Executive summary

Under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 (ODA), ministries are required to produce, and make available to the public, annual plans that identify how ministries will identify and remove barriers to accessibility.

Like all ministries, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) complies with the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (ASCS) and the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR). These regulations establish phased-in requirements in the following accessibility standards:

  • customer Service
  • information and communications
  • employment
  • transportation
  • design of public spaces

In 2012, the Ontario Public Service (OPS) released its first multi-year accessibility plan entitled Accessibility in the Ontario Public Service: Leading the Way Forward.

The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities’ 2015 ODA Plan, celebrates the tenth anniversary of the AODA and demonstrates how the measures taken in 2015 and proposed for 2016 support the key outcomes and deliverables of the OPS MYAP as we continue on our path to an accessible Ontario in 2025.

Section one: report on measures taken by the ministry in 2015

Customer service

OPS MYAP key outcome

People with disabilities who are OPS customers receive quality goods and services in a timely manner.

Measures taken by MTCU in 2015

The Ministry continued to build on past achievements providing accessibility accommodations for internal and external meetings, events and public engagement activities. Specific measures included:

  • monitoring public feedback on accessibility issues, including online and in-person, to collect information and data for use in accessibility planning and improvements to customer service
  • developing an “Accessibility Checklist” for event planning and procurement activities
  • restricting all major events to accessible venues to ensure that services are fully accessible for all participants
  • ensuring that presentations, meeting and communications materials and documents are accessible and available in a variety of formats
  • providing American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters at meeting and events
  • developing and maintaining a roster of vetted and approved ASL translators for in-person translations, including la langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) translators
  • providing teleconference and online options to remove barriers to accessing events
  • incorporating a client feedback mechanism post-meeting/event to solicit feedback and promote continuous improvement

The ministry continued its focus on staff training on customer service obligations under accessibility legislation. Specific measures included:

  • providing training on creating accessible documents
  • incorporating mandatory accessibility training into orientation materials for new employees
  • sending regular notices to all staff from the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) reminding them to complete Mandatory Accessibility Training
  • purchasing new technology to provide more options for communicating with persons with disabilities and providing ongoing training for staff to raise awareness of alternate methods of communication supports and devices and how to use them (e.g. teletypewriter (TTY) and Bell Relay Service)

To remove barriers to services, the ministry:

  1. Developed a Youth Equity Lens in consultation with the Ministry of Children and Youth Services (MCYS).
    • launched in August 2015
    • developed as part of Stepping Up: A Strategic Framework to Help Ontario’s Youth Succeed
    • resource to provide ministries with information on “at risk” youth populations, including youth with disabilities and special needs to assist in program and policy development processes
    • applied in the design of the ministry’s Youth Job Connection program
  2. Designed a Supported Employment program for persons with disabilities.
    • part of employment and training services integration
    • program is designed to help clients who face complex barriers to employment as a result of a disability in securing competitive and sustainable employment
    • program provides clients with support to train for, find and keep a job in an integrated work setting and at a competitive wage
    • ministry established an inter-ministerial working group to assist with planning, designing and piloting program
  3. Strengthening Transitions to Postsecondary Education for Students with Disabilities Action plan:
    • announced in 2014
    • funding of over $1.5M over 3 years
    • two demonstration projects to be developed
  4. The ministry continued to provide services and equipment to enable students with disabilities who have financial need to successfully pursue postsecondary education, including:
    • $4.2M in Ontario Bursary for Students with Disabilities funding to over 5,700 students
    • $1.4M in funding under the Ontario Out of Country Bursary for Deaf Students to over 50 students pursuing postsecondary studies in American Sign Language
  5. The ministry continued to provide funding ($54M in 2014-15) which included special purpose grants for various programs to support a range of services for students with disabilities delivered by universities, colleges and third parties. The programs include:
    • Accessibility Fund for Students with Disabilities
    • Interpreter Fund
    • Regional Assessment and Resource Centres
  6. Transferred Support for Apprentices with Disabilities funding to Postsecondary Education Division to better align with the Accessibility Fund for Students with Disabilities.
  7. Under the Child and Youth Mental Health Strategy, the ministry:
    • provided $3.29M to Kids Help Phone to operate the Good2Talk/Allo J’Écoute postsecondary mental health helpline
    • committed ongoing funding to continue through 2017-2018
  8. Under the Mental Health Innovation Fund, the ministry:
    • allocated $3.6M in 2015-2016 for 18 projects
  9. OPS regional staff were surveyed to identify barriers and make recommendations on accessible services for customers, specific measures included:
    • creating an open door policy to encourage staff and the public to make requests and suggestions on accessible services
    • surveying Employment Training Consultants on accessible services in Employment Ontario programs
    • established internal Support Teams to engage staff and managers in accessibility discussions and in canvassing local offices to identify service gaps and accessibility barriers
  10. Expanded Employment and Training Consultant monitoring to include on-site visits and performance reviews to ensure that service providers and premises are accessible.

Information and communications

MYAP key outcome

Information and Communications are available in accessible formats or with necessary supports to all OPS staff and customers.

Measures taken by MTCU in 2015

The ministry continued to work toward making all information and communications materials accessible to all Ontarians and to promote awareness of and compliance with ODA and AODA accessible information and communications requirements. Specific measures included:

  • staff were required to complete the OPS mandatory training “IASR – Information and Communications Standards” course
  • specific training focused on building staff awareness and capacity to embed “Accessibility@Source” by regular promotion of both online resources and training from the I&IT Accessibility Centre of Excellence as well as in-person training on how to make documents accessible and write in plain language
  • the ministry also promoted corporately-developed tip sheets and guides, as well as in- person training delivered by Treasury Board Secretariat on how to create accessible documents
  • communications staff responsible for web content and webmasters received training on how to create accessible websites
  • developed 2 articles for TCU Connect, the online newspaper, which outlined the requirements for accessible websites under the AODA and provided tips and resources on how to create accessible documents
  • screen readers, such as Jaws, were installed on a number of ministry computers to support accessibility compliance verification
  • organized presentations for all ministry directors regarding the existing and upcoming 2016 accessible website requirements, including bringing together key partners in the Corporate Coordination Branch, Legal Services, Communications Branch and the Community Services I&IT Cluster (CSC)
  • established an AODA-Compliance Task force (AODA-CTF) which serves as a collaborative forum for CSC staff and the Accessibility Centre of Excellence team in remediating non-compliant code and applications, tracking remediation status and reporting on progress
  • ongoing communications from the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) via regular memos to management regarding the existing and upcoming 2016 accessible website requirements
  • promoted staff attendance at “Accessibility Meet-Ups” which focused on ways in which I&IT can promote enhanced online accessibility
  • participated in a cross-ministry accessibility community of practice to develop a 101 guide on creating accessible documents to build staff capacity and demonstrate key concepts behind creating accessible documents
  • liaised with enterprise-wide partners including, the Accessibility Centre of Excellence, Web Coordinators Committee and the Digital Accessibility Advisory Group, to clarify the interpretation of legislative requirements and enterprise-wide requirements
  • provided management and staff with the information necessary to make informed decisions related to website remediation and compliance
  • created a new Website Compliance Tracker and Instruction Guide to assist staff in reporting on the status of website remediation efforts and plans for future remediation work
  • developed a web chat option on the Employment Ontario web site
  • created plain language forms for use by the public (phase 1 – apprenticeship forms will be accessible and posted in 2016)
  • updated accessible format standards and templates based on best practices and posting them on the intranet (e.g. business card templates requiring braille and TTY listings)
  • providing ongoing supports for the Literacy and Basic Skills Deaf Stream in regional offices across Ontario

In compliance with the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR) and Web Content Accessibility Guideline Standards (WCAG 2.0 Level AA), the ministry conducted a review and inventory of all internal and external websites. Specific measures included:

  • testing websites and web content, including applications, for accessibility
  • removing outdated content
  • remediating non-accessible content
  • converting PDF documents to HTML pages
  • ensuring that only accessible material and documents are posted online going forward
  • ensuring webinars include closed captioning
  • ensuring that documents are made available in alternative formats upon request
  • specific projects included:
    • eCampus Ontario
    • OntarioLearn Portal – development of accessible site map, web content and a new design concept that supports mobile viewing, accessibility requirements and bilingual content
    • Employment Ontario Self Service
    • Canada-Ontario Job Grant (online application)
    • Apprenticeship (online application)
    • OSAP website – development of accessible 2015-2016 and non-academic year specific OSAP forms and applications as well as tools, such as School Search forms and OSAP Aid Estimator

The ministry remediated over 1,172 documents and ensured that documents on the main Ministry website were accessible. Examples include the following documents:

  • Second Career Guidelines
  • Moving Forward: Increasing the capacity of the Ontario education system to deliver French-language education in central and southwestern Ontario (English and French versions)
  • MTCU Discussion Paper - Proposed Approach for Designation of Institutions in Response to Federal changes to the International Student Program (ISP)

The ministry incorporated accessibility requirements into video and digital production to ensure access to digital resources for Ontarians with learning disabilities and the hearing and visually impaired. Specific measures included:

  • using closed captioning in all video productions
  • including descriptive captioning for pictures in videos
  • ensuring transcripts are available upon request
  • including American Sign Language (ASL) video translations of web content for the hearing impaired

The ministry continued to work with the Ministry of Education to promote the use of the Alternate Education Resources for Ontario (AERO) online service, which provides high-quality alternate format textbooks (e.g. Braille) to colleges and universities. Specific measures included:

  • providing funding of over $1.1M to ensure ongoing transcription services through AERO
  • working with the Canadian Publisher Council to increase the number of American-based publishers who provide text books and educational material to students at Ontario colleges and universities
  • developing promotional materials and brochures for Canadian publishers to promote participation in AERO

Employment

MYAP key outcome

OPS employees with disabilities participate fully and meaningfully in their employment.

Measures taken by MTCU in 2015

The ministry worked to remove barriers to employment for staff in the ministry by promoting staff training and promoting awareness of employment obligations under accessibility legislation, including:

  • promoting enterprise-wide communication about the Ontario Public Service compliance requirements under the Employment Standard, including the mandatory e-course on the Employment Standard “IASR - Employment Standards”, sharing with managers and staff through memos from senior management, and by posting information on the ministry intranet
  • expanding training to include specific training for managers and staff in Human Resources (HR) on accessibility issues and employer obligations, such as training on accommodations procedures in the new HROntario’s comprehensive Disability Support Strategy
  • notifying employees of the availability of employment accommodation in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
  • all HROntario developed tools, resources and guidelines related to employment obligations under the accessibility legislation were promoted within the ministry through memos from the Chief Administrative Officer
  • incorporating mandatory accessibility training into orientation materials for new employees

Additional measures taken by the ministry included:

  • providing facilities and services to staff with service animals or other assistive devices
  • improving practices on employment accommodations and return to work by:
    • reviewing the 2014 OPS Employee Survey results to identify issues and develop best practices on accessibility based on OPS-wide policies and procedures
    • implementing recommendations from the 2013 disability management review
    • providing managers with clear and concise checklists that promote actions articulated in the Disability Accommodation Policy

The ministry continued to promote mental health issues, including:

  • providing mental health information and training, and promoting awareness of the new corporate resources available on the OPS Human Resources intranet
  • delivering “Let’s Talk” staff workshops to 16 groups and manager workshops to six groups across the province
  • participating in and promoting the OPS Wellness webcast on Mental Health and Addictions
  • sending an all staff memo from the CAO promoting World Mental Health Day and promoting that the Employee Assistance Program is available to all staff in the OPS

During the 5th year of the Diversity Mentoring Partnership Program, 31 ministry staff participated. The program is designed to provide an inclusive environment for reciprocal learning in which mentors and employee partners engage in honest, open and meaningful dialogue about diversity, accessibility and inclusion.

The ministry representative on the Disability Advisory Council (DAC), which discusses internal obstacles and challenges faced by staff, continued to participate in the work of the council and champion the interests of staff with disabilities.

Built environment

MYAP key outcome

There is greater accessibility into, out of and around OPS facilities and public spaces.

Measures taken by MTCU in 2015

The ministry provided mandatory training and information about the new requirements for the built environment standard that came into effect on January 1, 2015, for key staff such as facilities managers. Specific measures included:

  • providing specialized training for key ministry staff (e.g. facilities managers) to promote understanding and awareness of staff obligations under the new standard
  • training key staff in all branches to provide an overview of accessibility in the built environment standard
  • participating in training provided by the Diversity Office
  • posting information to the ministry intranet about accessibility in the built environment, including best practices regarding physical structural changes in the workplace, and updates to the OPS Guidelines for Barrier Free Design of OPS Facilities

The ministry continued implementation of Phase 2 of an accommodation plan that will reduce the workplace footprint while providing flexible and accessible design features to address staff-identified work station accommodation needs. Specific measures included:

  • renovating ministry offices on the 8th, 15th and 16th floors of Mowat Block at 900 Bay Street, and 777 Bay Street in Toronto to provide accessible and barrier-free workplaces, including offices, cubicles, boardrooms, washrooms and public spaces
  • installing way-finding signage for branches and meeting rooms at for CSC’s office space at 777 Bay St in Toronto. Signage features larger font size and is strategically positioned to support enhanced readability
  • new proximity card readers were also installed at all entry points within CSC’s office space at 777 Bay Street, which will enable easier logistical access to the floor for staff with visual and/or physical disabilities
  • accessibility standards were included in accommodation planning to reduce the office footprint in new Toronto and Halton region local offices
  • public spaces were reviewed across the province to ensure compliance with IASR standards. Identified deficiencies have been addressed in St. Catharines, Kitchener, Owen Sound and Brantford offices

General outcomes

MYAP key outcome

OPS staff are able to identify barriers to accessibility, in OPS policies, programs, services and facilities, and actively seek solutions to prevent or remove them on a continuing basis throughout the organization.

Measures taken by MTCU in 2015

As part of the ministry’s initiatives to promote compliance with ODA and AODA requirements, the ministry:

  • provided the Deputy Minister with accessibility performance measures to include in his annual performance plan
  • sent regular memos from the CAO to management and staff reminding them to complete mandatory accessibility training modules through the Centre for Leadership and Learning (CFLL) and LearnOn
  • continued to support staff and managers by providing information and resources (e.g. Accessibility@Source materials) regarding:
    • Accessible Customer Service Policies
    • accessibility considerations in procurement practices
    • training options for creating accessible documents
    • OPS policies for accessible employment (OPS Employment Accommodation and Return to Work Operating Policy)
  • provided direction and support to Divisional Accessibility Leads in completing the Annual Accessibility (ODA) Plan, including:
    • providing background briefings and information about obligations under the ODA and AODA
    • providing advice, communications materials and links to resources and tools to assist Divisional Leads to supporting staff on a range of accessibility obligations
    • created a SharePoint site to store and share ministry Accessibility Plans and resources to assist Divisional Leads in reporting annual accessibility updates and divisional accomplishments
  • promoted accessibility related events on the ministry’s Intranet, including the Annual Joint Conference and Accessibility Expo at the Toronto 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games
  • worked with the Diversity Office and the OPS Accessibility Leads Forum to develop more centralized and collaborative processes to improve OPS-wide compliance efforts and to better support ministry staff and management in complying with accessibility obligations
Procurement
  • incorporated accessibility criteria into all procurement documents posted on the ministry’s Ontario Tenders Portal (public procurement website)
  • reviewed and revised procurement contracts to ensure that AODA requirements are captured
  • implemented a mandatory accessibility checklist for all I&IT procurement activities to be completed by the project manager and senior manager and kept on file for ongoing audit purposes
Corporate accessibility working groups

Working groups and Teams were developed to keep staff aware and informed of accessibility issues, including:

  • regulatory requirements for AODA compliance
  • identifying service gaps and accessibility barriers
  • assessing potential barriers for staff and clients with disabilities and developing mitigation strategies
  • Diversity and Inclusion Working Group hosts a “Speakers Series” on creating an “Accessible and Inclusive Ministry”
Funding
  • Through the Ontario Human Capital Research and Innovation Fund, the Ministry funded a number of research projects examining the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in the post-secondary education system and labour market to:
    • promote staff awareness of the barriers persons with disabilities face
    • identify the needs of persons with disabilities
    • identify the actions that can be used to enhance the inclusion of persons with disabilities in post-secondary education and the labour market

Section two: report on measures proposed by the ministry for 2016

In 2016, the ministry will focus on three priority goals, each with specific measures, which support the OPS multi-year accessibility plan deliverables and the individual accessibility standards.

  1. Capacity development: Ensure staff and managers have the knowledge and tools needed to incorporate accessibility requirements and accommodations into their work. Specific measures include:
    • developing a Learning Ministries accessibility community of practice to promote increased staff and management awareness of Accessibility Legislation requirements and sharing of best practices
    • re-developing the ministry’s intranet content to include an expanded, easy-to-use accessibility section. Focus will be on practical information including:
      • plain language guide to all standards (including plain text and visual explanations)
      • staff and manager obligations and to-do lists under each standard
      • links to resources on accessibility issues including training materials, guides and resources for creating accessible documents
      • key contact information, including ministry and key enterprise contacts with responsibility for accessibility issues in Procurement, Human Resources, Legal Branch, Facilities, etc
    • calendar of events regarding accessibility such as conferences and meet-ups
    • revising Strategic Human Resources Branch orientation materials for new employees to ensure that recent AODA requirements are incorporated
    • continuing to explore online methods and options for delivering regional training
    • encouraging all managers and staff to complete Inclusion Lens training by December 2016 so they can understand how to apply an accessibility lens to all aspects of their work, including policy development and program delivery
    • continuing to provide managers and staff with opportunities to expand their knowledge of accessibility issues and solutions by participating in or attending the annual JOIN conference and other accessibility related events
  2. Accountability: Strengthen accountability for meeting ministry accessibility requirements and compliance assurance. Specific measures include:
    • developing and implementing a ministry-wide tracking report for all AODA requirements and accomplishments, such as staff training, performance plan commitments and attendance at the annual JOIN conference
    • implementing a ministry-wide consolidated accessibility planning and compliance reporting system which includes simplified reporting templates and facilitates quarterly updates to senior management teams on status
  3. Relationship building & partnerships: Develop partnerships with staff and clients with disabilities by establishing regular opportunities to solicit their input and feedback on ministry accessibility issues, progress and ideas for improvement. Specific measures include:
    • outreach to both staff and clients with disabilities to be communicated as a priority by senior management
    • consulting with the OPS Disability Advisory Council (DAC) on how best to implement feedback mechanisms, for clients and staff, such as focus groups and confidential surveys
    • tracking the results of the feedback for continuous improvement purposes

Customer service

MYAP key outcome

People with disabilities who are OPS customers receive quality goods and services in a timely manner.

Measures Proposed by MTCU for 2016

The ministry will continue to demonstrate leadership in accessible customer service by:

  • ensuring that the ministry is in compliance with all requirements under the customer service standard
  • exploring new ways of supporting the participation of staff and clients with disabilities in all ministry programs and events
  • ensuring that all events and meetings hosted by the ministry are accessible, including:
    • using accessible venues
    • using American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters
    • providing closed captioning for videos
    • ensuring that transcripts are available upon request
    • ensuring that accessibility services are available upon request including wheel chair access, ASL interpreters, and costs for a personal support worker if required

Mandatory staff training on customer service obligations under accessibility legislation will continue to be a priority for the ministry, including:

  • tracking and reporting on staff training
  • providing more opportunities for staff training on accessibility obligations, and assistive devices and technology

Information and communications

MYAP key outcome

Information and Communications are available in accessible formats or with necessary supports to all OPS staff and customers.

Measures proposed by MTCU for 2016

The ministry will continue to ensure that all communications materials, documents, websites and technology solutions employ accessibility best practices, including:

  • redeveloping the ministry’s intranet content to make the Accessibility section more robust and user-friendly, by:
    • linking to the I&IT Accessibility Centre of Excellence training videos and guides
    • providing plain language versions of the accessibility legislation and staff obligations under each standard
    • developing “To Do” lists for staff and managers under each standard
    • posting training and tools for staff on creating accessible documents
  • ensuring that all material posted online is accessible and meets the Web Content Accessibility Guideline Standards (WCAG 2.0 Level AA)
  • promoting a “Creating Accessible Documents” guide developed in partnership with other ministries and the ministry communications branch as the new ministry-wide standard
  • developing a ministry wide-training strategy, to ensure all staff knows how to create accessible documents
  • remediating online pre-2012 documents, according to the OPS Guide to IASR criteria
  • ensuring that all new video productions and digital resources are closed captioned and contain descriptive captioning for pictures in videos or presentations
  • including American Sign Language (ASL) video translations of web content for the hearing impaired

Employment

MYAP key outcome

OPS employees with disabilities participate fully and meaningfully in their employment.

Measures proposed by MTCU for 2016

The ministry is committed to providing barrier-free access to all ministry employees by:

  • ensuring that employees are aware of their rights under accessibility legislation
  • ensuring that employee accommodations address the accessibility needs of staff
  • ensuring that all new employees and their managers are provided with information about their accessibility responsibilities as part of the new employee orientation training and materials
  • encouraging all staff and managers to incorporate at least one accessibility commitment in their 2016-17 performance plan
  • supporting the OPS Disability Advisory Council (DAC) activities, including promoting staff participation in and attendance at learning events
  • working with the ministry DAC representative to secure feedback from employees with disabilities at least once a year on priority issues
  • supporting 25 ministry staff enrolled in the 6th year of the Diversity Mentoring Partnership Program
  • providing a series of educational sessions on mental health awareness over the course of the year and encouraging staff to take the OPS Mental Health in the Workplace Training

Built environment

MYAP key outcome

There is greater accessibility into, out of and around OPS facilities and public spaces.

Measures proposed by MTCU for 2016

The ministry is committed to making the built environment accessible and barrier-free.

General outcomes

MYAP key outcome

OPS staff are able to identify barriers to accessibility in OPS policies, programs, services and facilities, and actively seek solutions to prevent or remove them on a continuing basis throughout the organization.

Measures proposed by MTCU for 2016:

Measures include:

  • encouraging staff to complete the OPS Inclusion Lens training
  • continuing to promote Alternate Education Resources for Ontario (AERO) online service in order to attract additional American and Canadian publishers to provide high-quality accessible format textbooks to colleges and universities
  • providing $3.03M in funding to 16 projects under the Mental Health Innovation Fund 2016-17
  • increasing the annual contribution to Kids Help Phone to operate the Good2Talk/ Allo J’Écoute postsecondary mental health helpline to $3.54M in 2016-17 and $3.59M in 2017-18
  • providing services and equipment to enable students with disabilities with financial need to continue to attend postsecondary studies by funding:
    • $4.5M for the Ontario Bursary for Students with Disabilities
    • $1.8M for the Ontario Out of Country Bursary for Deaf Students

Section three: addressing the identification of barriers in legislation

Introduction

Prior to its repeal, the ODA established that a ministry’s accessibility plan shall include the measures in place to address the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to persons with disabilities in the Acts, regulations, policies, programs and services administered by the ministry.

In 2005, the government introduced the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, with the goal of making Ontario accessible by 2025. In support of this goal, the government subsequently committed to review Ontario legislation to identify and address accessibility barriers, and undertook a coordinated review of 51 statutes considered to have a high impact on persons with disabilities. This review has now been completed.

Our ministry remains committed to the goal of ensuring that Ontario legislation does not create barriers to persons with disabilities. We will continue to report through our accessibility plan, the actions taken to identify and remove barriers in ministry Acts, regulations, policies, programs and services and those to be reviewed in the coming year. The findings of the coordinated review of high impact statutes will inform our ministry’s approach to carry out this work.

Measures currently in place

The following measures are in place to assess our ministry’s proposals for new Acts, regulations, policies and programs and services to determine their effect on persons with disabilities:

The Legal Services Branch will continue to provide advice for the purpose of identifying and avoiding potential barriers to persons with disabilities in proposed statutes and regulations, and when amendments are proposed to existing legislation.

Actions taken in the past year

In 2014, the government completed a review of 51 statutes considered to have a high impact on persons with disabilities. These statutes were selected based on the following criteria:

  • statutes that affect persons with disabilities directly
  • statutes that provide for the delivery of widely applicable services or programs
  • statutes that provide benefits or protections; or
  • statutes that affect a democratic or civic right or duty

None of the 51 high impact statutes were the responsibility of the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.

However, the Ministry did initiate reviews of various policies, guidelines and forms to eliminate potential barriers for persons with disabilities. Changes to the 2016-2017 Guidelines for Accessibility Fund for Students with Disabilities (AFSD) are planned in this regard. As well, changes were made pertaining to the scheduling and invigilating of trade certification examinations in order to assist with accommodating persons with disabilities, and relevant ministry staff received training on providing these accommodations.

Upcoming plans for review

In the coming year, the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities will continue to review proposed statutes and regulations, and proposed amendments to existing legislation, for the purpose of identifying and eliminating potential barriers for persons with disabilities.