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Accessibility Plan

February 22, 2023

Prepared by: WSD Accessibility for Manitobans (AMA) Steering Committee

WSD’s Accessibility Plan is an on-going document.
Feedback is continually welcomed to improve accessibility and inclusiveness within the division and will be added, as appropriate, to this document.
Any questions or feedback regarding the WSD Accessibility plan can be directed to the Accessibility Coordinator.

The Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA)

Provincial legislation was introduced to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility. Under the AMA, each organization is required to develop and publish a plan to identify, prevent and remove barriers to accessibility. 

A barrier to accessibility is anything that limits or prevents a person from being able to receive information, services and goods, and access space or activities. Barriers may prevent access to housing, transportation, community participation, employment or education.

Attitudes can be the biggest barrier.

The plan will cover accessibility standards as they are released including: Customer Service, Employment Accessibility, Accessible Information and Communications, Accessible Transportation and Built Environment. The standards outline specific measures to be taken by public and private organizations. Changes will result in improved accessibility for all Manitobans regardless of (dis) abilities. 

As per the AMA legislation, WSD is required to produce its first plan by December 31, 2016 and to update it every second year.

Winnipeg School Division

Message from Chief Superintendent/Chief Executive Officer Pauline Clarke

Winnipeg School Division is committed to providing inclusive education in all of our schools and programming. Inclusion is a way of thinking and acting that allows all individuals, regardless of gender, abilities, ethnicity or socio-economic status, to feel accepted, valued and safe. 

Inclusion means accessibility – not to a place, but to a process and a plan that requires an understanding of what a student needs to succeed academically, socially and emotionally. In WSD, parents/guardians, the school support team, division staff and community agencies, as required, are involved in this planning process.

I fully support the WSD Accessibility Plan and the efforts to ensure all students may attend and are welcomed by their community schools in a classroom setting where they are supported to learn, contribute and participate in all aspects of school life.

Message from Accessibility Coordinator Fatima Mota

I am very pleased to present Winnipeg School Division’s first Accessibility Plan. WSD is a leader in providing inclusive education to students in Manitoba and we view Accessibility Legislation as a natural next step in advancing our province in a positive and inclusive way. 

I would like to recognize the members of the WSD Accessibility for Manitobans Steering Committee for dedicating their time and effort to accessing WSD’s accessibility achievements as well as our challenges. This work could not have been completed without the input of our many school communities who responded to our accessibility survey through school administrators and parent councils. Thank you for your responses and vision for the future of WSD inclusiveness.

While the work to compile this initial report has been a large-scale task, it is just the beginning. I look forward to the many successes WSD will celebrate as we continue to implement Accessibility for Manitobans Act standards in our services, buildings and attitudes.





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