Accessibility Plan
Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s (KPU’s) first-ever Accessibility Plan seeks to address identified barriers and challenges to disability justice and inclusion through a series of recommendations to enhance accessibility, equity, and inclusion for our campus community.
The plan is informed by the direct experience of students and employees with disabilities who serve on KPU’s Accessibility Committee in addition to a synthesis of data from various sources, including recent surveys of students and employees. This plan identifies barriers across several categories and provides recommendations aligned with KPU's Vision 2026 themes. This plan identifies barriers across several categories and provides recommendations aligned with KPU's Vision 2026 themes.
The report identifies barriers to inclusion and accessibility for individuals with disabilities at KPU across seven categories:
- Behaviours, Assumptions, Attitudes, and Perception;
- Teaching and Learning;
- Organizational Barriers;
- KPU Community and Safety;
- Financial Barriers;
- Physical and Architectural Barriers;
- Information and Communication.
The data analyzed in developing this plan and supported by insights into the lived experiences of members of KPU’s Accessibility Committee, describe how barriers in each of these categories negatively impact students and employees with disabilities by hindering their educational experiences, professional growth, and overall well-being.
The recommendations in this plan aim to mitigate identified barriers and promote a more accessible and inclusive environment at KPU. Recommended actions align with KPU's Vision 2026 and its values, emphasizing equity and diverse perspectives. Recommendations are categorized under three key themes from KPU's Vision 2026: Student and Employee Experience; Creativity – innovation, teaching excellence, scholarship and research; and Justice.
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Accessibility Plan 2023 – PDF Version Accessibility Plan 2023 – Word Version
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Plan Highlights
Experience
The plan suggests enhancing the experiences of students and employees. Recommendations include cultural safety training, improved accessibility of course materials, flexible course offerings, and better navigation of admissions processes for students with disabilities. Employee-related recommendations involve revising accommodation policies and procedures, enhancing HR training, and improving workplace support for employees with disabilities.
Creativity
To promote teaching excellence and innovation, the plan proposes training on accessible curriculum design, ensuring accessible course materials, investing in technology for hybrid learning, and providing tools for faculty to support student accommodations. The plan also emphasizes the importance of disability-centered research, promoting the hiring of students with disabilities as research assistants, and ensuring funding opportunities for disability-focused research
Justice
The plan aims to build a more just society through recommendations that support equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. Proposed actions include creating a specialized position for disability justice, collecting data on experiences of individuals with disabilities, offering education and training on disability history, and destigmatizing the term "disability." The plan also emphasizes the need for physical accessibility audits, the promotion of accessible events, and the review of all policies with an accessibility lens.
While KPU's Accessibility Plan provides a comprehensive overview of barriers faced by individuals with disabilities in our university community, this plan also acknowledges many progressive initiatives that are already underway. By addressing barriers identified in this plan we seek to create a more supportive and accessible environment, in line with KPU's goals in Vision 2026. Implementing these recommendations will contribute to a more equitable and inclusive experience for all members of the KPU community, ensuring that individuals with disabilities can fully participate and thrive in all aspects of university life.