What is accessibility?
Accessibility is all about how easy it is to use and benefit from something.
For many of us, access to education, employment, and the community are essential to living a fulfilled life. Our ability to engage with, use, participate in, and belong to, the world around us contributes to our confidence and well-being.
Imagine a Fanshawe College where all people are able to go wherever they want to go, do whatever they need to do, and be accepted no matter what their abilities. We do, and we're committed to making it happen as best we can.
Accessibility does not need to be complicated. It simply means making our information, services, and environment available to as many people as possible. To make the same opportunities and benefits available to people of all abilities, we must improve how easy it is for everyone to engage with our programs, supports, technologies, activities and physical spaces.
Accessibility benefits everyone. That's why Fanshawe College has strategies to improve how easy it is for everyone, regardless of abilities or impairments, to use and benefit from our information, services, and environment. We believe in offering a very inclusive environment. It is important for us to ensure that people of all abilities enjoy a premier learning, student life and career preparation experience.
Alternate accessible communication formats are available upon request. You may also contact us to provide feedback or request alternative communication formats by calling 519-452-4282 or by emailing accessibility@fanshawec.ca.
Accessibility Policies and Accommodation Information
How to Register with Accessibility Services at Fanshawe College
Policy 201: Employees' Early and Safe Return to Work
Policy 203: Persons with Disabilities
Policy 204: Accommodations for Employees with Disabilities
Policy A101: Accommodation of Applicants and Students with Disabilities
Training for an Accessible Ontario - AODA Mandatory Training
Read Fanshawe's 2023-24 Accessibility Plan (PDF)
View Fanshawe's latest Multi-Year Accessibility Plan (PDF)
Fanshawe College's compliance reports to the government are available upon request by contacting AODACoordinator@fanshawec.ca.
Emergency plan
Do you require assistance in case of an emergency? Not sure? Complete the Personal Emergency Plan Questionnaire. If you responded "yes" to any of the questions, we recommend that you have a plan. Please contact Counselling and Accessibility Services (students) or your manager (employees) to start the process.
Alternate accessible communication formats are available upon request. You may also contact us to provide feedback or request alternative communication formats by calling 519-452-4282 or by emailing accessibility@fanshawec.ca.
View Personal Emergency Plan Guidelines (PDF)
View Workplace Emergency Response Information (PDF)
View the Fanshawe Emergency Plan (PDF)
Accessibility accommodation and support
Information for students and employees
For students
Registering with Accessibility Services
By identifying your disability early, you're setting yourself up for success! Complete the Accessibility Services registration form so that accommodations can be in place before you start school in September, January or May. We will then contact you by email with details of what to do next.
Stressed? Overwhelmed? Struggling with anxiety?
Get help for yourself or a friend at mindyourmind.ca.
Accessible format service at the library
Library and Media Services at Fanshawe College is committed to providing access to services and collections to all students, faculty and staff of the College. Where library facilities or services are inaccessible, we will do our best to accommodate users with disabilities to examine sources, retrieve materials, and access services.
Library and Media Services is pleased to announce Fanshawe’s partnership in the Accessible Content E-Portal (ACE) service. To make library collections accessible for patrons with print disabilities, ACE is an accessible texts repository which contains electronic books in five different accessible formats.
Library and Media Services - Accessibility
Important links
Important info for new students with disabilities
Accommodating Applicants and Students
The Institute of Indigenous Learning
Library and Media Services - Accessibility
For employees
We value and embrace diversity, equity and inclusion. As a community leader and an institution of higher learning, Fanshawe College is committed to promoting equal opportunity in the workplace. We aim to embed this commitment in every aspect of what we do. In collaboration with our community, we continually work towards the achievement of a diversified and equitably representative workforce. Our goal is to provide an inclusive, respectful and safe workplace.
This goes hand in hand with our effort to make the College more accessible. We believe diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility help equip us to better meet the challenges of today's world.
We also recognize that individual accommodations may be necessary to fully realize your employment goals. If you require an accommodation as a new employee with a disability, an employee with a newly-acquired or temporary disability, or are returning to work following illness or injury, we want to ensure you have the support that you need.
Employees, please contact your manager if you require accommodations.
Important links
Find out more about Fanshawe's policies and practices to address issues of employment equity and inclusion:
For everyone
Fanshawe believes in offering an inclusive and supportive environment and services to all people, at all times. From time to time, some services at the College may be disrupted.
System notices
Fanshawe will share information about major disruptions and emergency conditions on our website, staff and student portals; through the emergency computer notification system; on our overhead paging system; and through local media.
Building/Facilities disruptions
We provide notification of these at the site, including details about when the service is expected to resume and information about other similar facilities or services, as appropriate.
The information on this website is available in alternative formats for persons with disabilities. For assistance, please call 519-452-4282 or contact accessibility@fanshawec.ca.
Accessibility legislation (AODA) and training
Information about the AODA legislation
Overview
On June 13, 2005, the Ontario Legislature passed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), which received Royal Assent on June 24, 2005. Under this landmark legislation, the government of Ontario aims to identify, remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities. The goal is to make Ontario accessible to all persons with disabilities by 2025 by providing consistent, equal opportunity to access and benefit from goods, services, facilities, accommodation and employment across the province.
The AODA has allowed the government to develop accessibility standards for both the public and private sectors and to enforce them through detailed regulations, which are being phased in and become effective over time.
Why does Ontario need Accessibility Standards?
- By 2031, over 6 million people in Ontario will be either living with a disability or be 55 years of age or over, accounting for 40% of all income;
- By learning how to serve people with disabilities, organizations and businesses may attract more customers and improve their services for everyone;
- Accessibility benefits everyone;
- Beyond being good for business, it's the right thing to do.
Legislation
What are the Accessibility Standards?
- Customer Service
- Employment
- Information & Communication
- Transportation
- Built Environment
More links to the AODA legislation and information
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001
Training
All employees of Fanshawe College, including full and part-time faculty, support staff, administrators and contractors, and those who interact on Fanshawe's behalf, are required by law to complete accessibility training.
Training brochures (PDF)
For all employees, volunteers or service providers
Changes to Customer Service Standards, July 2016
The information on this website is available in alternative formats for persons with disabilities. For assistance, please call 519-452-4282 or contact accessibility@fanshawec.ca.
Accessible feedback process
Fanshawe is committed to taking action to continue creating accessible campuses. If you have feedback on accessibility at any of Fanshawe’s campuses, please use this online form. This submission will be directed to the AODA inbox, where it will be triaged by a member of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion team. We endeavour to provide an initial response to you within 48 hours. If more investigation is needed, we will let you know about possible next steps. If your feedback is within the AODA portfolio, it will be investigated, and we follow-up to offer a resolution as soon as practicable.
If your issue is more appropriately addressed by another team at Fanshawe, we will redirect your inquiry and provide contact information for the corresponding individual or department.
Alternate accessible communication formats are available upon request. You may also contact us to provide feedback or request alternative communication formats by calling us at 519-452-4282 or by emailing accessibility@fanshawec.ca.
Urgent and after-hours concerns can be directed to Campus Security Services in D1027 on the London campus or at 519-452-4400.
Alternative formats
The information on this website is available in alternative formats for persons with disabilities. For assistance, please call 519-452-4282 or contact accessibility@fanshawec.ca.
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