Accessibility progress

• 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 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 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.