Ignite Changes: Social Justice Magazine, Winter 2021

changes
IGNITE
SOCIAL JUSTICE MAGAZINE
Winter 2021
UNIVERSAL DESIGN
FOR LEARNING
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT
FOR HIGHER EDUCATION?
TEACHING CIRCLES
DEVELOP UDL KNOW-HOW
AMONG FACULTY
EXPANDING THE REACH
PROMOTING THE INCLUSION OF
WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES

2
4
EDITOR’S
LETTER
WHY THE
CHANGES?
CENTENNIAL
12 CHANGEMAKERS
TEACHING CIRCLES
18 CAN DEVELOP UDL
6
WHAT IS
UDL?
BEYOND
20 THE BRAND
CONTENTS
8
10
THE UDL
TEAM
HIGHLIGHTS
AND HAPPENINGS
24
28
DEAR
CHANGEMAKER
EXPANDING
THE REACH
1

EDITOR’S LETTER
GUEST EDITOR
The Centre for Global Citizenship Education and
Inclusion (GCEI) is proud to present our newly
named magazine Ignite Changes, with the theme
of Accessibility and Universal Design for Learning
(UDL). Ignite Changes strives to be a hub where
Centennial College community members share
ideas on how global citizenship education can foster
engaged learners ready to succeed in a knowledgebased,
globalized and technology-driven world. Ignite
Changes publishes thoughtful articles and innovative
ideas by Centennial College students, faculty and
staff, catalyzing dialogue on critical issues. The goal
of each issue is to invite engagement from those
passionate about social justice and the myriad paths
to student empowerment and success.
This issue of Ignite Changes is focused on
accessibility and UDL, aligning with Centennial
College’s commitment to ensuring equitable and
accessible opportunities for student success. 1 Rapidly
shifting student demographics mean that students
are arriving on our campuses with an increasing array
of barriers which we, as an institution, are working
are steadily increasing. We also have rising numbers
of students with disabilities, adult learners and lowincome
students who were historically excluded from
post-secondary educational institutions. Finally, levels
of student anxiety and depression have dramatically
increased in the past decade. As heightened student
diversity enriches our campus community, it also
urges faculty and staff to develop new and innovative
approaches to address the barriers students face
while supporting them to achieve success. What best
practices can assist faculty and staff in doing this?
How can faculty engage in course design and delivery
that is equitable and upholds the principles of
diversity and inclusion? How do support staff ensure
that our teaching, learning and working environments
are accessible and inclusive?
UDL recognizes the diversity and uniqueness
of learners’ abilities, promoting multiple means
of representation; engagement; and action and
expression. Most importantly, UDL outlines the
broader beneficial impacts of accessibility for our
students beyond the classroom – the mitigation
of mental health unwellness, for example. UDL,
therefore, is holistic in nature, touching upon
various themes of “access.” It plays a crucial role in
eliminating the barriers that students face by placing
the main onus of student success on the learning
environment rather than the student.
Turning to our current issue, we present diverse
pieces from faculty, staff and community partners,
all which address UDL’s capacity to enhance student
accessibility, engagement and success.
Ignite Changes celebrates Centennial Changemakers
– staff, faculty and students who are spearheading
critical accessibility and UDL initiatives on campus.
It features thoughtful articles written by Centennial
community members. Scott Tanaka explores the
overlap between the tenets of UDL and “teaching
circles” and Sterling Crowe identifies how the UDL
principle of multiple means of representation
can increase historically marginalized students’
sense of belonging on campus, along with their
investment and energy in postsecondary activities.
Ignite Changes also includes insights from Melissa
Simas, a community partner from the Scarborough
Women’s Centre who is leading Expanding the Reach,
a research project which aims to reduce workplace
barriers for women with disabilities.
The sheer diversity of the Ignite Changes Magazine
pieces speaks to the
multifaceted application of
UDL. It is our hope that this
Digest stimulates thoughtful
dialogue and meaningful
action among Centennial
community members and
partners, encouraging us
to reflect on how we can
contribute to making our
campuses accessible and
inclusive for all.
Dr. Delon Alain Omrow
February 2020
Published by:
Centre for Global Citizenship
Education and Inclusion
P.O. Box 631, Station A, Toronto, ON M1K 5E9
Managing Editors
Guest Editor
Graphic Designer
Reviewers
Article Citation
Tatiana Wugalter
Yasmin Razack
Delon Alain Omrow
Gabriel Bedard
Yasmin Razack
Gabriel Bedard
Jenny Clement
Ignite Changes
Centennial College
Toronto
Fall 2020
together to address. The College has students from
all over the world and our English language learners
2 3

WHY THE CHANGES?
For over 10 years, the Global Citizen Digest has been
a hub for sharing ideas on global citizenship education
across Centennial College. Much has changed over
these years and our global community is now in
the midst of profound social shifts – the COVID-19
pandemic has transformed our daily lives and exposed
deep inequities in our systems, a widespread racial
reckoning is pushing for a dismantling of systemic
racism, the negative impacts of climate change are
rapidly increasing and advancements in technology
are connecting us at rates higher than ever before.
Our world is rapidly changing and we must adapt and
change along with it.
Higher education has also experienced
significant shifts. Student diversity is
heightening with increased numbers
of students from communities that
were historically excluded from higher
education institutions. There is growing
acknowledgment that pre-existing forms
of oppression in teaching and learning
environments will no longer be tolerated
and a consequent push towards
decolonized education. The COVID-19
pandemic forced a quick transition to online education
and the development of entirely new teaching and
learning strategies. These profound changes will
continue and we must be ready to address the
many ways that they will impact our institutions and
students.
To acknowledge these deep shifts and better reflect
our changing world, the Global Citizen Digest has been
relaunched as Ignite Changes Magazine!
Ignite Changes Magazine remains a hub for the
sharing of critical reflections, innovative ideas and
promising practices on global citizenship, social
justice and changemaking education. It will primarily
highlight the work and perspectives of Centennial
“All that you touch,
you change.
All that you change,
changes you.”
College staff, faculty and students – showcasing the
inspiring and ground-breaking work we are doing to
build changemakers. The Magazine will also feature
collaborations with industry and community partners,
a Dear Changemaker section for answers to pressing
issues and an abundance of resources to support
changemaking initiatives. Ignite Changes Magazine
reinforces Centennial College’s position as a leader
in global citizenship, social justice and changemaker
education.
Centennial College is committed to advancing
sustainable and systemic social change. Ignite
Changes Magazine offers a space to navigate the
most critical social issues of our
time and explore ways to learn,
- Octavia Butler
collaborate, engage in self-reflection,
take bold risks and centre those
most impacted by social injustice.
The magazine is a call to action – a
resource offering the knowledge,
tools and support needed to
collectively foster significant social
change.
We are delighted to present the inaugural issue of
Ignite Changes Magazine which explores the power
of UDL. Bursting with tips on integrating UDL in the
learning environment, the issue features articles by
Centennial College staff, Scott Tanaka and Sterling
Crowe, as well as a guest piece by Melissa Simas
of the Scarborough Women’s Centre. It provides a
robust overview of Centennial College’s dynamic
and comprehensive efforts to promote UDL and
drive positive change in our teaching and learning
environments.
4 5

WHAT IS UDL?
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION?
Universal Design (UD) refers to the design of products and environments to be usable by all people,
to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. Drawing
on the spirit of UD and its conceptual configuration, new and innovative frameworks have been
proposed for designing accessible and equitable learning environments; these are Universal Design
of Instruction (UDI), Universal Instructional Design (UID) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
Evidence-based principles of UDL are grounded on the findings of neuroscience and neural
networks during teaching and learning experiences. As such, the framework can be divided into two
layers: the conceptual layer (three networks) and the implementation layer (three principles). The
three networks are defined below.
THREE PRINCIPLES OF UDL
1
through
2
Multiple
Multiple means of representation: presenting learning content in different ways, for instance,
video, audio, text, graphs, and other multimedia.
means of action and expression: asking students to express their knowledge
in diverse formats such as assignments, interviews, short quizzes, scientific papers and
multimedia presentations, all of which reflect their knowledge more effectively than using
one assessment format.
3 class
Multiple means of engagement: being attentive to the ways students are motivated
in class. This can look like shifting away from the traditional lecture, fostering open
discussions, allowing students to choose their own topics or ensuring examples used in
reflect students’ diverse backgrounds.
By proactively addressing barriers to success, UDL can reduce the need for accommodations that
students with disabilities might request. This eases student stress and ensures that students with
disabilities feel welcomed and valued in the classroom. However, UDL is not only for students with
disabilities and can have a positive impact on the success of all students.
Recognition Networks
The ‘what’ of learning.
Learners use different ways
to categorize what they see,
hear, and read
Strategic Networks
The ‘how’ of learning.
Learners use different ways
to organize and express their
thoughts and ideas
Affective Networks
The ‘why’ of learning.
Different ways can be applied
to engage learners and keep
them excited and interested
Consider, for instance, the “curb cut effect.” This phenomena refers to how technologies and
innovations designed for persons with disabilities can help everyone. The oft-cited example is the curb
cut: a wedge cut in elevated curbs to allow seamless passage between the sidewalk and the street.
Originally designed for those in wheelchairs, curb cuts are used by those with strollers, shopping carts,
rollerblades, skateboards and much more. If we take the “curb cut effect” and apply it to education, we
begin to see how text to speech applications, closed captioning and spell checker software, to name
only a few examples, benefit all students, emphasizing the universality of UDL.
UDL speaks to the splendor of diversity within classrooms and the need to recognize diversity as a
strength and asset. It acknowledges that when we support students at the margins or those who
experience the most barriers, such as students with disabilities, we are actually helping everyone.
Source: CAST Professional Learning
6 7

THE UDL TEAM
TERESA LEE is the Accessibility and UDL Lead
at Centennial College and works with faculty and
academic leaders to build a strong Community of
Practice to strategically integrate UDL principles
into each unique program across the College.
Teresa has over a decade of experience working
with people with disabilities, community
organizations and educational institutions as
an advocate, clinician, researcher, consultant
and educator. Her passion for creating inclusive
learning opportunities stems from her own
experience as an English Language Learning
international student. She has won awards
in her previous roles for her initiatives and
accomplishments.
Her graduate work in the Master of Inclusive
Design program at OCAD University focused on
how technologies can support the inclusion of
neurodiverse individuals (such as individuals
with Autism Spectrum Disorder), particularly in
navigating social environments. Today, Teresa
continues to work with the Inclusive Design
program as a sessional instructor. With the
students in the program and internal/external
collaborators, she explores opportunities to
tackle real-world accessibility and inclusion
challenges through inclusive design processes
by engaging community members with lived
experiences of challenges.
Teresa has worked tirelessly to cultivate
collaborative relationships with various
community stakeholders to identify and bridge
knowledge and resource gaps by developing
professional development opportunities on
integrating the UDL principles into teaching
practices through inclusive design approaches.
Her previous collaborators include teachers and
administrators of Toronto District School Board,
Inclusive Design Research Centre, Toronto Parks
and Recreation, and Scarborough Boys and Girls
Club. Teresa has also worked collaboratively with
the Government of Ontario, people with various
lived experiences of disabilities and various
religious leaders to create resources for faith
communities to comply with the Accessibility
for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and
welcome individuals with disabilities across
the province.
Teresa hopes to further explore how inclusive
design approaches to learning innovations can
further enhance the inclusion of students from
historically marginalized groups, especially
students with disabilities, within the context of
higher education.
JENNY CLEMENT holds a Masters Degree in Social Work and
another in Critical Disability Studies. These fields gave Jenny the
knowledge required to engage in a professional career examining
barriers to accessibility from a social justice and human rights-based
approach.
At Centennial College, Jenny leads in finding best practices and providing
recommendations on how the College implements accessibility and
UDL. Her areas of focus include policies, practices, programs, tools
and partnerships with external community agencies. Through this
work, Jenny has built strong partnerships with Vibrant Healthcare
Alliance’s SexAbility, a program that fosters public awareness and dialogue on the sexual health and sexuality
of people with disabilities, and Specialisterne, an organization that works to proactively create employment
opportunities and engage in public awareness concerning the hiring of people with neurodiverse abilities. Along
with the Centre for Organizational Learning and Teaching, Libraries and the Centre for Accessible Learning
and Counselling Services, Jenny played a key role in developing Centennial College’s highly successful Key to
Accessibility Learning Series.
Beyond her work at Centennial College, Jenny is an active member of the disability community and has provided
public education initiatives to diverse stakeholders, including government representatives and community
agencies, throughout Toronto and Ontario.
DR. DELON OMROW’S specialization is the development
of educational frameworks that maximize the design and delivery
of course instruction by emphasizing multiple representations
of materials; varied means for student expression, content and
knowledge; and multiple ways to motivate and engage student learning.
Delon was drawn to the philosophy of UDL while completing his
undergraduate studies at York University. Having experienced his own
situational barriers, Delon recognized the theoretical and pragmatic
merit of UDL, applying these principles in his own work and teaching
philosophies as a teaching assistant, course director and sessional
instructor. Inevitably, UDL became the cornerstone of his doctoral studies and his subsequent research.
Delon has served as a consultant on Centennial College’s UDL Faculty Implementation Guide and has also been
a part of the Inclusive Course Design and Development series, guiding faculty on UDL best practises. Finally,
Delon has provided support to faculty for a seamless transition to “Teaching at a Distance” during the COVID-19
pandemic, ensuring that all materials and strategies used during this time align with AODA and Centennial
College’s commitments to accessibility and inclusive design.
8 9

&
HIGHLIGHTS
HAPPENINGS
“An environment that is
universally designed for
learning shows students there
are multiple ways to
be successful, multiple ways
to solve problems, multiple
ways to learn from mistakes.”
- Whitney H. Rapp
Inclusive Course Design
and Development
During Winter 2020, GCEI worked with 22 faculty from
across Centennial’s six academic schools to re-design one
of their courses by integrating principles of UDL. The group
co-created UDL resources and a repository of strategies for
faculty to adopt into their teaching practice. Participating
faculty will become UDL mentors in their respective schools
to further support the integration of UDL for all learners.
International Day
of Persons
with Disabilities
In recognition of the International Day of
Persons with Disabilities day on December
3rd, 2019, GCEI brought together diverse
students, faculty and support staff to explore
what an inclusive community means to
Centennial College. During this interactive
event, participants shared their passion
for cultivating an inclusive community and
deepened their knowledge of resources,
services and programming dedicated to
persons with disabilities at the College.
UDL Faculty
Implementation Guide
GCEI’s new UDL Faculty Implementation
Guide provides evidence-informed strategies
for administration and faculty to identify,
remove and prevent barriers to accessibility
and full participation through the integration
of UDL in course design and delivery.
This guide offers tools and strategies for
assisting faculty in fostering Faculty Learning
Communities (FLCs). Recommendations
listed in the guide include UDL meet-ups,
discussion groups, monthly webinars and
UDL conferences.
UDL Online Course
Found on eCentennial, the dynamic and
interactive UDL Online Course introduces
strategies and concrete applications to propel
faculty into implementing UDL principles. The
Course consists of four engaging modules: UDL
Principles, Course Design, Content and Delivery,
and Assessment and Evaluation. Each module
comes with a list of resources and interactive
opportunities to test participants’ knowledge.
Upon completion of the course, participants are
awarded with a digital badge.
Employment Outcomes of
Students with Disabilities
Working Group
GCEI brought together leaders from across Centennial
College to develop concrete initiatives to strengthen
the employment outcomes of distinct historically
marginalized student groups. These groups align
with students identified as historically marginalized
in the College’s most recent Book of Commitments
and include students with disabilities. The students
with disabilities sub-committee developed a toolkit
for faculty to support students with disabilities in
securing meaningful employment and partnered with
the Scarborough Women’s Centre to develop a similar
toolkit which provides concrete strategies for employers
to build inclusive workplaces and employ women with
AODA Committee
The AODA committee is led by the College’s
Accessibility and UDL Lead and comprised of
representatives from various departments across
the College. The committee leads the College’s
response to AODA standards including Customer
Service, Built Environment, Employment, and
Information and Communication. It also advises
the Equity Steering Committee on accessibility
requirements and issues.
The Key to Accessibility
Learning Series
The Key to Accessibility Learning Series is led
by GCEI in collaboration with the Centre for
Organizational Learning and Teaching (COLT)
and Libraries. It aims to assist faculty and
academic leaders with resources and tools to
implement UDL strategies to promote an inclusive
learning environment. The series incorporates
the expertise of internal and external experts
in the areas of UDL and accessibility through
interactive workshops
disabilities.
10 11

CENTENNIAL
Tell us about yourself and your role at Centennial
College. How did you get involved with UDL
and accessibility-related issues at Centennial
College? What inspired you to get involved in this
type of work?
I’m a Muslim Canadian Pakistani and was born
with cerebral palsy in Edmonton, Alberta. I’m an
alumni of Centennial College’s Social Service
Worker Program and am now enrolled in the
Recreation and Leisure Program. I’m regularly
engaged in the disability community and have
volunteered with organizations such as Holland
Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Easter Seals
Telethon, Muscular Dystrophy of Canada and the
Terry Fox Foundation. I’ve been a Toastmaster for
15 years and have the ability to speak in public
with confidence and conviction.
25 years ago, the Ontario Disability Act became
law. I witnessed history take place at Queen’s Park.
Now, the AODA promises an accessible province
with accessible transportation and buildings. I
see the necessity of this legislation on a daily
basis through my own lived experiences and work
CHANGEMAKERS
ABBAS ISLAM QURESHI
Student Changemaker
engaging youth with disabilities in forestry and
recreational programming. Many forestry and
recreational programs exclude young people with
physical and developmental disabilities.
Because of this, I am now completing a Recreation
and Leisure Program at Centennial College with
the hopes of bringing change to forestry and
recreational programs in Toronto. I’m a true believer
that youth with disabilities deserve these valuable
opportunities and can make a difference by sharing
their perspectives and ideas for change.
I voice my own opinion on accessibility at
Centennial College and will continue to do so in
the years to come. We need to make environments
accessible for people with disabilities. Two
individuals, Rick Hansen and Wayne Gretzky, are
my childhood idols and inspiration; they have
influenced me to assist youth with disabilities. Rick
Hansen travelled the world in his wheelchair and
Wayne Gretzky offered Joey Moss, who lives with
a developmental disability, a meaningful job. I’ve
adapted their philosophy in my own life and want
to create a group for youth with disabilities to share
new and bright ideas.
What UDL and accessibility-related projects
or initiatives are you currently involved in at
Centennial College? What has been the impact of
this work on the Centennial College community?
While taking a Recreation and Leisure course, one
of my professors encouraged me to conduct a
survey that asked students with disabilities about
accessibility at Progress Campus. Many students
with disabilities noted the lack of accessible
automatic doors and space for walkers and
wheelchairs in washrooms. They also noted issues
with accessible access to the library’s elevators
and study spaces.
Elevator accessibility is
something I’m really passionate about. I enjoy
studying on the fourth floor of the Progress Campus
Library because it is quiet and has space for my
walker. Two years ago, in order to access the fourth
floor, I had to use the accessible
elevator. This required that I leave
collateral with a front desk librarian
to obtain the elevator key. The key
opens the elevator but, to press
the button inside the elevator, I
had to walk in backwards. This was
unsafe for me so I decided to selfadvocate.
I worked with members
of Facilities, the accessibility
committee and Libraries to
demonstrate how the elevator was
inaccessible and together we found a solution. The
fourth floor is now open, with accessibility from all
Library elevators.
Are there emerging practices in UDL and
accessibility that really excite you? How do
you hope to integrate them into your work
and/or at Centennial College?
Technology is improving. There are many new
ways to improve accessibility. I really enjoy the
People in Motion exhibition where hundreds
of vendors showcase the latest innovations in
adapted vehicles, mobility aids, barrier-free design,
rehabilitation services, home health care products,
accessible travel, technical aids and more. I
encourage everyone to attend; People in Motion
is free and takes place annually in Toronto
every June.
“I firmly believe
that you cannot
change your past
but you can change
your future.”
What is next for you? Do you have any exciting
projects ahead at Centennial College or
elsewhere?
I’m a member of Speak Up
Toastmasters, which is a
group that recently started at
Centennial College. It supports
people to strengthen their
public speaking skills. I’m also
trying my best to complete my
diploma and have big dreams
for the future. I want to work
with youth with disabilities
and support them in making a
difference in society. I’ve always wanted to create
a group for youth with disabilities where they can
meet their idols, receive mentorship and build their
confidence. I plan to work on this over the next
few years.
I firmly believe that you cannot change your past
but you can change your future. It’s never too late
to receive an education. Aim for the stars and
continue to believe in yourself!
12 13

SHANA MOLTO
Staff Changemaker
In 2017, my manager asked me to develop a workshop
on accessibility for faculty as we needed to have a
greater presence in UDL and its direct impact on our
student population.
I found this work to be truly inspiring, as it combines
my work and family life. Centennial and post-secondary
education in general tend to be ahead of the game
I am currently the accessibility subject matter expert for
my department and a member of the AODA committee
here at Centennial. I also facilitate an accessibility
workshop that focuses on creating accessible
documentation and communication, which is offered to
staff and faculty every semester.
The impact this work has had on our College community
As learning online is different from traditional in-class
learning, I am interested in seeing where online learning
popularity really ends up. I find that most people
generally learn better with a more hands-on approach,
but online learning offers a different experience. I
keep an eye on emerging trends of online learning
and enjoy connecting with faculty to see how they are
implementing technology into their courses in order to
when it comes to UDL and accessibility in comparison
is that it has increased awareness and has offered
facilitate this.
to public elementary education. My youngest son has
the opportunity to learn new ways or ideas on how
Tell us about yourself and your role at Centennial
College. How did you get involved with UDL and
accessibility-related issues at Centennial College?
What inspired you to get involved in this type of work?
I’m a Learning Technology Specialist in the Centre for
Organizational Learning and Teaching (COLT). I’ve been
in my current role, or one similar to it, for just over
two years.
a learning disability and I feel that the work I do at
Centennial directly affects my son’s learning experience,
as I now work closely with my son’s teachers to ensure
he has every benefit afforded to him.
What UDL and accessibility-related projects or
initiatives are you currently involved in at Centennial
College? What has been the impact of this work on
the Centennial College community?
to prepare documentation and communication
that is accessible from the start, rather than as an
afterthought. Feedback from those who have attended
my sessions indicate that it has helped to improve
their own documents and content by incorporating
accessibility features.
Are there emerging practices in UDL and accessibility
that really excite you? How do you hope to integrate
them into your work and/or at Centennial College?
What is next for you? Do you have any exciting
projects ahead at Centennial College or elsewhere?
I am currently looking forward to applying for my
Masters starting in September 2021. There are a few
programs that I am interested in and I will need to do
some more research before making a final decision on
where and what I study.
14 15

KIRA MACHADO
Faculty Changemaker
Tell us about yourself and your role at Centennial
College. How did you get involved with UDL and
accessibility-related issues at Centennial College?
What inspired you to get involved in this type of
work?
and severe exceptionalities. My mom fought for
a placement for him in our community, ultimately
gaining access, and became an outspoken advocate
for inclusive education. I think this is when I first
became passionate about access. Fast forward a few
decades and I am the mother of a child with Autism
Spectrum Disorder. He is truly brilliant.
In kindergarten, at our community school, he is
asking to learn about aerodynamics and black
holes; he is so curious about the world around him
and motivated to learn. He is already becoming an
expert learner; yet, I know that much of the postsecondary
education system is not set up to support
his success.
Accessibility and UDL is a good fit for the
In collaboration with the Centre for Global Citizenship
Education and Inclusion, I recently finished codeveloping
a new e-learning module for faculty on
UDL at Centennial College. I am very excited about
the e-module. Created with the principles of UDL in
mind, I hope that all faculty will find it useful and see
their students reflected in the training.
I think that UDL, particularly Universally Designed
Leadership, has the potential to redefine inclusion
at Centennial College. The values and principles of
UDL are central to the new story emerging in postsecondary
education. Every semester, we see the
ways in which the student demographic is changing.
We are welcoming more and more students into postsecondary
education who, not so long ago, would not
have had access to this space.
a UD perspective and explore how to build in UDL
from the beginning. We often look at captioning,
transcripts and the technology involved in simulation
and try to find the UDL fit. I think that is the wrong
end to start with; an initial UDL focus is needed when
building simulations. Interactions should be easy
to access and respond to and be highly motivating.
They should also be rigorous and challenging. Using
UDL from the start is a step towards getting it right
for everyone. 2020 will be my fourth year working
on the School of Community and Health Studies
Mock Disaster at the college. I hope that by utilizing
a UDL framework we have the ability to harness the
amazing opportunities that are built in to the Mock
Disaster and use their power to improve the learning
experience for all students.
I’m the Program Coordinator of the Developmental
Services Worker Program in the School of Community
and Health Studies, Community Services at
Ashtonbee Campus.
Like most educators, my personal experiences shape
my views of teaching, the classroom, the academy
and my role in it. My interest in accessibility, and
ultimately, Universal Design, started very early
in my life. Growing up with a brother who most
would consider living with severe disabilities and
limitations, I had an intimate look into some of
the barriers that exist for those who don’t fit the
status quo. My brother cannot walk or move his own
wheelchair and he does not communicate using
traditional means. However, for most of our early
childhood we had very similar experiences and
expectations. It wasn’t until he was ready to go to
school that I discovered that the world, especially
the world of education, would be very different for
us. I, older, already attended our neighborhood
school; my brother was offered a placement in a
school two towns away for students with multiple
Developmental Services Worker Program, but
certainly not exclusive to it. Every faculty member
has had the experience of working with learners with
disabilities who need accommodation. Sometimes
this is what people think of when we talk about
UDL – although the two are not the same. While my
personal history is one that includes experiences
with people labeled with disabilities and my
educational background is in Disability Studies, I am
hoping to help faculty think beyond disability. UDL is
not about making a change that benefits one person
or one group of people. It’s about making changes
that benefit a broad range of people. In fact, if you’re
doing it right, you’re making changes that benefit
everyone in class, including you as the educator.
What UDL and accessibility-related projects
or initiatives are you currently involved in at
Centennial College? What has been the impact of
this work on the Centennial College community?
We know that this diversity will drive social
innovation, create changemakers and transform
individual lives and communities. At the same time,
faculty are not always ready for the challenges
this brings to teaching. How much of my teaching
assumes that students communicate verbally? How
much of my online module assumes that all students
have hands or sight? UDL pushes us to call out these
assumptions in our teaching and build a learning
environment that makes no assumptions, but is
ready for all. By making these values and principles
explicit, we can move beyond ideology and create a
viable solution.
Are there emerging practices in UDL and
accessibility that really excite you? How do you
hope to integrate them into your work and/or at
Centennial College?
I am particularly interested in how simulation can
support student preparedness and career outcomes;
and how to create more real-life situations for
learning. I am hoping to examine simulation from
What is next for you? Do you have any exciting
projects ahead at Centennial College or
elsewhere?
I’m excited to continue working on UDL in my own
teaching. UDL is not all or nothing and although I
have worked at making my teaching more universally
designed, there are always ways for me to think
bigger. I think of UDL from a “plus-one” mindset; at
the end of every unit, or term, I ask myself: is there
one more thing I can add to make my teaching a
little more inclusive? I’ve ensured everything is
captioned but can I add descriptive video or provide
more written image descriptions? Can I add a video
“tour” of a particularly challenging assignment
to help students have another way to achieve
understanding? This helps me remain focused on
making changes in line with UDL but also doesn’t
feel so overwhelming. In this way, my work is never
done.
16 17

FEATURE
TEACHING CIRCLES
&
UDL DEVELOPMENT
AMONG FACULTY
SCOTT TANAKA’S interests include accommodations
for students with disabilities as well as universal
design for learning. Since January 2012, he has
taught various courses at Centennial College across
the Court Support Services, Office Administration
– Legal, Law Clerk and Paralegal programs. His
teaching philosophy is that academic success is
based on skills that anyone can learn, practice
and master.
At the Centre for Legal and Administrative Studies,
within Centennial College’s Business School, we use
“teaching circles” as a method of knowledge transfer
among colleagues. During casual one-hour meetings,
professors share expertise on topics ranging from
customer service to PowerPoint design. This format
has been effective for sharing useful information
about UDL. Even though the comprehensive realization
of UDL’s values in higher education is a complex
project, teaching circles provide a simple way to share
strategies and tactics.
Professors make thoughtful choices when designing
their teaching practices. These decisions must comply
with legal requirements such as those contained in
Ontario’s Human Rights Code, c H.19 and the AODA,
2005, SO 2005, c 11; however, it is not realistic to
expect all college professors to interpret the law in the
same way that lawyers do. In this area, it is appropriate
for the college to task experts with distilling best
practices for all faculty to observe. Checklists are
natural starting points for legal analysis, but they fail to
capture the specificity of diverse student experiences
across different academic programs.
When it comes to UDL we must avoid becoming trapped
by dogmatic attitudes (e.g., “UDL = technology”)
because they can be counterproductive (e.g., “So
now they’re saying I have to learn such and such
technology?”). Unlike the institution as a whole, each
program has specialized needs that are familiar to the
people who inhabit it. This makes faculty the most
suitable decision makers concerning how to deliver
their course learning outcomes in alignment with
UDL’s principles. By working with our immediate peers,
Sharing among colleagues involves an affective
dimension that may advance the paradigm shift toward
UDL. The deployment of online training modules
can fatigue employees at large organizations even
when these same people recognize the importance
of such training. Our appreciation of time’s scarcity
predisposes us to receive information that is delivered
by our peers more warmly than that which comes
from impersonal online sources. It is easy to imagine
someone circumventing an online training session
by starting a video and ignoring it or skipping directly
to its embedded assessment tool, but no one would
disrespect a face-to-face interaction with a colleague
in a similar way. While a teaching circle may require a
time commitment that is similar to an online training
session, meeting face-to-face affords intangible
benefits like implicit trust of the facilitator and an
opportunity to work as a team. Teaching is a profession
in which we are often confined in lonely laneways of
subject matter expertise and teaching circles offer
a venue for human interaction that can persuade
educators to try out various UDL techniques.
it results in more equitable outcomes for our students.
Anonymous surveys could also be useful depending on
the context. Using teaching circles to share the lessons
we have learned from students amongst colleagues
amplifies the impact of our individual efforts to promote
UDL in our teaching practices.
Using design thinking to enhance accessibility and
inclusion in college classrooms is a tricky balancing
act that demands collaboration between faculty and
students. The trouble with enumerating a hit-parade
of best practices for UDL is that reliance on such lists
could tempt us to become passive and complacent.
All experienced educators know that no two cohorts of
students are exactly alike. Accordingly, some efforts to
promote UDL may be successful with some students
and yet fail with others. Professors must approach
UDL in active ways because the spectrum of potential
needs among our students is non-exhaustive. Hence,
I conceptualize UDL as a procedure that elicits data
from students to inform my ability to teach effectively.
Working with colleagues, whenever it is possible,
strengthens the validity and reliability of the iterative
process of UDL implementation. At the Centre for Legal
and Administrative Studies, UDL-thinking has shaped
our teaching practices and teaching circles have been a
particularly appropriate venue for cultivating equitable
learning environments for our students.
In the traditional, so-called “factory model” of
teaching circles allow us to disseminate this first-hand education, professors were gatekeepers of knowledge
knowledge without the formality that legal compliance on a one-way street in a system that arguably met
demands. This approach also precludes criticism of
the needs of professors and their institutions better
advice that comes from elsewhere in the college, which than the needs of students. Today, in our 21st century
can be easy for faculty to dismiss when they believe it classrooms, we must invite our students to share
does not apply to their classrooms. Teaching circles are their experiences with us as their trusted educators.
productive because they enable faculty to tackle their Although this is perhaps unfamiliar – at least to today’s
problems more precisely compared to blanket guidance professors who experienced 20th century classrooms
from the institution.
– this is easy to do. Personally, I prefer to have one-onone
meetings with as many students as I can to learn
about their experiences of what does and does not
work for them in a given semester. Individual meetings
18
can be time consuming, but it is time well spent since
19

FEATURE
BEYOND THE BRAND
ENHANCING REPRESENTATION FOR UNIVERSAL BENEFIT IN DESIGN, DELIVERY
AND ASSESSMENT OF POST-SECONDARY ENVIRONMENTS
STERLING CROW is the Manager, Centre for
Accessible Learning and Counselling Services at
Centennial College. Sterling works to enhance
strategic alignment and leverage evidence-informed
approaches toward levelling the playing field for all
students. Sterling completed his Bachelor of Arts
(Honours) and Master of Arts in History as well as
his Bachelor of Education at Nipissing University.
He is also in the final stages of his Doctor of
Education in Higher Education Administration and
Leadership at Western University. His scholarly
work focuses on organizational improvement in
order to enhance mental health and wellbeing for
postsecondary students.
While diversity is often represented on the webpages
and promotional materials of higher education
institutions, how often do the values of equity,
diversity and inclusion permeate institutional decisionmaking,
processes and policies? Acknowledging
shifting student demographics requires that higher
education institutions consider how long-standing
policies and practices hold up to new contexts and
student needs.
The inclusive design and UDL movement seeks
to address these issues within curricular and cocurricular
settings, acknowledging the challenges that
historical practices present for many equity-seeking
students. While this movement often focuses on
students with disabilities, higher education institutions
must consider additional factors. The 2017 Student
Life, Engagement and Development Strategic Plan 1
reported that of Centennial College students:
15% identify as having a disability,
53% work while studying,
89% are receiving government financial aid,
are first in their family to attend
42%
postsecondary, and
30%
are residing in identified Neighbourhood
Improvement Areas.
When disaggregated, these demographics show that
many students identify within multiple categories
and thus experience intersecting identities, all of which
play a role in how they access, engage and experience
our campuses and learning communities. This
enhanced awareness is relatively new within higher
education. As such, our systems and structures are
catching up to the realities and contexts that students
have long been operating within. Consequently, it is
crucial that leaders and educators consider how UDL
principles can be implemented beyond the classroom
and across all aspects of higher education institutions.
Students’ sense of belonging has long been found
to have a direct correlation to their investment and
energy within higher education institutions (curricular
and co-curricular) as well as persistence and
retention rates. 2 This sense of belonging is often built
throughout the institution – in the classroom, through
transition programs and ongoing support services –
integrating students into the institution’s culture
and community. 3
As student populations have become more diverse,
research has demonstrated that the equity-seeking
students who would most benefit from high levels
of engagement are least likely to know about, see
themselves within and engage with support services
and co-curricular opportunities. 4
This disconnect between what
we know about students’ lived
experiences and their engagement,
demonstrates where the gap exists
in aligning a vision for accessible
higher education with reaching
the most vulnerable students in
ways that set them up for equitable
participation and ongoing success.
Adopting and promoting UDL
principles beyond the classroom and
throughout higher education institutions can assist in
filling these gaps. Nancy Fraser’s three-dimensional
concept of social justice – recognition, representation
and redistribution – can be used as a framework
to advance the principles of universal and inclusive
design. 5 Of the three dimensions Fraser presents,
the political dimension of representation most
directly addresses issues of membership and social
belonging. 6 Fraser calls upon leaders to consider what
structural conditions prevent equitable participation,
an exercise which can be adapted to the higher
“It is crucial that
leaders and educators
consider how UDL
principles can be
implemented beyond
the classroom.”
education context to facilitate student representation
across institutions.
In our context, the historical practice of knowledge
keeping and transmitting from faculty, staff and
administration is problematic, failing to acknowledge
the experience and knowledge that students bring
to our communities and the value of learning
relationships across all aspects of the institution.
These conditions prevent students from wholly
engaging in and with their learning. As such, those
encountering these barriers most directly must be
involved in the process of challenging them in real,
authentic and intentional ways.
Accepting that the representation
dimension means bringing voices
of lived experience to every table,
requires significant commitment
within organizations and can include
practices like: hiring personnel at all
levels (faculty, staff, administration)
representing the diversity of the
institution, visible representation in
marketing and promotional materials
and deep engagement - beyond
tokenism (e.g., leadership roles,
focus groups).
20 21

BEYOND THE BRAND
CONTINUED
Through Client Design Teams, the Centre for Accessible
Learning and Counselling Services (CALCS) provides an
example of a strategy that seeks to ensure that students
help drive the work to reduce barriers to their equitable
participation. CALCS officially launched in September
2019, bringing together the existing Centre for Students
with Disabilities (CSD) and Counselling Services teams
within a unified service model to foster conditions
for students to thrive. Within this service model, a
Client Design Team will be established to leverage the
professional team’s knowledge and expertise and the
lived experience of the students accessing services.
Emphasizing co-design, co-delivery and assessment
of impact and outcomes, the Client Design Team will
use principles of improvement science and networked
improvement communities to strengthen process, policy
and experience.7 The Teams will do this by advising on
departmental policies and procedures, service model
considerations and refinements and peer education
opportunities within the portfolio.
​Client Design Teams are an expression of CALCS’
departmental values and exemplify Fraser’s
representation dimension by ensuring ongoing dialogue
around students’ lived experience and providing direct
learning and potential employment opportunities for
students. While yet untested, Client Design Teams may
help to consider the ways that UDL practices can be
extended into other areas of work across the institution
toward a vision of a truly universally accessible College.
D
EAR
C
H A
N
G E
M AKER
DEAR CHANGEMAKER
I’m confused! I’ve been hearing a lot about
UDL but I don’t understand how it differs from
accommodation or modification? If UDL creates
accessible learning environments, do students’
individual accommodation requests still need to
be recognized?
This is a common question and the answer is
YES! Implementing UDL assists in the creation of
accessible learning environments, and typically
decreases the amount of individual accommodation
requests, but does not eliminate them.
While the concepts of UDL, accommodation
and modification seem the same, they have
distinct meanings. UDL is a teaching approach
that uses teaching strategies or pedagogical
materials designed to meet the needs of diverse
learners regardless of age, skills or situation. By
reducing barriers and increasing access to course
materials, activities and assessment, UDL can
benefit all students, not solely those who require
accommodation.
Unlike UDL, which is universal, accommodation
is usually meant for a specific individual or
group. Accommodation signifies adaptation to
a configuration or some aspect of a system - a
document or facility, for instance. In meeting
the needs of specific individuals or groups,
accommodations serve as fixes which are
retroactively applied to overcome barriers in
an environment. They are reactive, and may
not effectively address everyone’s access
requirements. Examples of accommodations
include assistive technology and human support.
Under the Ontario Human Rights Code, all
educational institutions have a responsibility to
accommodate requests for accommodation to the
point of undue hardship.
Accommodations do not alter curriculum expectations
but modifications do. Modifications refer to changes
to curriculum expectations for a course in order
to meet an individual student’s learning needs.
Modifications include the use of course expectations
at a different academic level, an increase or decrease
in the number and/or complexity of expectations
relative to the curriculum expectations or reductions
in the number of tests and/or assignments given to
a student.
Now that we have a clearer understanding of
what accommodation and modification are, we
can see how UDL differs. UDL is a framework that
recognizes that students arrive in our classrooms
with diverse learning and life needs. It supports
the success of students by reducing barriers and
facilitating access to course materials, activities
and assessment for a range of learner variability
before learning begins and before students seek
assistance or accommodation. However, UDL might
not address the specific needs of all students,
which is why accommodation and modification
are still necessary. For example, a student may
still require the use of a professional note-taker to
accommodate their learning needs despite having
lecture notes available to them online. Hopefully
this helps to clear up your confusion!
DEAR CHANGEMAKER
There has been a huge focus on the mental health
of students and the various approaches educators
can invoke to mitigate mental health un-wellness.
How might UDL be used in this context, helping
students with learning and social and emotional
development?
Thank you for your question. There is a growing
literature on UDL as a method of eliminating
barriers for learners with mental health needs.
UDL emphasizes student empowerment and the
development of socially adjusted learners. As such,
UDL explores multiple means of representation,
22 23

D
EAR
C
H
A
N
G
E
M
AKER
CONTINUED
expression and action and engagement.
Many students, for instance, suffer from
anxiety around participation grades.
Conventional means of class participation
often include class presentations,
discussions or debates. Students with anxiety
may struggle to participate in these activities
and thus be penalized for the barriers that
their mental health presents. By adopting
the UDL principle of varied means of
engagement, you can mitigate this anxiety by
offering students multiple ways to participate
in class. Rather than speaking aloud, they
can submit a reflection online or in-class.
This allows them to contribute to class in a
meaningful way and encourages them to put
deeper thought into their contributions.
Furthermore, UDL is critical pedagogy in
the sense that it promotes self-reflection for
both educators and students. You could, for
example, ask students “what are the things
that cause anxiety in my course?” as a way
of gaining insight into how to remove or
mitigate some of the barriers students face.
Finally, UDL holds the potential of creating
a truly inclusive classroom by designing
learning experiences which ‘enable’
learning. Multiple means of representation,
expression and action and engagement
reflect the neuro-diversity of learners and
the educator’s responsibilities to reduce
the friction between their expectations and
learners’ desire to demonstrate skills and
knowledge. Simply put, UDL aims to avoid
exacerbating mental health issues through
the recognition of diversity and uniqueness
in learning and development.
DEAR CHANGEMAKER
I’ve learned that UDL is based on
empirically grounded research on the
human brain. How can UDL possibly be
used to remove barriers in your average
college course? I teach within the School of
Transportation and do not see the merit of
UDL in my classes.
Your question is an important one. UDL
is a framework which can be applied to
a multitude of courses across diverse
disciplines, including your courses within
the School of Transportation. Barriers in
the classroom originate from three brain
networks on which UDL is based: the
affective network, the recognition network
and the strategic network. The affective
networks address our emotional connection
and ownership of hands-on learning. This
refers to UDL’s emphasis on providing
multiple means of engagement by optimizing
relevance, value and authenticity of class
content for learners. Studies reveal that
people become more motivated when
their affective networks are activated. So,
in your class, think about how you might
create a lesson plan which touches upon
the affective networks of your students.
Clearly, your students have an interest in
automotive technology and how this impacts
their budding careers in that industry. Think
of clever ways to recruit their interest and
stimulate their minds by using “real-world”
examples and activities.
Consider, too, the recognition networks
at play in the UDL learning experience:
these networks address our ability to take
in information and ultimately become
resourceful learners. As such, all of your
lesson plans should demonstrate multiple
means of representation because there are
many types of learners within your class:
visual, aural, verbal, physical, logical, social and
solitary. As such, lesson plans on automotive repair,
for example, must present content in various ways
so that students can access this content.
Finally, in considering strategic networks of UDL,
think about students’ ability to demonstrate their
knowledge and ultimately become both strategic
and goal-directed learners. This relates to UDL’s
focus on multiple means of expression and action.
Giving students the option of demonstrating their
BRAIN NETWORKS
AFFECTIVE
NETWORKS
RECOGNITION
NETWORKS
STRATEGIC
NETWORKS
knowledge only through one assessment format
may pose a barrier to some students. Therefore,
explore how else a student in the School of
Transportation might demonstrate to you their
understanding of the course content, whether it
be through a podcast, webinar, instructional video,
wiki page, etc. It bears emphasizing that you are not
altering the learning objectives by providing multiple
means of expression, merely the medium of the
assessment.
UDL PRINCIPLE
MULTIPLE MEANS
OF ENGAGEMENT
MULTIPLE MEANS
OF REPRESENTATION
MULTIPLE MEANS OF
EXPRESSION AND ACTION
24 25

EXPANDING THE REACH
PROMOTING THE INCLUSION OF WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES
IN THE WORKFORCE
MELISSA SIMAS is a graduate of the Master
of Social Work Program at Ryerson University. She
is passionate about promoting women’s rights and
the social inclusion of people with disabilities.
This is evidenced by her ongoing advocacy work
within the disability community. For the past nine
years, Melissa has held the position of Program
Coordinator with the Expanding the Reach:
Outreach to Women with Disabilities program at
Scarborough Women’s Centre.
INTRODUCTION
Did you know that the number of people who live with
a disability is expected to increase as the population
continues to age? Nearly 15% of women report
having a disability and the prevalence of disability is
higher among women than men across the country. 1
However, due to myths surrounding disability, as
well as social and structural barriers, women with
disabilities continue to be an untapped resource in
the workforce. The challenges women with disabilities
experience in accessing the labour market puts them
at increased risk for experiencing poverty
and violence.
HISTORY OF EXPANDING THE REACH:
OUTREACH TO WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES
PROGRAM
The Expanding the Reach: Outreach to Women with
Disabilities program was established at Scarborough
Women’s Centre in 2008 to better meet the needs
of women with disabilities living in Scarborough. The
program uses the definition of disability set out by the
Ontario Human Rights Commission, which recognizes
that defining disability is complex and evolving.
The Commission’s Policy on Accessible Education
for Students with Disabilities, 2 which replaced the
Guidelines on Accessible Education, 3 covers a
broad range and degree of conditions. For example,
a disability may be present at birth, caused by an
accident or developed over time. Adopting a more
nuanced understanding of disability, then, Section 10
of Ontario’s Human Rights Code states that disability
can include visible and invisible conditions. Examples
of visible disabilities could include: mobility, sensory
and amputation. Examples of invisible disabilities
could include developmental or intellectual, learning
and mental health concerns. 2 The goals of the
Expanding the Reach program are to:
• Create opportunities for women with disabilities
to gain knowledge and leadership skills.
• Increase the capacity of women with disabilities
to have a positive impact on their communities.
• Learn from community members about what
it means to make programs responsive to the
needs of women with disabilities.
THE ISSUE OF EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC
SECURITY FOR WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES
Evaluations from participants of the Expanding the
Reach program reveal that the issue of employment
is a leading concern among women with disabilities.
In 2017, we received funding from the Department
of Women and Gender Equality (formerly Status of
Women Canada) to facilitate a three-year project
to promote the economic security and inclusion of
women with disabilities in the workforce. The goals of
this project are to:
• Complete a literature review and conduct
community consultations to document existing
barriers and identify unmet needs.
• Learn what resources are needed by service
providers in order to increase their capacity to
support women with disabilities
in their employment journey.
• Develop tools and share best
practices that will be circulated
locally and nationally through
the creation of a Gender
Equality Network.
We would like to thank the Centre
for Global Citizenship Education and
Inclusion at Centennial College for
supporting us in the completion of
our literature review.
To date we have learned that:
• Women with disabilities are less likely to
participate in the workforce than women without
disabilities or men with disabilities.
• Women with disabilities are more likely to be
employed in precarious and less stable forms
of employment. 4
• There are a number of barriers that impact the
economic security of women with disabilities.
We have listed some of them below.
“Women with
disabilities are more
likely to be employed
in precarious and
less stable forms of
employment.”
BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC
SECURITY FOR WOMEN WITH DISABILITIES
Women with disabilities face several barriers to
becoming economically secure. Among the most
significant identified are:
Access to education and training
The 2012 Canadian Survey of Disability indicates
that women with disabilities are less likely to obtain
a post-secondary degree. 1 Project participants
shared they experienced difficulty accessing the
accommodations needed to complete
their education, particularly when they
had an invisible disability where the
accommodation was harder to prove.
Negative employer attitudes
towards disability
This includes assumptions made by
employers about capacity and skill
level of people with disabilities, as well
as perceived costs of accommodation.
Inaccessible and inflexible public
transportation options
More than 50% of the Toronto Transit Commission
is still inaccessible to people with disabilities and
Wheel-Trans can be inconsistent making it difficult to
get to work on time.
A lack of workplaces that are inclusive of women
with disabilities
This includes employers who are not aware of the
lived realities of women with disabilities and how they
can be supported to make significant contributions to
the workplace.
26 27

EXPANDING THE REACH
WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE WORKPLACES:
PROMOTING THE INCLUSION OF WOMEN WITH
DISABILITIES IN THE WORKFORCE
Welcoming and inclusive workplaces encourage
innovation, promote employee retention and ensure
that workplaces are responsive to the needs of the
communities they serve. Some identified strategies
that organizations can use to better promote the
inclusion of women with disabilities are to:
• Include women with disabilities in training
employers about the social issues that
contribute to the economic insecurity of women
with disabilities.
• Develop partnerships with disability
organizations to help promote available jobs
and recruit women with disabilities.
• Create policies that promote the inclusion of
women with disabilities in the workforce.
CONTINUED
• Allow for flexible start and end times at work and
give employees the option to work from home
(when appropriate).
Promoting the inclusion of women with disabilities
will diversify and strengthen the workforce. It will
also help ensure that more women with disabilities
are able to participate in their communities by
strengthening their networks and reducing their risk
of experiencing poverty and violence.
We would like to thank the members of our project
team for their contributions to this project: the Centre
for Global Citizenship Education and Inclusion at
Centennial College, RBC, YWCA Toronto Employment
Programs, the Centre for Accessible Learning
and Counselling Services at Centennial College,
East Scarborough Storefront, Birchmount Bluffs
Neighbourhood Centre, and Springtide Resources.
Thank you to the Department for Women and Gender
Equality and to the Women’s Xchange grant programs
for supporting women with disabilities. If you are
interested in learning more about our project,
please contact Melissa Simas by email at
program@scarboroughwomenscentre.ca
4TOOLS TO
SPARK CHANGE
Expand your UDL toolbox with UDL On Campus, a dynamic online platform
offering comprehensive resources to integrate UDL into diverse teaching and
learning environments.
Celebrate the work of people with disabilities by checking out the Disability Visibility
Project. The Disability Visibility Project is an online community dedicated to creating,
sharing and amplifying disability media and culture.
Read more about the many ways you can adopt UDL principles in Universal Design in
Higher Education: Promising Practices. This is a comprehensive, up-to-the-minute
guide for creating accessible college and university programs by Sheryl E. Burgstahler, a
leading scholar in UDL and higher education.
Get inspired by listening to the ThinkUDL Podcast. ThinkUDL shares the experiences of
people who are designing and implementing UDL strategies in higher education settings
with learner variability in mind.
28 29

REFERENCES USED
Editors Letter
1
Centennial College ‘Statement of Diversity’: https://www.centennialcollege.ca/about-centennial/college-overview/statementof-diversity/
What is UDL? Why is it important for Higher Education
CAST Professional Learning. About Universal Design for Learning: http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html#.
XwM63ZNKh24
Beyond the Brand: Enhancing Representation for Universal Benefit in Design, Delivery and Assessment
of Post-Secondary Environments
1
Student Life, Engagement, and Development Division (2017). Building community, capacity, and confidence: Strategic
planning 2017-2022. Retrieved from: https://centennialcentral.ca/student-and-community-engagement/student-lifeengagement-and-development-sled/strategic-planning-2017-2022-report/
2
Astin, A. (1984). Student involvement: A development theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Development, 40(5),
518-529; Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press; Kuh, G. (2009). Using NSSE in institutional
research. New Directions for Institutional Research, 141, 5-34.; O’Keeffe, P. (2013). A sense of belonging: improving student
retention. College Student Journal, 47(4), 605+. Retrieved from: http://link.galegroup.com.proxy1.lib.uwo.ca/apps/doc/
A356906575/AONE?u=lond95336&sid=AONE&xid=313e1609.
3
Rode, D. (2000). The role of orientation in institutional retention. In M.J. Fabich (Ed.), Orientation planning manual (pp.
1-11). Pullman, WA: National Orientation Directors Association.; Mullendore, R. (2014). Designing quality orientation
programs. In B. Thibodeau (Ed.), Orientation planning manual (pp. 7-11). NODA; Mullendore, R., and Banahan, L. (2005).
Designing orientation programs. In M. Upcraft, J. Gardner and B. Barefoot (Eds.), Challenging and supporting the first-year
student: A handbook for improving the first year of college (pp. 391-409). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.; Davis, J. (2013).
The impact of orientation programming on student success outcomes at a rural community college (Doctoral dissertation).
Retrieved from: http://encompass.eku.edu/etd/160.
4
Bait, S. K. (2011). Web 2.0 technologies: Applications for community colleges. New Directions for Community Colleges, 154,
53-62.; Culp, M. M. (2005). Increasing the value of traditional support services. New Directions for Community Colleges, 131,
33-49.; Dietsche, P. (2012). Use of campus support services by Ontario college students. Canadian Journal of Higher Education,
42(3), 65-92; James, T. (2010). Student services in college. In D. Hardy Cox and C. Strange (Eds.), Achieving student success (pp.
195-207). Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press.; Wong, A. (2015). Understanding students’ experiences in their own words:
moving beyond a basic analysis of student engagement. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 45(2), 60-80.
5
Fraser, N. (2000). Rethinking recognition. New Left Review, 3, 107-120.; Fraser, N. (2005). Mapping the feminist imagination:
From redistribution to recognition to representation. Constellations, 12(3), 295-307.; Fraser, N. (2009). Scales of justice:
Reimagining political space in a globalizing world. New York, NY: Columbia University Press. ; Fraser, N. and Honneth, A. (2003).
Redistribution or recognition? A political-philosophical exchange. London, England: Verso.
6
Ibid.
7
Bryk, A. S., Gomez, L. M., Grunow, A., and LeMahiue, P. G. (2015). Introduction: A better way. In Learning to improve: How
America’s schools can get better at getting better (pp. 1-20). Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
Expanding the Reach: Promoting the Inclusion of Women with Disabilities in the Workforce
1
Statistics Canada. (2012). Canadian Survey on Disability, 2012
2
Ontario Human Rights Commission. (2018). Policy on accessible education for students with disabilities.
3
Ontario Human Rights Commission, (2004). Guidelines on Accessible Education.
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4
Fawcett, G. (2000). Bringing down the barriers: the labour market and women with disabilities in Ontario. Ottawa, ON: Canadian
Council on Social Development.
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