Building a Strong, Accessible U of G: Celebrating National AccessAbility Week

It is National AccessAbility Week, a time to celebrate the valuable contributions of people with disabilities in our communities and reflect on how we can all remove barriers to full participation in our University and in Canada.

The Government of Canada’s Theme, “Building a Strong, Accessible Canada,” invites all of us to take action to advance a barrier-free country, as we are stronger when persons with disabilities can participate fully in all aspects of society.

The University of Guelph is deeply committed to fostering an education, working and living environment where all University community members experience an authentic sense of inclusion and belonging. U of G continues to drive progress on the U of G’s Multi-Year Accessibility Plan 2025-2027, which guides U of G’s ongoing efforts to enhance accessibility across campus while providing a comprehensive framework for fostering an inclusive environment.

To learn more, visit our Statement of Commitment to Accessibility.

At U of G, Student Accessibility Services (SAS) in Student Wellness Services is the hub where students with disabilities can get support.

Students can work individually with an SAS advisor to determine what academic accommodations they need to remove structural barriers.

In addition, SAS provides programs to support students, including one-on-one coaching on learning strategies and support with disability-related problem solving.

Students registered with SAS can access adaptive software and technology supports to help with reading, writing, note-taking and studying through Library Accessibility Services.

As students with disabilities enter the workforce, they might have questions related to their disability around when to disclose their disability, what accommodations might be available, how to approach interviews, and more. The Experiential Learning Hub has resources to help students navigate the workplace, as well as one-on-one appointments with Career Advisors to discuss strategies for success.

Faculty or staff members play an important role in making the U of G campus accessible. The following resources are available to help increase accessibility at U of G.

The Digital Accessibility Resource Centre (DARC) is made up of accessibility experts who provide campus support for digital content creation. DARC provides U of G digital content creators with education, tools, training and support to ensure that their content is accessible for all. View the DARC resources for creating accessible documents, social media, multimedia, and more.

Register for the DARC newsletter by emailing darc@uoguelph.ca or browse previous topics on the DARC blog.

DARC also has several upcoming training sessions:

June 22, Sept. 28, Oct. 19, Nov. 23 (in-person, Guelph campus)

This workshop will go through best practices on creating accessible documents in Word, PowerPoint and looking at converting them to accessible PDFs. During the workshop you’ll be given files to remediate as you go through the topics and software. Bring your own laptop to the event.

View all upcoming DARC training sessions.

Learning and Development offers several workshops to help staff develop the skills and knowledge they need to ensure accessibility. See the full Learning and Development calendar.

Creating accessible and inclusive learning environments is a shared responsibility—and the Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) is here to support faculty and instructors in that work. The OTL team offers consultations and support for faculty and instructors on accessible course design, inclusive teaching practices, and applying the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Contact the OTL team at otl@uoguelph.ca.

Accessibility Services has a series of educational accessibility videos for instructors that provide overviews of key topics, including accommodations, concussions, captioning, mental health, online quizzes, structuring courses and more.

The School of Continuing Studies partners with units across campus to design and deliver continuing studies courses that are meaningful and rewarding for all learners. Find information on Universal Design and Accessibility Resources on their SharePoint site.

Web Accessibility Resources

The Web Accessibility Resources provides AODA, WCAG and Web Accessibility Resources and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), including guides for content editors and web developers.

The Communications – Guiding Principles and Resources provides principles and resources for ensuring that communications are accessible and welcoming.

Learn more about U of G’s plan to increase accessibility through our Multi-Year Accessibility Plan and 2025 progress report. The Accessible Service Provision Module and the Making Education Accessible Module provide participants with the tools and skills needed to create accessible learning and working experiences and a university community where everyone belongs.

If you have questions about accessibility, inclusion or human rights at U of G, contact dhrinfo@uoguelph.ca.

Within Human Resources, Occupational Health and Wellness (OHW) is the main source of support for staff and faculty with disabilities. OHW supports workplace accommodations and return to work planning as well as short-term disability (STD) and long-term disability (LTD) leaves.

If you need assistance during an emergency, reach out to your manager to have an individualized emergency response plan created. Be informed about how to be prepared during emergencies.

The Employee and Family Assistance Plan (EFAP) is available for staff, faculty and their families when they need professional counselling support. Through EFAP, access to counselling is available 24 hours per day, seven days a week through the Homewood Behavioural Health Corporation.