The Board of Trustees has received the St. Clair Catholic District School Board’s accessibility plan for the 2018-2019 school year.
The plan, which is the Board’s annual blueprint for helping to make St. Clair Catholic more accessible for all persons with disabilities, is a requirement of the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 (ODA) and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).
“This plan outlines the process by which our Board will identify, remove and prevent barriers for persons with disabilities,” says Lisa Demers, Superintendent of Education responsible for Special Education.
“It is the result of on-going consultation with stakeholder groups, including students, staff and persons with disabilities.”
This year, student forums were held at 14 schools across the district.
The plan focuses on five barriers – attitudinal; architectural; technological; information and communication; and policy. Highlights of the plan for 2018- 2019 include:
– Consultation with Facility Services to ensure that all renovations and additions meet building code requirements for persons with disabilities.
– Students with funded assistive technology will continue to be provided with individualized training by the Itinerant Assistive Technology Teachers and Special Equipment Amount (SEA) Technology Trainers.
– A process has been developed to ensure that assistive technology equipment is upgraded as needed, should there be changes in student needs or the equipment becomes inoperable.
– On-going strategic planning to consider evolving technology trends and resource options.
