Accessibility
British Columbia Act on Accessibility
The purpose of this new legislation is to ensure the province is more accessible, diverse and inclusive, including for persons with disabilities. The BC government released the first regulation under the Act, identifying public sector organizations who must comply with the Act’s accessibility requirements. (Note: The deadline for compliance was September 1, 2023.)
A website dedicated to providing resources for organizations within BC to support the process in creating accessibility plans by the dates outlines in the Accessible British Columbia (ABC) Act.
Accessibility at JIBC
Supporting Students with Diverse Learning Needs
This website and course provides practical information and easy-to-use strategies to help faculty and staff support the diverse learning needs of the students in their classrooms and on the JIBC campuses.
This JIBC webpage has a lot of helpful information for all students about disability resources, accommodations, advocacy resources, and available supports. Instructors should familiarize themselves with this great resource.
The Disability Services office also has an interest in supporting instructors to become more aware of issues around accessibility, mental health and well being, and equity, diversity, inclusion and social justice. The following resources support faculty in their efforts to make their classes more equitable, inclusive and accessible:
Get up to speed on disability and accessibility and how educators can best support students.
EDISJ stands for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice. How can you commit to EDISJ in your class? Read on!
How can you respond to mental health concerns in your class? This is a good start.
Teaching and Learning Support
THE LEARNING HUB: ACCESSIBILITY ISSUE
Our March 2023 Learning Hub focuses on Accessibility and includes a lot of great resources that can give you a good foundation for this topic.
UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING
Learn about how UDL can improve accessibility in your courses.
ACCESSIBILITY AT JIBC AND THE ABC ACT
Sam Matychuk, offers helpful advice about how to adopt a mindset that incorporates accessibility concerns into one’s work. Tune in to Episode 3 of the Podcast.
OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE LEARNING MATERIALS
Helen, Krista, and Lynn talk about different learning experiences that are open, accessible, and inclusive for all.
VIDEOS AND IMAGES
Jen McEachen, a severely vision and hearing impaired student at the JIBC, shares her accessibility tips and tricks.
CREATING AN ACCESSIBLE DOCUMENT
Kavita walks us through a guide to creating an accessible document
Accessibility and Indigenous Students
Nicole Mate is the Program Planner for JIBC’s Office of Indigenization. Contact Nicole if you want to talk further about Accessibility and Indigenous Students.
Further Reading on Accessibility
TEDx video: Purposeful Steps Away from Ableism. Chilliwack Seale, A. (2019)
Alison Seale helps us imagine a world without sexism, racism and ageism, an amazing place where we embrace each other’s gifts and proudly claim all of our identities.
Inspiring Change Podcast: Episode 27: Grace and Grit – A Conversation with Judy Heumann, Temple Grandin, and Haben Girma
The OCALICON Rewind series features a conversation with three leaders, legends, and luminaries. Judy, Temple, and Haben come together for the first time to reflect on their work, contributions, and advocacy efforts over the years, and discuss how different ways of thinking, collaborating, and innovating are necessary to building a more inclusive world for everyone.
Introduction to Accessible Education
From Ontario’s Universities Accessible Campus. Rich resources on Accessibility.
Miller, S (2021). Designing accessible learning content: A practical guide to applying best-practice accessibility standards to L&D resources. Kogan Page Ltd. Available from the JIBC Library.
Dolmage, J. (2017). Academic Ableism : Disability and Higher Education. University of Michigan Press.
Zehnder, C., Alby, C., Kleine, K., & Metzker, J. (2021). Learning That Matters : A Field Guide to Course Design for Transformative Education. Myers Education Press. Available from the JIBC Library.