Contributed by the Ontario Human Rights Commission
Recently, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) released its new policy on accessible education for students with disabilities, along with recommendations on how to best meet legal obligations under Ontario’s Human Rights Code.
The policy:
• recognizes that education is vitally important to a person’s social, academic and economic development;
• reflects a broad definition of disability;
• provides students and families with up-to-date information about their human rights and responsibilities;
• offers practical guidance to education providers to meet their legal duty to accommodate;
• reminds schools of their obligation to maintain accessible, inclusive, discrimination and harassment-free spaces.
The recommendations set out actions the government, schools and postsecondary institutions should take to make the education system inclusive, function effectively and allow students with disabilities to thrive.
“All students have the right to an education that allows them to meet their full potential and contribute to society, and yet students with disabilities continue to face obstacles accessing education services in Ontario,” said OHRC Chief Commissioner Renu Mandhane.
“Our policy and recommendations call on key players in the sector to take proactive steps to remove barriers and put an end to discrimination in education, so that all students can gain the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.”
To read the new policy and the recommendations associated with it, log on to:
