Accessibility progress

• Accessibility Plan website refreshed with a new form for reporting accessibility barriers.
• Launched the classrooms website, which shows details about UVic classrooms with a focus on accessibility. This project was joint effort between University Systems, Facilities Management and University Communications & Marketing (UCAM).
• UVic faculty hosted the inaugural Pathways to Belonging Conference in collaboration with LTI and UVic Libraries. This symposium focused on reimagining academic accommodations, challenging ableism and fostering resilience, and decolonizing accessibility.
• The Vice-President Academic and Provost (VPAC) funded additional TA invigilation support for accommodated exams.

The Centre for Accessible Learning:

• Implemented expanded academic accommodation summaries, which are updated daily for all instructors.
• Collaborated with Facilities Management to improve classroom furniture accommodations, including faster deployment and strengthened assessment workflows.
• Streamlined the accommodated assessment request process by simplifying deadlines and integrating invigilation requests into UVic's event calendar for better instructor tracking.

Co-op & Career Services:

• The Accessibility and Inclusion Co-op and Career Coordinator received the BC Untapped Workplace Inclusion Award in the Diverse & Inclusive Champion – Individual category, recognising outstanding contributions to equity in experiential learning.
• 892 students have self-identified as having a disability, highlighting the importance of accessible and inclusive career support services. In 2020 the number of self-reports was 17.

Equity & Human Rights:

• The Better Data Project public dashboards are now available. They were accessibility user tested.

Facilities Management:

• Updated the interactive campus map as part of ongoing wayfinding projects.
• Began conducting building audits using the Rick Hansen foundation criteria.
• Launched their new website with plain language service information and a new process for requesting support.

Human Resources:

• Launched their new website with updated resource pages, including workplace accommodations, return to work and ergonomics.
• The HR Employee Learning Program added an Accessibility learning theme to the UVic Learning Inventory.

The Society for Students with a Disability (SSD):

• #Access4All committee sent a joint letter to UVic’s Senior administration alongside fellow student, staff and faculty association and unions.
• Gave a workshop on Disability & Neurodiversity Awareness open to all members of the UVic community during UVic's 5 Days of Action. 

University Communications and Marketing (UCAM):

• Developed a robust set of documentation guides for working with the new Template 4 web components, including best practices for accessibility and usability.
• Worked with campus partners to migrate their websites from the old, inaccessible template to Template 4: HR, Facilities, EPHE, CSPT, Emergency Planning, Mechanical Engineering, Nursing, Child and Youth Care, Counselling Psychology, Sexualized Violence Resource Office, Public Administration, SLLC (Linguistics, Hispanic & Italian Studies, French, Germanic & Slavic Studies, OHSE, University Systems, VPFO, Faculty of Health, Faculty of Law, CORE, SAFA, PCIC, Innovation Centre, UVic News.

University Systems:

• Launched their new website with plain language tech support information and a streamlined request IT help process.
• Collaborated with UCAM on the Template 4 design system for websites, which includes a library of accessible components and styles as well as accessibility user testing.
• Provided accessible coding training to their software development teams.
• Launched the Course Outlines pilot project. This provides a searchable database of course outlines. It was accessibility user tested.
• Launched the Faculty of Graduate Studies Student Progress reporting app. This allows graduate students to track progress and communicate with their supervisor. It was accessibility user tested.
• In partnership with CAL, hired a dedicated software developer to support technical accessibility initiatives, including improvements to accommodations software (Clockwork) and processes.

• UVic joined the Accessible Employers of BC.
• The Classroom Infrastructure Committee requested funding to increase the supply of accessible furniture available for staff, faculty and students.
• Purchasing Services added a request for Vendor Accessibility Conformance Reports to UVic's RFP process.
• The Academic & Technical Writing Program (ATWP) began conducting professional development events focused on accessibility & grading.

The Accessibility Committee:

• Gave a panel presentation during UVic's annual 5 Days of Action event.
• Promoted student-led events through its membership.
• Reviewed drafts of upcoming accessibility standards and provided feedback to the provincial government.

Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL):

• Partnered with Facilities Management to improve supports for students' accessibility needs in classrooms.
• Started providing workshops about academic accommodations and accessible course materials to faculty.
• Partnered with University Systems to green light accessibility software for UVic computers.

Facilities Management:

• Added accessibility as a key tenet for any new project and renovation.
• Conducted accessibility audits of the built environment in bookable classroom spaces.
• Allocated a percentage of annual ministry funding towards accessibility initiatives.
• Created a priority list of upgrades by function and by building.
• Continued work on the accessible and gender-inclusive washroom project.

Learning and Teaching Innovation (LTI):

• Administered a survey of faculty members regarding lecture capture technology.
• Launched the Accessible Teaching and Learning community of practice.
• Updated Teach Anywhere and UVic Learn with new accessibility focused resources.
• Committed to developing accessible teaching strategies and supports for each discipline at UVic.

The Society for Students with a Disability (SSD):

• Conducted an #Access4All survey.
• Advocated for SSD inclusion in the revision of AC1205: the policy outlining academic accommodations at UVic.

University Systems:

• Started the Digital Accessibility program to accelerate UVic's accessibility maturity journey.
• Conducted a gap analysis of departmental processes to identify accessibility improvements.
• Partnered with SSD and CAL to hire students with disabilities to user test UVic websites and webapps.
• Trained 150+ IT support staff in accessible service delivery.

• The Accessibility Plan website was launched, including resource pages and an online feedback form.
• The Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) and Learning and Teaching Innovation (LTI) created a working group to share information and improve collaboration between faculties, CAL and LTI.
• The Better Data Project questionnaire launched for all UVic staff, faculty and students.
• The Society for Students with a Disability (SSD) started the Invisible Disabilities and Dynamic Disabilities education campaigns.
• University Systems expanded options for multi-factor authentication to include more accessible methods. They created accessible technology resources for staff who support people with disabilities as part of this project.
• A case study evaluating the CanWork program’s strengths and challenges was published in the International Journal of Work Integrated Learning, contributing to global conversations on inclusive employment pathways.
• The Office of the Registrar and Enrolment Management (OREM) expanded their role in organizing accommodated exams and assessments. Their team provides room booking support to instructors and created a dedicated in-person Accommodated Assessment counter for helping students.

• The Accessibility Committee formed and began drafting UVic's Accessibility Plan.
• Co-op and Career Services created the Accessibility and Inclusion Co-op and Career Coordinator position to support students with disabilities in their work-integrated learning journeys. This position emerged from CanWork, the accessible co-op program collaboration between Co-op and Careers and CanAssist.
• Dedicated supports for accessible course design and redesign, including Learning Experience Designers in LTSI.
• Most of UVic's buildings were Rick Hansen Foundation (RHF) Accessibility Certified. CARSA was certified gold. UVic’s two new housing and dining buildings were pre-construction approved gold, for an expected 38 on-campus RHF certified structures.
• UVic’s standard website template adheres to level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2 standards, with a compliance tool available to units when they update.

•  Evolving and expanded athletic and recreation programming through Vikes and CARSA.

• New resources for hosting accessible meetings and events.