Ontario Human Rights Commission Releases Accessible Education For Students With Disabilities Policy

The Ontario Human Rights Commission recently released a new policy titled "Accessible Education for Students with Disabilities." The policy updates the Commission's previous guideline on accessible education released in 2004.

This new policy further articulates the intersection of disability with other Code-protected grounds such as race, gender, sexual orientation, and family status. Specific areas highlighted by the policy include the following:

• Ableism. Ableism is a stereotyped assumption that the disabled population is less able to contribute and participate, and that their disability is an anomaly to normalcy. Disabled persons have reported difficulty accessing services because of the widespread perception that they are seeking an advantage or are a burden on the educational system. The policy recommends training and education to promote the understanding that difference is not representative of inferiority.