Currently, there are no AODA education standards. However, two AODA standards development committees have drafted recommendations of guidelines that AODA education standards should include. One committee has recommended guidelines for the kindergarten to grade twelve (K-12) education system. In contrast, the other committee has recommended guidelines for the university and college education system. In this article, we outline the Postsecondary Committee’s recommendations for a government public education campaign on accessibility.
The committee’s mandate from the Ontario government requires recommendations focused on publicly-funded colleges and universities. However, students and educators with disabilities also face barriers in other education settings, including:
- Privately-funded colleges and universities
- Transitional job training programs
Therefore, all these settings should comply with the forthcoming postsecondary education standards.
Government Public Education Campaign on Accessibility in College and University
In the Third Review of the AODA, former Lieutenant Governor David Onley states that improvements to the AODA will not make Ontario fully accessible. However, Onley argues that changes to our culture can help people understand disability more clearly. As a result of this clearer understanding, Ontarians may be more willing to create a barrier-free province.
Among these cultural changes is the need to raise awareness about the every-day lives of people with disabilities. In response to Onley’s call for change, the government has committed to a Framework for Advancing Accessibility in Ontario. The framework includes government initiatives to raise awareness about accessibility in Ontario.
The Committee recommends similar government commitment to increasing disability awareness and inclusion within colleges and universities. The government should actively promote accessibility in higher education by creating guides that colleges and universities can use to make their campuses and curricula more accessible.
Similarly, the Third Review of the AODA also recommends a government campaign to educate the public about the business case for accessibility. This campaign would help people recognize the economic and social benefits of making workplaces and services accessible. In addition, the Committee recommends that the government create a comparable campaign to teach the public about accessibility in higher education. This campaign could outline the benefits of making programs and services at college and university accessible to students and staff of all abilities. The Committee also recommends guides outlining the campaign’s aims. Furthermore, these guides should align with policies by the Ontario Human Rights Commission, including the Policy on:
- Accessible Education for Students with Disabilities
- Ableism and Discrimination Based on Disability
The government should develop these guides in partnership with people who have disabilities. Moreover, people with disabilities should be integral in the campaign, such as through speaking engagements to educate the public.