Partners
With our partners, we are working to scale up innovative and inclusive approaches to Universal Design for Learning in post-secondary education (PSE) as an important pathway for people with disabilities to obtain decent work.
Funding for this project provided by the Government of Canada’s Sustainable Development Goals Funding Program.
Roberto Lattanzio
(he/him)
Executive Director
ARCH Disability Law Centre
ARCH Disability Law Centre is a specialty legal clinic that practices exclusively in disability rights law. Since its incorporation in 1979, ARCH has been a leader in disability rights advocacy and test case litigation. ARCH is dedicated to defending and advancing the equality rights, entitlements, fundamental freedoms, and inclusion of persons with disabilities with low income in Ontario. ARCH is primarily funded by Legal Aid Ontario.
“Students with disabilities continue to face a myriad of insidious barriers when accessing post-secondary education. As the project lead, Eviance has created needed space for key stakeholder partners to work through pressing issues aimed at offering innovative approaches to advance inclusive practices aligned with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Sustainable Development Goals. ARCH is pleased to be part of this important work.”
April D’Aubin
Research Analyst
Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD)
The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) is a national, intersectional human rights and social justice organization of people with disabilities working for an inclusive and accessible Canada. We champion the voices of people with disabilities, advocating an inclusive and accessible Canada, where people with disabilities have full realization of their human rights, as described in the UN CRPD.
The project is unique because its outputs are informed by experiences of diverse students with disabilities. The project exemplifies two important disability rights principles: Nothing About Us Without Us and A Voice of Our Own. That’s why we are involved.
Frank Smith
National Coordinator
National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS)
NEADS’ mandate, since 1986, is to support full access to education and employment for post-secondary students and graduates with disabilities across Canada. NEADS is a consumer-controlled, cross-disability charitable organization. We represent our constituents through specific projects, resources, research, publications, and partnerships. NEADS is governed by a national Board of Directors represent all of the provinces and territories.
“We are so excited to be working with Eviance and other partners on this important project. NEADS represents Canadian post-secondary students and graduates with disabilities. Our mission, as a consumer led cross-disability organization, is to support and advance the full access of disabled persons to college and university education in Canada and the employment market (while in school and after graduation). Our mandate aligns beautifully with the goals of the project Innovating for Inclusion and Equitable Post-Secondary Education: A Pathway to Realizing Sustainable Development Goals.”
Cathy Cappon
Manager, Office of Diversity, Equity & Sustainability Initiatives
Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD) University
Founded in 1876, OCAD University is dedicated to art and design education, practice and research and to knowledge and invention across a wide range of disciplines.
“We are working with intention and care to close the knowledge and skills gap in Canada through inclusive approaches to universal design for learning, instructional excellence and equitable access to education for students with disabilities.”
Dr. Katie Aubrecht
Canada Research Chair Health Equity & Social Justice
Associate Professor, Sociology
Director, Spatializing Care: Intersectional Disability Studies Lab
St. Francis Xavier University – Antigonish
St. Francis Xavier University (StFX) is one of Canada’s leading undergraduate universities, located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. StFX prides itself on the excellence of its teaching and research, the success of its graduates, and its strong commitment to partnerships and social engagement. The Spatializing Care: Intersectional Disability Studies Lab at StFX connects and crosses disciplinary and sectoral boundaries, bridging medical, social, and cultural approaches to disability, aging, and mental health research, policy, and practice. The lab is home to a participatory arts-informed health research infrastructure that supports and enhances meaningful and ethical community engagement. Projects focus on the social and structural determinants of health and well-being disparities.
The partnership is generating valuable knowledge about the social and economic benefits of postsecondary student supports that are tailored to the diverse identities, aspirations, and circumstances of students with disabilities and that directly improve the material conditions of their lives. The Spatializing Care Lab at St. Francis Xavier University is pleased to contribute an Atlantic perspective and work collaboratively with Eviance and its partners to identify approaches that address systemic barriers to accessibility in postsecondary settings and create opportunities for leadership development, co-mentorship, training, and meaningful paid work.
Dr. Melanie Panitch
Executive Director
Office of Social Innovation
Toronto Metropolitan University
The Office of Social Innovation (OSI) at Toronto Metropolitan University was created to develop solutions to systemic social challenges experienced by our students and the wider university community. At OSI, we strive to create transformative approaches to challenge complex social issues through teaching, learning and research. Our commitment to research is informed by the understanding that novel approaches are required to challenge systems of exclusion.
The Office of Social Innovation (OSI) at Toronto Metropolitan University was created to develop solutions to systemic social challenges experienced by our students and the wider university community. At OSI, we strive to create transformative approaches to challenge complex social issues through teaching, learning and research. Our commitment to research is informed by the understanding that novel approaches are required to challenge systems of exclusion.