The Workplace Accessibility & Inclusion Action Research (AIAR) Toolkit supports departments, units and teams across UBC in creating more accessible, inclusive and equitable workplace environments.
The AIAR toolkit is designed to facilitate meaningful conversations among faculty and staff about disability in the workplace. It provides practical resources and guidance to help teams identify, reflect on, and address accessibility barriers and practices.
Why this matters
According to the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability, 27 per cent of Canadians aged 15 and older identify as having a disability—an increase from 22 per cent in 2017. UBC is committed to accessibility and inclusion through institutional priorities of the Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism Framework, and through legislative requirements, including the Accessible British Columbia Act.
Disabled people bring vital knowledge, creativity, and insight into problem-solving, collaboration, and care. Dismantling ableism and removing barriers is not only about compliance or accommodation–it is about unlocking the full potential of our collective capacity.
When we centre interdependence, we move toward a campus culture where everyone’s contributions are recognized and where care, access, and equity are shared and mutual responsibilities. The AIAR toolkit supports this cultural change by promoting the participation of disabled people and strengthening inclusion across UBC workplaces.
The toolkit also provides opportunities for cross-unit knowledge sharing, encouraging collaboration and collective learning across the university.
Who is this toolkit for
The Toolkit is designed for any team, unit or department interested in working towards putting accessibility and inclusion principles into daily practice in their workplace(s).
What your unit will gain
By working through the Toolkit, your unit will be able to:
• Define key concepts around disability and inclusion.
• Reflect on the ways the workplace can exclude people with disabilities.
• Identify issues within the unit and strategies designed to resolve them.
• Implement and adjust actions based on ongoing reflection and team learning.
• Communicate and share insights about effective accessibility and inclusion strategies within and beyond the unit.
How to get started
Step 1: Access the Toolkit on Canvas
Step 2: Prepare with your team and set the intention for the work.
Step 3: Engage with foundational concepts and lived experiences to support informed discussion and reflection.
Step 4: Understand your unit’s context by completing the Unit Assessment Survey. Your team then receives a report summarizing the aggregated results. Use this to identify priority areas based on impact and feasibility.
Step 5: Tackle change by developing and implementing your accessibility action plan using the toolkit’s templates and action research framework. Adjust based on what you learned.
Step 6: Take a wider view and sustain your progress through ongoing evaluations and share insights with the wider UBC community to support culture change.
Note: A minimum of seven participants from your unit are required to be registered to access the entire toolkit.
Join an info session
This information session offers an overview of the AIAR Toolkit and an opportunity to ask any questions. The toolkit supports departments, units and teams across UBC to create more accessible, inclusive and equitable workplace environments. It is designed to facilitate meaningful conversations among faculty & staff about disability in the workplace and lead to action that addresses accessibility barriers and practices.
What to expect
- Explore how this toolkit might work to support your team to focus on greater accessibility and inclusion in your workplace.
- Learn how hosting the Toolkit on Canvas supports your workplace team, department, or unit.
- Understand the kinds of concepts, process, tools, and facilitation aids included, and how to access them.
Upcoming sessions
Stay tuned for future dates, or contact us at aiar.toolkit@equity.ubc.ca for more information.
Frequently asked questions
What if our unit doesn’t not yet have seven participants?
It may take time to build the engagement needed for collaborative and sustainable action. Continue inviting participation and reach out to your leadership, Equity Lead, or the Equity & Inclusion Office through the aiar.toolkit@equity.ubc.ca email for support in engaging people in your workplace.
What if we already have accessibility practices?
The toolkit can help deepen your understanding of barriers that disabled people may encounter, identify gaps, reflect on current efforts, and amplify practices that are already working well. Sharing what you learn can also strengthen accessibility efforts across UBC.
Is this a course?
This is a toolkit rather than a course. It requires iterative, ongoing and collaborative work to advance accessibility in the workplace. Your unit can engage with it at your own pace, based on its needs and capacity.
How much time does the toolkit require?
There is no fixed timeline. Some guidance from piloting units has provided potential timelines for some of the steps, however, this toolkit is about building, implementing and learning from an action plan – so those timelines will vary depending on your context. Units can integrate Toolkit discussions, action planning, and reflection into existing meetings or planning cycles. The aim is to establish a recurring and manageable practice rather than complete the Toolkit all at once.
How will our information and private Canvas content be used?
Unit information is intended to support the unit’s own reflection, planning, and progress. Content from private Canvas sections is not shared publicly or used to evaluate individuals or units. During the pilot, de-identified and aggregated information may be used to improve the Toolkit in accordance with the Confidentiality and Data Use Statement.
How can a large department get started?
A large department could begin with a smaller working group, such as an EDI or accessibility committee. That group could work through the steps, share the Unit Assessment more broadly, review aggregate results, and invite wider participation in actions and reflection over time.
Get in touch
If you have questions or need support with the toolkit, please contact aiar.toolkit@equity.ubc.ca.