Ontario’s Accessibility Act
Filed Under (Activism, Autism and Learning, Critical Disability Studies, Inclusion) by Estee on 05-08-2009
By 2012, accommodating disabled persons in Ontario will become mandatory for all non profit organizations. Accommodating people with disabilities will be enforced, and this will make it necessary for all not for profit agencies — which includes hospitals, schools, religious organizations, transportation services and the like — to be able to utilize and/or make available Assistive Devices for non verbal individuals as well as other equipment, environmental provisions and the deliverance of the “products and services” (which entails what we commonly refer to as accommodation) for a diverse population of individuals with various needs.
Under the Ontarian Accessibiltiy Act which became law in 2005, non profits will all have to comply by 2012 and other businesses by 2025. The use of such terms as “customer service,” positions the act to read that it requires to view our disabled population also as clients and consumers — the latter term which, in our current economic belief and behaviour, renders Ontario’s disabled as more “valuable” citizens. It is true that the disabled are important part of our society and contributors to our economy, and it makes sad but true sense that our legislators have to enforce the accommodation of all our citizens by using these terms. Economic terms. We deliver a basic human right via “customer service.”
Now that it is soon to become mandatory for an area that I’m particularly interested in — schools — I wonder why there is continued resistance in Ontario to use AAC (Assistive Augmentative Communication). Adam needs the computer in his school to communicate his understanding of the concepts being taught. It seems like simple ABC to me. In this day and age where technology is common and relatively inexpensive, and where autistic children can indeed excel, it makes little sense that we have to make enforceable the ways and means that autistic children can participate and be included in the classroom and with their peers. This argument goes beyond devices and right down to understanding how autistic children can learn and respond and how the format of the lessons and teaching styles need to be delivered. For if our children are now viewed as valuable “clients,” then one would think they should certainly be entitled to no less.
I for one am working with the act and terminology to encourage service providers unfamiliar with accommodating disabled people in Ontario to adapt and include. Once we can help others to understand that disabled children do not “pull their other children down,” but in fact propel them forward both as compassionate human beings as well as academically, we can create more just classrooms. “Research shows that for typical students in inclusive classrooms, academic performance was equal to or better than that of general education students educated in noninclusive classrooms.” (Exceptional Children, 64: (1998) 239-253) “And, contrary to the worries of many parents of typical students, the inclusion of students with severe disabilities (when there was appropriate support) did not reduce teaching time nor create many interruptions.” (Exceptional Children, 61,3 (1994): 242-253).
Yet the burden of proof will remain heavy upon us for some time. There is not really a day that we do not confront resistance to inclusion (or “barriers” which is a commonly used term), in the name of safety, medical needs, the guise of inclusion under the term “mainstreaming,” competition and more myths about why special needs children should not be included in our communities, schools and daily life. It is up to us to hold steady with this burden to keep up the research and the dialogue about why inclusion is good for everyone.
As Adam goes to an inclusive school, it seems logical that we learn to teach by teaching and we learn to include by including. Legislation or no legislation, we will still have a lot of work to do in order to help others understand autism and autistic people as valuable and entitled in their own rite.
ESTÉE KLAR
TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA
Writer/Curator/Founder of The Autism Acceptance Project. Lecturer on autism & the media, and parenting. Graduate student Critical Disability Studies, York University. I like to write about our journey, musings, attitudes towards autism.
We sit on both sides of the “accommodations” legislation argument. Personal, business and political. I do think you can push “accommodation” too far, all people cannot be all to everyone. Those that require the accommodations should also meet “society” half way, they shouldn’t expect to be catered to. If there is a constant fear of being sued for doing your best, then what’s the point in owning a business??
We have a new VP next year and last year was our best year ever, but it took me 2 years of fighting that VP (this will be #3) to put in basic accommodations… actually it boiled down to they would do it or I’d request a Behavioural Assessment of that classroom… They didn’t want that b/c they have a behavioural problem in that school and it’s not my kids.
I’ve been lucky. Little boy has a computer and his Writing with Symbols. Eldest had his own last year and this year they are talking about getting him http://www.keyboardinstructor.com Only because do to a lot of complaining, some going over heads and some “lets twist the truth” I got him OT support a year ago.
I am currently deciding how demanding I wish to be. I am thinking of calling the school at the end of the month and demanding a meeting. I haven’t had an IPRC one in years…. maybe it’s time I flashed that card around.
Huh. When I think of “accommodating disabled persons” I think of being allowed to use email instead of the phone when contacting organizations, and not having to wait two weeks for an answer (as I did recently with my phone company, though they cleared up the problem right away when they did get to me). I can’t even use email at all to contact most government services here in BC. And that one is so basic, you would think. This one is going to take a while to work its way through.
Hi. I’m looking forward to this. I am one of those that had a hard time accepting accommodations in school settings. I saw it as singling me out for bullying, as well as “cheating”, since I didn’t understand that accommodations are to help “level the playing field” so that it’s fair and so that I have the tools to be able to show that I did learn what was being taught in class.
Accommodations outside of the classroom allow people to communicate in a manner that better suits them, be able to access the same services as others, and be able to interact in society. That’s what accommodations are.
For a more visible disability, it is widely accepted to accommodate for them. I’m talking about ramps and lowered sinks for wheelchair users, allowing blind dogs into restaurants, malls and other settings, hearing aids and communication devices for people with impaired hearing (please note, I do not know the preferred terms that these people would rather I use, so please excuse my ignorance and maybe, could you educate me?).
For less obvious disabilities, such as Learning Disabilities, parts of autism and others, accommodations should be just as acceptable. However, we have a habit of being made invisible because we don’t look very disabled. But we are. For example, it is a lot easier for me to type this than it is for me to say it, even though I am considered a verbal autistic. So this computer and keyboard that I’m using is an accommodation. Accommodations aren’t to be used as excuses to not try, but rather, to build on strengths to overcome weaknesses that otherwise impair ability.
So. I am looking forward to this, and hope that this will help to make changes in society to be more accepting and understanding for people with disabilities.