their postsecondary studies.

c. Documentation and funding barriers The Ministry of Education shall:

41. Use the data indicated in recommendation twenty-one in budgeting processes so that students with disabilities in Grades 11 and 12 receive new or updated formal professional assessments as they plan for transitions to postsecondary institutions.

The Ministry of Colleges and Universities shall:

42. In collaboration with the Offices for Students with disabilities in postsecondary institutions, develop documentation requirements to ensure the smooth transition from K-12 to postsecondary education for students with disabilities. These documentation standard requirements shall be reasonably consistent across the sector.

43. Require postsecondary institutions to publish clearly stated documentation requirements that:

• confirm that the student is a person with a disability• confirm that the student does not have to disclose their medical diagnosis to receive

accommodations• requests sufficient information about the student’s functional limitations to inform accommodation planning

Increase the Ontario Student Assistance Program Bursary for Students with Disabilities funding cap of $2000 to match the current cost of neuro-psychological and psycho-educational assessment for eligible students, and permit reimbursement for other assessments, such as occupational assessments.

44. Ensure that the eligibility criteria for psycho-educational assessment funded through the ARCs are fair and equitable.

45. Increase funding options for students with disabilities who have significant educational related costs but are not Ontario Student Assistance Program eligible, or whose needs exceed the Ontario Student Assistance Program Bursary for Students with Disabilities available funding.

The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Colleges and Universities shall:

46. Address and align funding for assessments and documentation requirements in K-12 to the Ontario Human Rights Code to remove barriers to transition.

47. Ensure that students with disabilities who are leaving high school without sufficient disability documentation are referred to the postsecondary offices for students with disabilities and informed that student’s may be eligible for interim accommodations at postsecondary institutions while they obtain updated documentation.

To continue to the next section, click "Next" button below. If you prefer to move to a specific section, please select one from the list below.Transitions to and within K-12 education AnswerTransitions for Indigenous students with disabilities AnswerTransitions from secondary school to the workplace and community AnswerAlternative transition programs/pathways AnswerAdditional Feedback AnswerDemographic questions (optional) Answer

Transitions for Indigenous students with disabilities

Introduction

Recommendations in this section centre on striking an Accessible Indigenous Education Circle to address the unique transition barriers faced by Indigenous students with

disabilities. The circle would share information and make recommendations specific to the needs of Indigenous students with disabilities, including about language and training to remove systemic barriers.


( ) Agree


( ) Disagree


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In addition to the current actions being taken through Ontario's Indigenous Education Strategy, we recognize the importance of a collaborative and consultative process to ensure indigenous students with disabilities are recognized and considered in the development of recommendations. As a starting point, the following additional recommendations have been provided to primarily address organizational, awareness, and attitudinal barriers faced by Indigenous students with disabilities:

The Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility in collaboration with other ministries shall:

48. Strike an Accessible Indigenous Education Circle to enhance collaboration among the Ministries, First Nations Boards and communities, and provincially funded school boards with a focus on the unique and specific barriers faced by Indigenous students with disabilities. The circle shall establish a process to collaborate on and monitor the trends and needs of Indigenous students with disabilities, take a systemic examination into the accessibility needs of Indigenous students with disabilities during the numerous transitions they make throughout their educational careers, share and develop responsive transition planning, protocols and processes to support student success and well-being and meet the needs and identities of Indigenous students with disabilities, share resources between boards and First Nations communities.

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/indigenous/

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/indigenous/

49. The circle will be made up of a constituency group with members of who have knowledge, experience and understanding of disability, ableism, education and Indigenous peoples, their values, histories, current issues and cultures. The group should include First Nations Boards and communities, Indigenous educators and disability service providers.

50. Ensure information and resources developed through the Accessible Indigenous Education Circle are transmitted to the Special Education Advisory Committees to ensure knowledge sharing.

51. Ensure that education service agreements and memoranda of agreements between First Nations Boards and communities and the Ministry of Education should include language related to the transition with Indigenous students with disabilities to support student success and well-being.

52. Identify strategies to facilitate student information transferring between First Nations and provincially funded systems that does not cause undue delay in supports to Indigenous students with disabilities such as in the cases where a first nation’s student does not have an Ontario Education Number.

53. Ensure that the transition between Indigenous and the provincially funded schools should start early to address systemic barriers moving between systems and prepare the students spiritually and mentally.

54. Provide Education Transition Facilitators/Navigators for Indigenous students with disabilities to facilitate connections with students when transferring between First Nation’s schools and provincial schools. The transition facilitators/navigators will meet with students, parents, teachers, resource and key staff from both systems to provide advocacy, develop trust between parties where needed, and address fear of moving between systems.

55. Develop an outreach strategy to promote engagement and pathways to higher education for Indigenous students with disabilities.

56. Ensure students, families, transition facilitators/navigators and teachers are aware of, and supported to access band funding, scholarships, OSAP and other funding available to Indigenous students with disabilities.

57. Train teachers when writing IEPs to consider not only the student’s disability and learning needs, but also gaps in cultural awareness and responsiveness within instruction, assessment practices and the learning environment that impact on student learning.

58. Provide coordinated professional development for teachers on Indigenous peoples to understand the complexities with transitions between the Indigenous and provincial

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/brochure/oen/index.html

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/elemsec/speced/seac/

systems for Indigenous students, including how to address and support the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of students.

59. Increase opportunities for Ontario teacher education programs and education partners to work cooperatively on enhancing Indigenous teacher education and teacher education programs that meet the needs of Indigenous learners with disabilities.

60. Increase awareness, and celebrate, Indigenous communities within schools to create a safe, welcome, accessible and inclusive environment and address racial tensions which exist, especially in specific regions of the province.

61. Promote and develop mental wellness tools for students transitioning which considers the Indigenous Wellness Framework.

62. Encourage and promote research and scholarship in the area of Indigenous students with disabilities and transition to higher education.

To continue to the next section, click "Next" button below. If you prefer to move to a specific section, please select one from the list below.Transitions to and within K-12 education AnswerTransitions from K-12 to postsecondary education AnswerTransitions from secondary school to the workplace and community AnswerAlternative transition programs/pathways AnswerAdditional Feedback AnswerDemographic questions (optional) Answer

Transitions from secondary school to the workplace and community

Introduction


expanding experiential learning opportunities for high school students establishing repositories for sharing of transition planning resources making information about alternative credential programs available and

accessible


( ) Agree


( ) Disagree

http://chiefs-of-ontario.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/COO_FNMWC_Indigenous-Wellness-Framework.pdf


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Click the "More" link below to view the full text of the transitions from secondary school to the workplace and community recommendations

The Ministry of Education shall collaborate to:

63. Ensure that administrators, teachers and other educational staff are sufficiently trained to effectively support transitions for students with disabilities throughout their school career, from school entry to post-secondary education, employment and community participation.

64. Expand current experiential learning opportunities and offer new ones for students with disabilities who transition directly to employment from secondary school to develop essential employment skills. Examples of current programs include the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM), Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), Community Involvement and cooperative education programs.

The Ministry of Education, Ministry of Colleges and Universities and Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development shall:

65. Establish a repository for sharing transition planning resources with educators to support the transition of students with disabilities to post-secondary institutions and the workplace.

66. Make information available through school boards about alternative credential program (for example, micro credentials) so that students with disabilities know of all available options during their transition planning.

67. Share existing employment practices and lessons learned between the K-12 and post-secondary institutions, provincial and federal employment providers for persons with disabilities, and the broader business associations to identify and address barriers to employment for students with disabilities.

68. Require that K-12 school boards publicly commit to ensuring that all experiential

learning opportunities are equitable, inclusive and accessible for students with disabilities.

69. Require K-12 schools to ensure employment standards set out by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the Ontario Human Rights Code are followed for all students participating in experiential learning opportunities.

To continue to the next section, click "Next" button below. If you prefer to move to a specific section, please select one from the list below.Transitions to and within K-12 education AnswerTransitions from K-12 to postsecondary education AnswerTransitions for Indigenous students with disabilities AnswerAlternative transition programs/pathways AnswerAdditional Feedback AnswerDemographic questions (optional) Answer

Alternative transition programs/pathways

Introduction


developing, promoting and funding alternative academic and non-academic programs and pathways in postsecondary institutions

developing, through ministry collaboration, new industry-recognized certification programs to offer more options for gaining employability skills and portfolios


( ) Agree


( ) Disagree


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Click the "More" link below to view the full text of the alternative transition programs/pathways recommendations

The Ministry of Colleges and Universities and Ministry of Education shall:

Develop and promote alternative programs and pathways by:

70. Publishing information about accessible academic and non-academic programs currently available at universities and colleges in Ontario, Canada and worldwide.

71. Ensure transition navigators, guidance counsellors, and educators are aware of the alternative programs/pathways and inform students and families of these options. 72. Funding the development and expansion of academic and non-academic programs through Ontario universities and colleges.

73. Requiring postsecondary institutions to publish accessible and transparent information about alternate pathway programs such as Community Integration through Co-operative Education (CICE) and special admission programs for students with disabilities.

74. Requiring colleges that offer the CICE program to establish consistent admission requirements.

75. Collaborate with the Ministry of Education, and in consultation with industry experts and the disability community, to jointly offer new industry-recognized certification programs, like the current Ontario Skills Passport and food handling certificate.

To continue to the next section, click "Next" button below. If you prefer to move to a specific section, please select one from the list below.Transitions to and within K-12 education AnswerTransitions from K-12 to postsecondary education AnswerTransitions for Indigenous students with disabilities AnswerTransitions from secondary school to the workplace and community AnswerAdditional Feedback AnswerDemographic questions (optional) Answer

Additional feedback

31) If there is any other feedback you would like to share with the Postsecondary Education Standards Development Committee, please let us know, using the comment box below:

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

____________________________________________


Answer


Answer

Demographic questions (optional) Answer

Demographic questions (optional)

Completing this section is optional. We respect your privacy and will only use this information to better understand your responses. Any information you share here will only be reported in aggregate, meaning responses will be pooled together and will not be linked to your individual responses or information.

The Government of Ontario is committed to helping to create an inclusive and equitable society for all Ontarians. By identifying and monitoring systemic racial and other disparities, public sector organizations will be better able to close gaps, eliminate barriers, and advance the fair treatment of everyone.

This section is intended to help the Standards Development Committee better understand differences in feedback to their recommendations, and to help them consider potential disparities in the impacts of accessibility barriers on different communities and groups in Ontario.

Identifying information will remain confidential as per the Government of Ontario's Privacy Policy. Responses will remain anonymous. We are committed to protecting your privacy whether you are browsing for information or conducting business with the

https://www.ontario.ca/page/privacy-statement

government through electronic channels. The handling of all personal information by Government of Ontario organizations is governed by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. For more information, please see the end of the survey.

You may choose to submit the survey without completing this section.

32) Individual Or Organization

Are you submitting feedback on behalf or yourself or an organization?

[ ] Myself

[ ] On behalf of an individual

[ ] On behalf of an organization

[ ] I prefer not to answer

33) Type of Organization (if Organization)

Completing this section is optional. We respect your privacy and will only use this information to better understand your responses.

If submitting feedback on behalf of an organization, what type of organization are you?

[ ] An organization that represents people with disabilities or a disability interest group

[ ] An education sector organization

[ ] A municipality in Ontario

[ ] A private sector organization with no employees in Ontario

[ ] A private sector organization with 1-20 employees in Ontario

[ ] A private sector organization with 21-49 employees in Ontario

[ ] A private sector organization with 50 or more employees in Ontario

[ ] Government of Ontario ministry, board, agency, commission or authority

[ ] A not-for-profit organization with no employees in Ontario

[ ] A not-for-profit organization with 1-20 employees in Ontario

[ ] A not-for-profit organization with 21-49 employees in Ontario

[ ] A not-for-profit organization with 50 or more employees in Ontario

[ ] Other: _________________________________________________

[ ] If you wish to share the name of your organization, please provide it here: _________________________________________________



34) Self Identifying Individual (if Individual)

Disability includes physical, mental, and learning disabilities, hearing or vision disabilities, substance use dependencies, environmental sensitivities, as well as other conditions that limit activities of daily living. Do you identify as a person with one or more disabilities?

( ) Yes (please specify the nature of your disability or disabilities if you are comfortable doing so): _________________________________________________

( ) No

( ) I prefer not to answer

35) Residency

Where were you born? Specify one response only, according to present boundaries.( ) Born in Canada (please specify Canadian province / territory): _________________________________________________

( ) Born outside Canada (please specify country): _________________________________________________

( ) Do not know


36) Region

Where do you live?

( ) Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area

( ) Southwest

( ) North

( ) Eastern

( ) South

( ) I do not live in Ontario


37) Mother Tongue or Childhood Language (if Individual)

What is your mother tongue (childhood language)?

[ ] English

[ ] French

[ ] Other, please specify: _________________________________________________


38) Preferred Official Language (in Individual)

What is your preferred official language?

( ) English

( ) French


39) Indigenous Identity

Do you identify as First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit? If yes, select all that apply.

[ ] Yes, First Nations

[ ] Yes, Métis

[ ] Yes, Inuk/Inuit

[ ] No


40) Ethnic or Cultural Origins (if Individual)

What is your ethnic or cultural origin(s)? (Specify as many ethnic or cultural origins as appropriate)

( ) Please specify (for example, Anishnaabe, Canadian, Chinese, Colombian, Cree, Dutch, East Indian, English, Filipino, French, German, Guyanese, Haudenosaunee, Inuit, Iranian, Irish, Italian, Jamaican, Jewish, Korean, Lebanese, Mi’kmaq, Métis, Ojibway, Pakistani, Polish, Portuguese, Scottish, Somali, Sri Lankan, Ukrainian): _________________________________________________


41) Race or Racial Background (if Individual)

In our society, people are often described by their race or racial background. For example, some people are considered ‘White’ or ‘Black’ or ‘East/Southeast Asian,’ etc.

Which race category best describes you? (Select all that apply)

[ ] Black (for example, African, Afro-Caribbean, African-Canadian descent)

[ ] East Asian (for example, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Taiwanese descent)

[ ] First Nations, Métis or Inuit

[ ] Latino/Latina/LatinX (for example, Latin American, Hispanic descent)

[ ] White (for example, European descent)

[ ] South Asian (for example, South Asian descent, East Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Indo-Caribbean)

[ ] Southeast Asian (for example, Filipino, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai, Indonesian, other Southeast Asian descent)

[ ] Multi Racial or Biracial

[ ] Another race category (please write in response): _________________________________________________


42) Gender Identity (if Individual)

What is your current lived gender identity? (Select all that apply)[ ] Woman / Girl

[ ] Man / Boy

[ ] Gender Non-binary

[ ] Transgender

[ ] Transgender Woman / Girl

[ ] Transgender Man / Boy

[ ] Two-Spirit

[ ] Another gender identity (please specify): _________________________________________________

[ ] Do not know


If you are done with the survey, please click the "Submit" button below. If you would like to return to one of the sections, select one from the list below.Long-term objective of an accessibility standard for postsecondary education

Answer


Answer

Additional feedback Answer

Thank You!

Thank you for sharing your feedback on the Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards Development Committee’s initial recommendations.

Your privacy matters

The Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility (the “ministry”) is subject to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. F.31. The collection of your personal information is necessary under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 for the proper administration of the ministry’s support of the Postsecondary Education Accessibility Standards Development Committee’s (the “committee”) work, which is consistent with the mandate of the ministry. The optional personal information you chose to provide (for example, email address and demographic data) and your feedback will be collected by the ministry, anonymized and shared with the committee. Your responses will be reviewed by the ministry and the committee to inform the committee's advice to the Minister for Seniors and Accessibility. Survey results may also be used in a summary report at an aggregate level.

If you have any questions about the collection, use or disclosure of your information, please contact:

Alex IbrahimManager of Standards Development [email protected]+1 (416) 212-8048

If you have questions about the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, please contact:

https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90f31

https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90f31

FOI Co-ordinator400 University Avenue2nd FloorToronto, OntarioM7A 2R9(647) 646-5503