Submitted on behalf of Learning and Teaching Innovation.
Through work led by Learning and Teaching Innovation (LTI), UVic course instructors now have access to accessibility workshops, teaching and learning guides, and specific to supporting the development of access-centred and inclusive classrooms.
In 2024, LTI Hired a Curriculum Developer focused on inclusion and access. This position then worked collaboratively with faculties and the Centre for Accessible Learning to co-develop discipline-specific workshops aimed at giving instructors practical tools for building accessible classrooms. In addition to the accessibility workshops, instructors also have access to several resources aimed at supporting inclusive assignment development, lecture delivery/structure, and student engagement in the classroom.
Connection to the EAP
This activity advances Access and support, Action 5:
Develop and implement accessibility training for all managers, directors and instructors to increase their capacity to support university community members with disabilities. Leads: VP Academic & Provost, VP Finance & Operations
Impact
The resources and Community of Practice are currently available to all UVic Course Instructors and Teaching Assistants. The Accessible Teaching and Learning community of practice currently has 45 members across seven faculties. Over the course of the past year, participating community members attended five facilitated meetings where topics such as ‘supporting neurodiverse students’ and ‘accessibility in timed assessments’ were platformed and discussed, supporting professional development in expanding inclusivity and creating an access-centered campus culture. Since the initiative launched, some faculties have seen a reduction in requests for accommodated assessment, suggesting that participating instructors are better equipped to support students in accessible and inclusive ways.
Learnings and reflections
For the team at LTI, one important takeaway from this work has been the benefit of co-developing accessibility workshops directly with faculty partners and CAL, ensuring discipline-specific relevance while fostering both instructor engagement and integration into their teaching practice. Additionally, cross-disciplinary expert-led workshops that address broader accessibility frameworks and pedagogical principles have increased buy-in and the overall success of the activity. Together, these two approaches support both targeted faculty needs and institution-wide capacity building for access-centered education.
