We are called to celebrate and nurture the God-given talents of each student as we serve with excellence in the light of Christ.
Consistent with Gospel Values, the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) shall promote the dignity and value of the whole person. As such, the Durham Catholic District School Board is committed to ensuring compliance with the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 (ODA), the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and all associated Regulations.
Accessibility Standard – means an accessibility standard made by regulation under the of AODA Act, 2005.
Barrier – means anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of his or her disability, including a physical barrier, an architectural barrier, an information or communications barrier, an attitudinal barrier, a technological barrier, a policy or a practice; (“obstacle”).
Disability – means:
a) any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,
b) a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
c) a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
d) a mental disorder, or
e) an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997; (“handicap”).
The Director of Education or Designate shall:
Durham Catholic District School Board covers the municipalities of the City of Oshawa, Town of Whitby, Town of Ajax, City of Pickering and the Townships of Scugog, Uxbridge and Brock.
Durham Catholic District School Board embraces the philosophy of inclusion, where all students, regardless of their abilities, are included in the regular classrooms in their neighbourhood school. The schools are Catholic learning communities led by Principals, Vice-Principals, teachers and support staff committed to providing educational experiences that allow students to meet Catholic Graduate Expectations.
The purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001, 2005, (AODA) and related Regulations is to improve opportunities for people with disabilities and to provide for their involvement in the identification, removal and prevention of barriers to their full participation in the life of the province. To this end, the AODA requires each school board to prepare an annual accessibility plan; to consult with people with disabilities in the preparation of this plan; and to make the plan public.
In accordance with our philosophy of inclusion, the Durham Catholic District School Board is committed to the continual improvement of access to school board facilities, policies, programs, practices and services for students, staff, parents/guardians, volunteers and members of the community with disabilities.
Durham Catholic District School Board makes a commitment to:
The committee consists of the following members:
Accessibility Advisory Committee Members |
Department |
Superintendent of Facilities Services |
Facilities Services |
Manager of Custodial & Maintenance Services |
Facilities Services |
Principal |
Elementary or Secondary School |
Resource Teacher for Hearing Services |
Student Services |
Resource Teacher for Vision Services |
Student Services |
Special Education Consultant |
Student Services |
WSIB/Disability Claims Management Officer |
Human Resources |
Human Resource Coordinator |
Human Resources |
Program Support Teacher |
Secondary School |
Manager |
Information, Communications and Technology |
Operations Manager |
Durham Student Transportation Services |
Staff Representative |
Business Services |
Communications Manager |
Communications |
Community Representative |
Community |
Establish a framework that ensures compliance with the AODA legislative Acts and related regulations to further identify the barriers to people with disabilities in all facilities, procedures, policies, programs, practices and services offered by the Board.
The Accessibility Advisory Committee will meet a minimum of three times a year (September, January and May) to review progress. Throughout the year, a review of the effectiveness of the implementation of the barrier-removal and prevention strategies will assist in preparation for the following year of accessibility planning. Recorded minutes of these meetings will be available.
The government enacted the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act in 2005. This Act lays the framework for the development of province-wide mandatory standards on accessibility in all areas of daily life. Its goal is to make Ontario accessible for people with disabilities by 2025. Through the application of province-wide accessibility standards, will improve access to all Ontarians by identifying, breaking down and preventing barriers to accessibility.
Resources
Accessibility standards are the rules that businesses and organizations in Ontario will follow to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility.
The Accessibility Standard for Customer Service applies to all organizations that provide goods or services either directly to the public or to other organizations in Ontario that have one or more employees in Ontario. Accessible customer service is about changes to how we serve customers with disabilities.
Ontario’s next four standards are all part of the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation. The regulation sets out the requirements for each of the standards, as well as general requirements that apply to all, such as:
These standards will remove barriers in four areas:
The regulation applies to public, private, and not-for-profit businesses and organizations that:
The Accessibility Standard for Customer Service applies to all organizations (public, private and non-profit) that provide goods or services either directly to the public or to other organizations in Ontario and that have one or more employees in Ontario.
Policies and procedures have been established to provide services to people with disabilities. Reference: Ontario Regulation 429/07.
Administrative Procedure AP#434-1, AP#434-2, AP#434-3, AP#434-4, AP#434-5, AP#434-6, AP#805-1, AP#434-8, AP#434-9.
Action Plan
The Accessibility Standard for Employment will help organizations support and keep more skilled employees. It will make accessibility a normal part of finding, hiring and communicating with employees who have disabilities.
Required to notify employees and identify through postings the availability of accommodations for applicants with disabilities in the recruitment process.
Action Plan
Required to notify job applicants when qualified candidate is invited to participate in the selection process that accommodation is available upon request in relation to materials or processes to be utilized. The Board must consult with the applicant invited to participate in the selection process who requests an accommodation and must provide for/arrange for the provision of suitable accommodations.
Action Plan
When making offers of employment, Board must notify successful applicant of their policies for accommodating persons with disabilities.
Action Plan
Where a disabled employee requests, the Board is required to consult with the employee to provide or arrange to provide accessible formats and communication supports for information needed to perform their job and information that is generally available to other employees.
Action Plan
The Board is required to provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees with disabilities if individualized information is necessary based on the type of disability and if the Board is aware of the need for accommodation.
The Board must provide the information as soon as practicable after becoming aware of the need for such accommodation. The individualized workplace response information may be shared with the person designated by the Board to assist employees with disabilities if the employee consents (e.g. Principal). This information must be reviewed if the employee moves to a different work location, when their overall accommodations needs in place are reviewed and when the employer reviews its general emergency response plans.
Action Plan
Need to define a written process to develop documented accommodation plans for employees with disabilities which involves employee participation. Subsequently plan the means by which the employee is involved on an individual basis and the process by which an employee can request an evaluation through an outside medical expert at the Board’s expense to assist in the determination regarding the Board’s ability to achieve a suitable accommodation.
Action Plan
The Board needs to ensure its Return to Work processes vis-à-vis Disability Management Policy and Administrative Procedure properly document a Return to Work process for employees absent from work due to disability and who require disability related accommodations in order to return to work.
Action Plan
For these processes and practices the Board must consider the accessibility needs of disabled employees and their individual accommodation needs.
Action Plan
Numbered policy directives are issued to district school boards and school authorities to outline Ministry of Education’s expectation regarding implementation of ministry policies and programs.
Policies and Administrative Procedures
Action Plan
On July 1, 2011 the Transportation Standard came into effect for public transportation providers. The Accessibility Standard for Transportation will make public transportation services more accessible by making it easier for people with disabilities to get to where they need to go.
Action Plan
Reference: Section 75, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, DSTS – Student Transportation
The Accessibility Standard for Information and Communications came into effect on January 1, 2021. This standard will help people with disabilities access sources of information that many of us rely on every day.
For example, it will:
Other requirements will be phased in between January 2012 and 2021.
DCDSB has a process for receiving and responding to feedback that ensures that the processes are accessible to persons with disabilities by providing or arranging for the provision of accessible formats and communications supports, upon request.
Reference: Section 13, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
Accessible websites and web content
Accessibility training for all educators
Reference: Section 16, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
DCDSB receives Special Equipment Amount (SEA) funding to assist with the costs of equipment essential to support students with special education needs where the need for specific equipment is recommended by a qualified professional. This equipment is to provide students with accommodations that are directly required and essential to access the Ontario curriculum and/or a board determined alternative program and/or course and/or to attend school.
The Accessibility Standard for Built Environment will help remove barriers in buildings and outdoor spaces for people with disabilities. The standard will only apply to new construction and extensive renovation.
Action Plan