Accessibilty Plan

Accessibilty Plan

Al-Hidayah School Accessibility Plan

Definitions

Accessibility: The ability for all individuals to fully engage in society without facing barriers in services, events, or environments.

Accessibility Plan: A strategy created by the Accessibility Committee that outlines challenges and solutions to improve accessibility.

Barrier: Any obstacle that prevents an individual from participating fully in society due to an impairment. Barriers can include:

  • Attitudinal Barrier: Results from negative attitudes, discriminatory behavior, or a lack of disability awareness within the school community.
  • Physical/Environmental Barrier: Includes issues related to building design, lighting, smells, sounds, room layouts, or narrow doorways.
  • Information Barrier: Occurs when signage, brochures, forms, websites, or other materials are unclear or difficult to understand.
  • Communication Barrier: Arises when information delivery methods—whether in person, by phone, or online—are challenging for some individuals.
  • Technological Barrier: Includes obstacles caused by equipment like computers, telephones, or photocopiers, especially in the absence of assistive technologies.

Disability: A condition that limits participation in society due to the interaction between an impairment and a barrier.

Impairment: A physical, sensory, mental, intellectual, or cognitive limitation, whether permanent, temporary, or episodic.

B.C. Context and Legislation – Accessible B.C. Act

  • Enacted in June 2021, the Accessible British Columbia Act initially focused on accessibility planning for provincial government organizations.
  • As of September 1, 2022, the Accessible British Columbia Regulation expanded these requirements to include schools. Independent schools like Al-Hidayah School must have:
    • An Accessibility Committee
    • An Accessibility Plan
    • A method for gathering feedback on accessibility
  • The Act aims to create better opportunities for individuals with disabilities by identifying, removing, and preventing barriers.

 Our Commitment to Accessibility

We are dedicated to ensuring an inclusive and accommodating environment for all members of our school community. Through deliberate planning, design, and ongoing effort, we strive to remove barriers and improve accessibility.

Our School’s Aims

Our goal is to:

  • Enhance collaboration with families and the broader community.
  • Foster creativity and enthusiasm for learning.
  • Deliver quality education with high expectations for all students, empowering them to achieve their potential.
  • Promote positive and respectful relationships within the school community.

Our Objectives

We aim to provide:

  1. Full access to the curriculum
  2. Full access to the physical environment
  3. Full access to information

Current Good Practices

  1. Al-Hidayah School Parents Group for Improved Communication
    • Our Al-Hidayah School translate message into Arabic and English languages, improving accessibility.

Objectives:

  • To eliminate information barriers, particularly for those who may have difficulty understanding English.
  • To foster stronger parent-school relationships by promoting better communication and collaboration.

Implementation:

  • Parents receive message instructions on how to contact Al-Hidayah School.
  • Individualized verbal support is provided for parents who require guidance.
  1. Early Identification of Student Needs
    • As part of our admissions process, we inquire about any disabilities or health conditions to ensure appropriate support is provided from the beginning.

Objectives:

  • To identify and address student needs early to offer timely support.

Implementation:

  • Parents complete health information forms during the admissions process (e.g., Student Information Forms, Anaphylaxis Forms, Emergency Contact Information Forms).
  • Follow-up conversations are conducted via phone or in person as needed.
  • Staff members receive training at the start of the academic year and during staff meetings.

 

School Accessibility Feedback form.

At Al-Hidayah School, we want to learn about specific barriers or helpful supports that people encounter when they are trying to:

  • Access a school program, building, or school information.

The Al-Hidayah School Accessibility Committee will review your feedback monthly, which will be used to revise future accessibility planning. If you need accommodation for your student or if this is an urgent matter, don’t hesitate to contact the school directly by calling the school at (604) 524-2752 or email admin@alhidayahschool.ca  and include the following.