Dr. Seanna Takacs is being recognized for her outstanding work in higher education.
A Learning Specialist with Accessibility Services at KPU, Takacs received an award from the Disability Resource Network of B.C. for her outstanding service, leadership and advocacy for disability access in B.C. and with national organizations, ahead of Disability Pride Month celebrated each year in July.
“It was one of the best feelings of my career to receive an award from and amongst my colleagues who know my work. People with whom I’ve dreamed accessibility, worked on subverting ableist practices. People who work relentlessly for the best, and jump with both feet into problem solving together. Receiving this award amongst such dedicated, imaginative, humble professionals was a high honour,” says Takacs.
The award came during the network’s annual conference on May 21, where Takacs was joined by KPU sociology instructor Dr. Fiona Whittington-Walsh, KPU’s Lead Advisor for Disability, Accessibility and Inclusion, in leading a discussion around the new Accessible British Columbia Act and its implications for post-secondary institutions and education.
Takacs works tirelessly in supporting students and faculty at KPU to ensure learning access for students with disabilities and in dismantling ableism.
Everyone benefits from accessibility measures, notes Takacs.
“Working to support accessibility measures for people with disabilities is inevitably a means of justice for us all. Ableist constructs block and dismantle meaningful education and work in innumerable ways. Our universities and colleges are all the better for having the meaningful participation of disabled scholars. The better our work around ableism and accessibility, the stronger our institutions will become.”
Co-chair of the Accessibility and Inclusion Community of Practice for the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services, Takacs is also co-founder of the Canadian Higher Education Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Collective.
Collaboration is key to Takacs’ work, and she is a sought-after speaker on UDL and dismantling ableism. She has provided workshops and consultation with numerous post-secondary institutions, helping identify gaps, challenges and successes around accessibility — and her research and collaborative work continues across B.C., Canada and the United Kingdom.
Takacs is now co-writing a guide for UDL that centres the voices of students with disabilities. Up next? The accessibility lead for KPU Wild Spaces plans to co-write a UDL guide for place-based/land-based pedagogy.