Framework Guiding Our Work

Accessible British Columbia Act – Principles

Under the Accessible British Columbia Act, public institutions are required to create an Accessibility Committee and to develop an Accessibility Plan. In this work, the principles under which we will be developing our plan are as follows:

Inclusion

Inclusion means making social and physical environments open to all human beings, regardless of age, gender, disability, race, religion, or other personal factors. Accessibility without incorporating inclusion allows a mitigation effort to be made without considering the social implications. For example, retrofitting a ramp to a back entrance would not allow an individual using a mobility device to enter through the main entrance with everyone else. This extends to service and communication provisions that respect and allow people with disabilities the choice of how they communicate and that individuals feel included by seeing themselves represented in society and in promotional images.

 

Adaptability

Adaptability often refers to building design which will accommodate reduced ability without the need to substantially modify the existing structure. This means that the space is readily adjustable and retrofittable. In terms of service, adaptability means that the service provided can be adjusted to meet the needs of someone requiring some additional support or alternate format.

Diversity

Diversity refers to different characteristics in a group of people. This could include ethnicity, gender, gender identity, disability, culture, income, and countless other domains.

 

Collaboration

Collaboration is the action of two or more people working together to produce something. The work to develop this framework was accomplished through the collaboration of the Accessibility, representing students and employees of the College.

 

Self-determination

Self-determination refers to the concept that each person has the ability to make their own choices and manage their own lives. It relates to “Nothing About Us Without Us”, which refers to the principle that PWDs are an active part of the decision-making about participation and equalization of opportunities for PWDs.

 

Universal Design (UD)

UD aims to ensure that the design of products and environments are usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. The seven principles of UD are: equitable use; flexibility in use; simple and intuitive use; perceptible information; tolerance for error; low physical effort; and size and space for approach and use

Other Legislation

Other existing legislation that informs our work to improve accessibility and address systemic barriers include the following:

  • UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
  • Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
  • Accessible Canada Act
  • BC Human Rights Code
  • Accessible BC Act
  • BC Building Code

 

Existing Policies Related to Accessibility at Langara

  • Langara College has a number of policies that support the work of making the College accessible, including:
  • D410 – Respectful Learning and Working Environment
  • D1007 – Respectful Workplace
  • B3008 – Human Rights
  • E1005 – Services for Students with Disabilities

 

Our Approach

At Langara, we take both a collegial and UDL approach to our work. This means we begin with seeking the input of the broadest representation from the College community, including our Accessibility Committee, opportunities for input and feedback from the community at large, and reflecting the information gathered this Plan and the actions we will take to operationalize this plan.