About Resources for Administrators

What is the Accessibility Toolkit?

It is an online platform that provides tools, resources and adaptable templates to help universities meet the requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).

Who are the partners?

• Council of Ontario Universities
• University of Toronto
• Government of Ontario

How was it funded?

The Government of Ontario provided direct funding to develop the Accessibility Toolkit through the EnAbling Change Program. The Council of Ontario Universities (COU) and the University of Toronto provided in-kind contributions as partners in its development. COU wishes to express its appreciation and thanks for the provincial government’s funding and for the University of Toronto’s partnership in this project.

What are its goals?

• Support consistent and effective implementation of the AODA Standards at Ontario university campuses
• Build a capacity and readiness for AODA compliance in the university sector
• Strengthen the culture of accessibility across the Ontario university sector

Why was it created?

To minimize duplication of efforts, Ontario universities agreed to work collectively to gather and develop resources. This toolkit also provided an opportunity to build a common platform to share existing resources.

Who oversees the project?

The Project Advisory Group is made up of senior administrators and experts in the field. In addition to providing guidance and strategic oversight, members review materials and approaches to ensure the project’s results fulfill the expectations and needs of COU’s member institutions. Members of the group include:

• Vice-President of the Human Resources & Equity, University of Toronto
• Co-Chairs of the COU Reference Group on Accessibility for People with Disabilities
• President of Nipissing University
• Director of the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario

How were the resources developed/gathered?

It has been a highly collaborative process. AODA Administrators/Co-ordinators from across the province formed five working groups in the areas of:

• information and communications
• employment
• built environment/transportation
• accessible instruction
• foundational resources

Together, they worked with project partners to gather and develop the resources for this toolkit.