Michelle McQuigge
The Canadian Press, May 29, 2020
The parents of a disabled teen who died in the care of an Ontario residential school for the blind say they’re hopeful a newly called inquest into their son’s death may protect a future generation of vulnerable students.
The province’s coroner’s office has confirmed to The Canadian Press that it will hold an inquest in to the February 2018 death of 18-year-old Samuel Brown at the W. Ross Macdonald School for the Blind in Brantford, Ont.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, schools, colleges, and universities are implementing online learning. Before COVID-19, students could sometimes choose to take a course or program of study online. However, some online platforms or courses are not accessible for students with disabilities. As a result, these students could choose to take all courses in person. However, during COVID-19, online learning is no longer a choice. If a course or platform is not accessible for a student with a disability, schools and school boards must find ways to make that student’s online learning accessible. This urgent need for greater online accessibility shows us that web developers lack knowledge about the features allowing people with disabilities to navigate websites. Accessibility training for web designers after the COVID-19 pandemic would remove information barriers for future students.
By Tyrone Burke
Companies often assume that accommodating an employee with a disability will cost thousands of dollars. It’s a misperception that can create an additional barrier to finding employment, and it contributes to the job gap between students with disabilities and those without.
“In reality, accommodations often cost $500 or less” says Julie Caldwell, assistant director of program operations for the David C. Onley Initiative.
As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, we cheer ourselves by thinking of future socializing in-person. We also think about returning to work or activities we love. These hopes help us through the challenges of physical distancing. Moreover, these challenges show us that we can be more flexible or more creative than we thought we could. For instance, education during the pandemic has taken new forms and new strategies for success. Many of these strategies are also practices that help schools and school boards accommodate students with disabilities. Teachers and other staff are working in new ways and supporting students in diverse circumstances. In the post-COVID-19 future, more educators may learn how student performance improves through diverse teaching strategies. Consequently, more schools and school boards may continue to use diverse teaching strategies to support students with disabilities. For example, schools and school boards may offer accessible remote learning after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tell Us What Barriers Students with Disabilities Face in Colleges and Universities
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/
May 26, 2020
SUMMARY
1. Check Out an Online Fireside Chat Tomorrow Night on the Impact of COVID-19 on 2.6 Million Ontarians with Disabilities
