COVID-19 update: the Equity and Inclusion Office is open for the winter term as of January 4, 2021. Our staff are available to provide consultation, support and education for faculty, staff and students through online/video or phone appointments. Click here to contact us.
Skip to McMaster Navigation Skip to Site Navigation Skip to main content
McMaster Logo McMaster logo

Accessibility Hub

Groups & Services

McMaster instructors, staff and students! Interested in joining an accessibility list serve for up-to-date information on accessibility and disability inclusion (including regular training opportunities)? Connect with the AccessMac Program in the Equity and Inclusion Office to subscribe!

Sign Up

Employee Accessibility Network

Inspired by the community building efforts of McMaster students with disabilities, and in response to provincial accessibility legislation, the Equity and Inclusion Office invites staff and faculty who personally identify with disability-related issues to join the already-established Employee Accessibility Network!

The Employee Accessibility Network (EAN) was formed in response to provincial accessibility legislation. Meetings are hosted monthly by the Equity and Inclusion Office on McMaster’s main campus (with a phone-in option).

Who can attend? 

  • McMaster employees (e.g., TAs, RAs, student employees, etc.)
  • Individuals who identify with disability-related issues (e.g., experience disability, disablement, chronic illness, and/or a health, mental health or addiction concern)
  • Those who want to learn more about workplace accessibility and accommodations
  • Those who are interested in meeting confidentially with other employees with disabilities to share information and offer suggestions for enhancing accessibility at McMaster

What do we do?

Most meetings include a mix of peer support, consultation, and strategizing related to:

  • workplace accommodations
  • employment equity
  • career advancement
  • accessibility in the workplace (e.g., work schedules, parking)
  • negotiating disability/disclosure at work
  • policy-related discussions
  • other topics introduced by members!

Get in touch (confidentially)!

Kate Brown,

Accessibility Program Manager

Equity and Inclusion Office: access@mcmaster.ca

McMaster Accessibility Council

MAC is responsible for ensuring the University’s adherence to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

MAC provides a mechanism for planning, reviewing and evaluating the implementation of the AODA Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation within the University.  It is responsible for addressing identified barriers,  developing plans for their removal and taking steps to prevent future barriers. MAC will also review work from previous years to determine if all objectives have been met, identify reasons for unaddressed objectives, and specify how these objectives can be re-instituted going forward. MAC reviews its membership on an annual basis to ensure adequate representation from persons with disabilities.

McMaster University introduced its first accessibility plan entitled the McMaster University Accessibility Plan 2012-2025 in compliance with the Ontario Disabilities Act (ODA) in the 2003-2004 academic year. This plan outlines accomplishments that have been achieved over the last few years in terms of the removal and prevention of barriers; however, the list is not exhaustive.  McMaster recognizes that individual departments make many efforts to accommodate without necessarily seeking recognition. The university applauds such efforts and encourages continuation of these practices. This document contains a record of known accomplishments as a means of demonstrating its efforts in the removal and prevention of barriers to access for persons with disabilities. The continually expanding McMaster University Accessibility Plan 2012-2025 document is one snapshot in a series of successive plans, and is a model for future accessibility plans. The document retains a progressive plan of activities that forecast full implementation of the AODA standards by 2025.  MAC will update this plan annually in order to capture progress made by the University to ensure full compliance with the AODA.

mcmaster accessibility council terms of reference

The McMaster Accessibility Council and its Members are responsible for ensuring the University’s adherence to Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities (AODA) Standards. The Council provides a mechanism for planning, reviewing and evaluating the implementation of the AODA Standards within the University.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Council will:

1. Guide the development of plans for the implementation of the AODA Standards at the University;

2. Receive plans and reports related to the implementation of AODA Standards from MAC Working Groups;

3. Make recommendations to the University regarding policies and institutional changes required to ensure adherence to the AODA Standards;

4. Monitor the progress of AODA Standards implementation across the University and;

5. Oversee the filing of the required accessibility reports to the Ontario government regarding the University’s compliance with the AODA.

ACCOUNTABILITY

The Council will report to the President through the Provost & Vice- President (Academic) and the Vice-President (Administration). The Council will prepare an annual report of its September 1 to August 31 activities, to be submitted to the Provost & VP Academic and the VP Administration by December 1. The Terms of Reference will be reviewed every five years.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership on the Council is made up of senior officers of the University who are accountable for decisions made at the Council. From time to time, members of the Council may send a delegate if they are unable to attend a meeting. Membership of the Council will be reviewed periodically to ensure that all areas of the University are appropriately represented.

Process for Selecting Chair (TBD) 

Quorum

Four senior officers (or designates who have been given authority) are required to vote on a motion to bind the University. Where there is a vote binding another department, the Council member of that particular department must be present at the meeting.

Members (voting)

Associate Vice-President (Equity and Inclusion) – Ex-Officio

Associate University Librarian (current Chair)

Associate Vice-President, Research

Associate Vice-President (Students & Learning) and Dean of Students

Associate Vice-Provost, Faculty

Assistant Vice-President & Chief Facilities Officer

Assistant Vice-President & Chief Human Resources Officer

Assistant Vice-President & Chief Technology Officer

Assistant Vice-President (Administration) & Chief Financial Officer

Assistant Vice-President, Faculty of Health Sciences

Director, Communications

Consultants (non-voting)

Accessibility Program Manager (Equity & Inclusion Office)

Employment Equity Specialist (Human Resource Services)

Director, Student Accessibility & Case Management

Vice-President (Education), McMaster Students Union

Stakeholder Groups

The Council, through the Accessibility Program Manager and the Vice-President (Education, McMaster Student Union), will facilitate regular consultation with existing networks of employees and students with disabilities, e.g. the Employee Accessibility Network, MSU Maccess, and the Disability Inclusion, Madness, Accessibility, and NeuroDiversity (DIMAND) Working group under PACBIC, to ensure stakeholder feedback is considered in the exercise of its responsibilities.

MEETINGS

A schedule of meetings will be developed based on an annual planning cycle of issues/topics for the agenda.

Peer Communities & Support

The groups and communities below exist to support faculty, staff and students with disabilities at the University through peer support and networking, intellectual discussion, and professional development opportunities.

Information Box Group

EAN

Employee Accessibility Network

The Employee Accessibility Network is an online and in-person network of employees (faculty and staff) with disabilities at McMaster University. The Network supports peer networking and professional development for members, and acts additionally as an accessibility consultation group to the McMaster Accessibility Council. Please click below to learn more.

Employee Accessibility Network: Learn More
Maccess

MSU Maccess

MSU Maccess is a community, peer support, and advocacy outlet for students with disabilities and disabled students at McMaster University.

MSU Maccess: Learn More
CripSchool

Disability & Mad Studies Reading Group

An accessible social and intellectual disability community on campus with a focus on supporting socially, intellectually and practically disabled graduate students at McMaster and people with disabilities who are considering applying to graduate school.  Anyone is welcome to participate, including those not affiliated with McMaster.

Disability & Mad Studies Reading Group: Learn More
DIMAND

Disability, Inclusion, Madness, Accessibility, Neurodiversity (DIMAND) Working Group

The Disability Inclusion, Madness, Accessibility, Neurodiversity (DIMAND) Working Group endeavours to identify and recommend to the University, through PACBIC, the prevention and removal of barriers that persons with disabilities encounter on the main campus and other McMaster sites as well as through programs, policies, practices, and services provided by the University. Please connect with the below email address to join!

Disability, Inclusion, Madness, Accessibility, Neurodiversity (DIMAND) Working Group: Learn More

Services & Programs

Scroll down to view relevant services and programs for accessing support in the areas of academic and workplace accommodation, library accessibility, disability benefits and more!

Contact Us

Student Accessibility Services

Academic Accommodation Support for Faculty

Site

Academic Accommodations for Students

Site

Assistive Technology Services

Site

Career Access Professional Services (CAPS)

Site

Learning Strategy Services

Site

Transition Program for New Students with Disabilities

Site

Employee Health Services

Disability Benefits

Site

Return to Work Program

Site

Workplace Accommodations

Site

Workplace Injury and Illness

Site

Library Accessibility Services

Alternative Format Support for Instructors

Site

Assistive Technology

Site

Braille Services

Site

Campus Accessible Tech Space (CATS) for Students with Disabilities

Site

Captioning and Described Video

Site

Inclusion Initiatives

Please scroll below to check out some of the incredible accessibility, disability, and critical disability and mad-centred initiatives and projects that McMaster community members have created and moved forward at the University.

Information Box Group

Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Update 2019-2020 Banner

Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Update (Full Version) 2019-2020 Read More

The Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Update is a collective campus community publication facilitated through the Equity and Inclusion Office, which highlights and celebrates the Accessibility and Disability Inclusion work that takes place at McMaster University on an annual basis.

The accessibility and disability inclusion update highlights newsletter for 2019-2020

Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Update (Highlights Newsletter) 2019-2020 Read More

The Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Update is a collective campus community publication facilitated through the Equity and Inclusion Office, which highlights and celebrates the Accessibility and Disability Inclusion work that takes place at McMaster University on an annual basis.

The official cover page for the Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Update for 2018-2019.

Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Update (Full Version) 2018-2019 Read More

The Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Update is a collective campus community publication facilitated through the Equity and Inclusion Office, which highlights and celebrates the Accessibility and Disability Inclusion work that takes place at McMaster University on an annual basis

Title page for the Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Update published by the Equity and Inclusion Office and the McMaster Accessibility Council

Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Update (Full Version) 2017-2018 Read More

The Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Update is a collective campus community publication facilitated through the Equity and Inclusion Office, which highlights and celebrates the Accessibility and Disability Inclusion work that takes place at McMaster University on an annual basis

Open Accessibility: An Illustrated Story of Disability Advocacy by Michelle Sayles and with support from Alise de Bie

Open Accessibility: An Illustrated Story of Disability Advocacy at McMaster Read More

Open Accessibility is an accessible comic, created by artist and student, Michelle Sayles, to capture and illustrate a history of disability work and advocacy at McMaster University and to supplement McMaster’s FLEX Forward accessible education resource for instructional staff

McMaster User Testing Report for Web Accessibility Project Read More

The User Testing Report for Web Accessibility Project was created, coordinated, and led by a collaborative partnership of students, staff and instructors with disabilities at McMaster to investigate the testing of an institutional accessibility website for AODA web accessibility compliance