Students with disabilities an afterthought in province’s plan, parent Lisa Thornbury says Julia Knope
CBC News, Aug. 27, 2020
For months, Avery Thornbury, 14, has been looking forward to starting Grade 9 at a new school. In fact, she’s been so excited that she’s had her backpack ready by her front door since June.
“I just want the virus to be done,” she said.
In the third review of the AODA, the Honourable David Onley recommends needed improvements to the Act. One of these improvements is the need to solve problems in every-day accessibility. During the public meetings Onley held while preparing his review, attendees stated that Ontarians do not have enough awareness about how accessibility impacts citizens with disabilities. Instead, the province needs cultural change to foster understanding of how small actions can make life better or worse for citizens with disabilities. Attendees also described some of the small changes that could easily improve their quality of life. As a result, Onley’s review recommends that the government and other organizations begin making the small changes that improve people’s lives.
In the third review of the AODA, the Honourable David Onley recommends needed improvements to the Act. One of these improvements is a government strategy for employing people with disabilities.
Attendees suggest that this strategy’s main goal should not involve increasing businesses’ awareness about the benefits of employing people with disabilities. While awareness is important, attendees state that the government’s strategy should focus on more specific goals and achieve measurable results. For example, the review recommends that the strategy’s measure of success should be the number of people with disabilities who access employment through its support.
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance Update United for a Barrier-Free Society for All People with Disabilities
Web: http://www.aodaalliance.org Email: aodafeedback@gmail.com Twitter: @aodaalliance Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/aodaalliance/
And Check Out the Media Coverage It Got
August 24, 2020
SUMMARY
1. Now Available to Watch Online at Any Time! The 3rd AODA Alliance/Ontario Autism Coalition COVID-19 Virtual Town Hall “Preparing for School Re-Opening — Action Tips for Parents of Students with Disabilities”
In the third review of the AODA, the Honourable David Onley recommends needed improvements to the Act. One of these improvements is the need for a government strategy to increase the employment of people with disabilities. Onley’s review states that in 2017, the previous Ontario government created a broad strategy. Moreover, this strategy had the important goals of focusing on people and supporting organizations employing people with disabilities. However, Onley’s review states that this strategy did not detail steps toward achieving these goals. As a result, the review recommends that the government improve its strategy for employing people with disabilities. For instance, the review recommends that the government:
