Algonquin receives an 'A' for accessibility

By Thomas Jolicoeur

joli0035@algonquincollege.com

The battle to make Algonquin accessible to all students may be an uphill one, but the school is doing everything it can to make sure there will be an elevator to take them to the top.
Over the years the college has risen to the forefront when accommodating students with disabilities, a mission that continues today. 
“I think we are one of the most accessible colleges in the country,” said Toni Connolly, team leader, services for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. 
While it may sound like shameless self promotion, it is anything but.  Algonquin, in concert with Carleton University, are the only schools in Ontario to offer 24-hour attendant care to students in need, free of charge.  The college has also gone to great lengths to ease what can be a very difficult situation for students with mobility issues.  
The main buildings of the campus are all connected by a second floor walkway that allows students to travel from one end to the other without having to change floors or go outside.  With the addition of an elevator in A-building this past summer, all of the buildings on campus now have elevator access and an accessible washroom.
These accommodations, intended to ease the travel of students with disabilities, are in line with the school’s philosophy of “what works best for people with disabilities works best for everyone,” according to Connolly.
The philosophy is highlighted by the emergence of “airport-style” bathrooms, those that do not have doors, but rather contoured walls that allow for easy entry without sacrificing the privacy of those within. 
Kyle Robinson, a second-year general arts and sciences student, who is confined to a wheelchair agreed that the school was doing a good job making things easier for him. 
“The school is quite easy to get around, considering I have an automatic chair,” Robinson said. 
However, while the school is clearly moving in the right direction, Connolly concedes that improvements are needed and continue to be worked on.  The bathrooms are the biggest issue currently, as they are not all fully accessible.  Robinson also added he is unable to get into classrooms without the help of his fellow students, as they do not have automatic doors. 
The examples of the physical limitations of the college may be the most public, but Connolly insists that those issues are only the beginning.  Visually or hearing impaired students face different but equally pressing issues when it comes to their education.  It is with this goal in mind that Algonquin is developing a program that will see all course material available in audio formats and that videos shown either in class or on the web will be complete with closed captioning.
These innovations are looked after by a committee at the school put in place to have Algonquin compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, enacted in 2005 with a goal to have a barrier free Ontario by 2025.
Their goals are lofty, and an environment where disabilities no longer make a difference in the day-to-day lives of students may be unrealistic, but the school will continue to endeavour to that end.