CMHA Ontario, along with 21 other groups, has signed a letter addressed to Premier Kathleen Wynne asking for a provincial education accessibility standard. The letter, issued Dec. 5, argues establishing an accessibility standard is a pivotal step for ensuring success of all students from pre-school through post-secondary. The letter, distributed by the advocacy group Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Alliance, calls for improvements to classroom settings, curriculum and teachings for special needs students – areas paramount to their current and future abilities to learn.
“All students deserve the right to a proper education, free of barriers that would limit them in any way,” said CMHA Ontario CEO Camille Quenneville.
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) calls for the province to become accessible by 2025. The letter urges Wynne to make education a priority by addressing outdated special education laws that don’t include such disabilities as sensory, communications and mental health conditions.
“We recognize that there’s more to be done, and there will be an education standard developed,” Wynne told the provincial legislature Monday, in response to an opposition question about the groups’ proposal.
CMHA Ontario created Think Outside the Box, which launched in June, to help raise awareness and educate the public about mental health accessibility. Think Outside the Box is a one-of-a-kind, free online resource designed to help employers, businesses, human resources professionals, landlords, the service industry, and anyone else looking to learn more about mental health accessibility and disability accommodation.