General use classrooms accessibility
Submitted on behalf of University Systems and Facilitaties Management.
In 2024-2025, University Systems and Facilities Management partnered on a project to provide information about classrooms with a focus on accessibility. The project created a searchable list of over 150 general use classrooms, lecture theaters and computer labs at UVic, with a page for each room. Members of the Society for Students with a Disabilityand the Centre for Accessible Learning were consulted on what accessibility information was important to include in order for people with disabilities to feel comfortable and prepared before entering a space. University Communications and Marketing helped to find a home for it on the central website.
The new webpages now include:
- Detailed location information (including map views)
- Photos of the room, including photos of accessibility features and barriers
- Relevant accessibility information (e.g., if a room is accessible via an elevator)
- Detailed information on available technology, including software
- A layout graphic which highlights specific information about each workspace within the room/lab
- An up-to-date image of the physical space
- Information on how to request support
Connection to the EAP
This activity advances Equity-centred culture, Action 8:
Impact
The project is a significant example of putting accessibility into practice. UVic community members now have access to detailed information about each available space. Everyone interested in using one of these spaces – including people with disabilities – can now feel more comfortable and prepared without concerns about unknown room features, uncertainties about location, or questions about layout. We hope this will be an ongoing project that will continue to be resourced, updated and expanded where possible and necessary.
Learnings and reflections
Cara Segger and Allison Edwards, both members of University Systems, reflected: “This project would not have been possible without the friendship, trust and collaboration between all the units involved. In the beginning it was a challenge to figure out what was possible because we weren’t familiar with each other’s departments”. The team started by creating a project charter with responsibilities distributed across participating teams. This helped each team member learn about each other’s strengths and allowed the group to work together closely under a very tight schedule. The whole was more than the sum of the parts – it required creative problem solving that pulled from everyone’s areas of expertise to make it a truly cross-functional project.