Accessibility
As part of the Accessible BC Act, our school district has made available a form at the bottom of this page for members of the public who interact with us to provide feedback about accessibility in our organization.
The Accessible British Columbia Act aims to support identifying, preventing, and removing barriers that people with disabilities face in their day-to-day lives.
Key themes of the act:
- Breaking down barriers.
- Advancing human rights.
- Promoting fairness and equity.
Themes specific to Education:
- Increased visibility of those with disabilities.
- Public education campaigns to include those with disabilities in the education system.
- Development of targeted education and training programs.
- Increased integration in schools.
- Focus on accessibility, empathy and sensitivity training.
Important Definitions from the Act
Disability: An inability to participate fully and equally in society due to the interaction of an impairment and a barrier.
Barrier: Essentially, anything that hinders the full and equal participation in society of a person with an impairment.
Impairment: A physical, sensory, mental, intellectual, or cognitive impairment which is permanent, temporary, or episodic.
What are examples of barriers to accessibility?
- Attitudinal: when people think, and act based upon false assumptions.
- Physical: when obstacles in an environment make access difficult.
- Information or Communication: when people with disabilities are excluded because they use other ways to communicate.
- Systemic: when an organization’s policies, practices and procedures result in exclusion.
- Technology: when technology can’t be accessed by people with disabilities.
- Sensory: when sensory information such as lights, sounds, smells, etc. prevent participation in the environment.
Our District's Accessibility Plan
Thirteen school districts in northern British Columbia have connected around the important work of increasing all persons’ ability to interact meaningfully with each organization through the creation of a plan to identify, remove, and prevent barriers of engagement. The Northern BC School District Advisory Committee developed this plan with support from the Northern BC Accessibility Working Group, key contacts from each school district represented in this plan, and resource materials provided by the Disability Alliance of BC and Untapped Accessibility. Please review specific aspects of the plan at the following link:
Northern BC School District Accessibility Plan (2023-2026)
Feedback Mechanism
The feedback we receive will be shared with both our Accessibility Advisory Committee and our Accessibility Working Group. We will also share feedback to relevant department or school leaders. Staff are welcome to use this form and are reminded if they need an accommodation to connect with their supervisor and human resources separately from the feedback form.
FEEDBACK FORM
What are other sources of information about the Accessible BC Act?
Legislation – Accessible BC Act