Administrative Procedure 143: Use of Assistive Devices by the General Public

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms; Ontario Human Rights Code; Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA); Accessibility Standards for Customer Service; Blind Persons’ Rights Act; R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 58: Guide Dogs

 

Avon Maitland District School Board Multi-Year Accessibility Plan; Ministry of Education: Equity and Inclusive Education in Ontario Schools; Administrative Procedure (AP) 142 Religious Accommodation; AP 144 Notification of Disruption of Service; AP 145 Use of Support Person by the General Public; AP 146 Use of Service Animals by the General Public; AP 147 Monitoring and Feedback on Accessible Customer Service

 

The Avon Maitland District School Board makes all reasonable efforts to ensure that all practices and procedures are consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity for all, with particular attention to persons with disabilities. The board will welcome all members of the school and broader community to our facilities by committing our staff and volunteers to providing services that respect the independence and dignity of people with disabilities. Such services incorporate measures that include but are not limited to the use of assistive devices.

To ensure greater awareness and responsiveness to the needs of a person with disabilities, the Avon Maitland District School Board provides appropriate training for all staff who deal with the public or other third parties on behalf of the board. This training is provided to all staff and when appropriate, to volunteers. Training is also a component of the orientation of new staff within a reasonable timeframe as they are hired.

All administrative procedures, and particularly those related to the Accessibility for Ontarian with Disabilities Act, 2005, are available to the public and in a format that takes into account a person’s disability.

 

An assistive device is any device used by people with disabilities to help with daily living. Assistive devices include a range of products such as wheelchairs, walkers, white canes, oxygen tanks and electronic communication devices.

3.1 Supervisory officers, principals and departmental managers will ensure that staff are trained to support parents and the general public who may use assistive devices while accessing board services.

3.2 Training will be focused on how to interact with people using assistive devices rather than on the technical use of the assistive devices (see Appendix A – Interacting with People Using Assistive Devices).

3.3 Individuals or groups using school or board facilities under a Community Use of Schools Agreement will be responsible for supporting their members who may use assistive devices.

3.4 Students and staff will have separate and specific procedures related to their personal use of assistive devices.

The board website and each school website will indicate that all board facilities provide services that respect the independence and dignity of people with disabilities and offer services that include the availability and use of assistive devices.

Each board facility that is open to the public will post information in the front office/reception area that welcomes the use of assistive devices and encourages users to seek support from staff and volunteers as they require it.

The board website and school websites, as applicable, will indicate the assistive devices provided by the board or school to assist in provision of services to people with disabilities. Upon prior request of the user it may be possible to utilize assistive devices that are generally available at another site, in a particular site, for a particular event.

*These could include:
Assistive devices: electronic devices with captioning applications, amplifiers, lifts
Services: Sign language interpretation, oral interpretation, or facilitation to use Canada Video Relay Services.
Alternate service methods: Assistance of a staff person to complete a transaction, e.g., school registration.

Revised December 2022