{"id":49211,"date":"2018-08-23T14:59:10","date_gmt":"2018-08-23T18:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsroom.carleton.ca\/?post_type=cu_story&p=49211"},"modified":"2025-10-10T10:31:25","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T14:31:25","slug":"raymond-cho-accessibility-inclusion","status":"publish","type":"cu_story","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/news\/story\/raymond-cho-accessibility-inclusion\/","title":{"rendered":"Minister Raymond Cho Praises Carleton\u2019s Accessibility and Inclusion Efforts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Minister Raymond Cho Praises Carleton\u2019s Accessibility and Inclusion Efforts\n <\/h1>\n \n <\/header>\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/path>\n <\/path>\n <\/svg>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n

Ontario\u2019s Minister of Seniors and Accessibility, Raymond Cho<\/a>, toured Carleton University to get an inside look at how it is pushing the boundaries of accessibility and inclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The tour held on Aug. 22 was organized by the Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities (PMC)<\/a>, which provides academic and support services, and the Research, Education, Accessibility and Design (READ)<\/a> initiative. It was designed to highlight, celebrate and cultivate Carleton\u2019s expertise, leadership and collaboration with the community to create greater accessibility and a more inclusive world.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cWe wanted to show that . . . we\u2019re on the leading edge of accessibility and inclusion,\u201d said Dean Mellway<\/a>, special adviser to the READ initiative.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cEvery individual should have access to and full inclusion in society, regardless of whether they have a disability or face any other barrier. It\u2019s a long time coming.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Minister
Seniors and Accessibility Minister Raymond Cho meets Carleton President Benoit-Antoine Bacon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cho, who knows about disability firsthand after suffering a stroke in June, was impressed by Carleton\u2019s commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cI\u2019m very honoured to be here \u2026 you run an excellent program,\u201d said Cho, who visited various locations on campus.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re fostering a real culture of accessibility in everything that\u2019s being done on campus,\u201d said Carleton President Benoit-Antoine Bacon.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Minister<\/figure>\n\n\n

An Accessibility Initiative That is Unique in Canada<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The tour kicked off at Prescott House, where Cho was introduced to Carleton\u2019s Attendant and Personal Care Services Program<\/a> for students with disabilities in residence. The program, which runs 24 hours a day, is the only one of its kind in Canada and gives students with disabilities who face barriers to completing a post-secondary education the opportunity to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From there, the party travelled to the Advanced Biomechatronics and Locomotion (ABL) Laboratory<\/a> in the Canal Building to see some of the accessible designs by Carleton students \u2014 from a balance aid system to a rehabilitation robot used to help stroke victims work through therapeutic motions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Minister
Seniors and Accessibility Minister Raymond Cho meets Rafik Goubran, vice-president (Research and International) in the Canal Building<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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\u201cWe want to try and raise the quality of life for people with disabilities and give them access to every opportunity,\u201d said Jacob Booth, a master\u2019s student in Electrical and Computer Engineering<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Carleton students also regularly excel in the Innovative Designs for Accessibility (IDeA) competition<\/a>, now run by Universities Canada, which challenges students to develop innovative, cost-effective and practical solutions to accessibility-related issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cho then sat down with READ Director Boris Vukovic his staff to learn more about the program and the upcoming launch of the David C. Onley Initiative for Employment and Enterprise Development<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Minister<\/figure>\n\n\n

Developing Knowledge, Resources and Tools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The Onley initiative is a $5-million partnership between four of Ottawa\u2019s post-secondary institutions (Carleton, University of Ottawa, Algonquin College and La Cit\u00e9) funded by Ontario\u2019s Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.<\/a> It will develop knowledge, resources and tools to support students with disabilities in advancing their careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to the efforts of the Carleton\u2019s wide array of resources and accommodations, students with disabilities are graduating on par with those who do not have disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Minister<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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However, a gap does still exist when it comes to employment outside of university \u2014 in 2011, just 49 per cent of Canadians with disabilities aged 25 to 64 were employed, in sharp contrast to the employment rate for Canadians without disabilities sitting at close to 80 per cent, according to Statistics Canada<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cThat\u2019s a 30 per cent difference, that\u2019s huge,\u201d Vukovic said. \u201cWe want to change that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Onley Initiative, along with the university\u2019s recently launched Carleton University Accessible Experiential Learning (CUAEL)<\/a> project, aims to bridge the gap by connecting students with disabilities to employment and entrepreneurial opportunities to provide them with hands-on workplace experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"Minister<\/figure>\n\n\n

An Empowering Opportunity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Rebecca Andre, who works at the Student Experience Office (SEO) through the CUAEL project, spoke about how empowering the opportunity is for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have been surrounded by so much support, so much community, it\u2019s been amazing,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\u201cI have the confidence to put myself out there.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

One of the most important parts of the CUAEL project for Andre is the fact that it encourages employers to look beyond a person\u2019s disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRemoving that barrier is so freeing . . . it\u2019s that phenomenal relief,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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