In recognition of International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, there are several Niagara College initiatives that align with this year’s theme: transformative solutions for inclusive development and the role of innovation in fueling an accessible and equitable world.
Niagara College and Brock University leverage $150,000 funding to develop VR simulation to help foster authentic inclusion for accessibility
Niagara College and Brock University partnered with XpertVR on a one-year collaborative digital content project to create virtual reality (VR) simulations to help students at both institutions learn to foster authentic inclusion for accessibility.
The project – called IT’S AN IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility) – was funded by a grant of nearly $105,000 from eCampus Ontario’s Virtual Learning Strategy (VLS) and aligns with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) goal for the province to be accessible by the year 2025. The total project cost approximately $150,000 and includes in-kind contributions from all project partners.
Screenshot from the VR simulation.
NC’s Theresa Anzovino and Jamie Oresar, Professors in the School of Academic and Liberal Studies, and Jim McEwen, Adaptive Technology Specialist, worked in collaboration with Brock University’s Dr. Maureen Connolly to develop four VR simulations. These immersive simulations give students a window into the lives of disabled people, to raise awareness about ableist interactions, and to learn about appropriate responses and strategies for challenging ableism.
The simulations, designed in consultation with the Advisory Council for Brock-Niagara Centre of Excellence in Inclusive and Adaptive Physical Activity, depict lived experiences of individuals with disabilities that happen on post-secondary campuses. VR gives users a chance to interact with a person (avatar) with disabilities, learning from them as experts on their own experiences and needs with various services and academic areas on campus. The simulations highlight assumptions and systemic barriers that many individuals with disabilities encounter in their daily lives.
The VR simulations will be piloted in early 2023 to both staff and students at NC and Brock. Once launched, the VR simulations will be used in Brock’s Accessibility Consultant Micro-Credential and Niagara College’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization (EDID) general elective courses that are currently delivered to over 30 programs across the College.
As an open source, this digital content project has sector-wide relevance in its ability to help post-secondary institutions build accessibility into programs of study and training. In March 2023, it will be housed in eCampus Ontario’s VLS Collection for anyone to use through an Ontario Commons License or a Creative Commons license. The simulation will also link users to NC’s Accessibility Hub.
Through an experiential approach, the VR simulations will provide a safe space for students to practice developing intentional strategies to challenge systemic inequities and facilitate authentic inclusion with impacted groups. This project is a testament to NC’s spirit of innovation and commitment to accessibility.
The project benefited from the support and leadership of Catherine Brigantino, Brock University’s Co-op, Career, and Experiential Education; Natasha Patrito Hannon, Niagara College Centre for Academic Excellence; Qi (Chee) Wan, Graduate Intern in Applied Disabilities Studies, David Atherton, Dean of Academic and Liberal Studies, and, James Butko, Associate Dean of Liberal Studies.
National Dialogues and Action for Inclusive Higher Education and Communities Conference
On December 2, a delegation from NC will attend this conference virtually at the University of Toronto-Scarborough. The delegation includes individuals from across the academic areas, Corporate Services and Student Services to ensure a holistic approach to how we engage with these ideas at the College.
Visit and bookmark the new Accessibility Hub: accessibilityhub.niagaracollege.ca
Accessibility Hub
In the spring, a highly engaged team of accessibility experts at Niagara College launched a digital Accessibility Hub, an open-source, adaptive resource for any educational institution or community organization with an interest in equity, human rights, and addressing barriers for people with disabilities. Designed as a template with flexibility in mind, all materials – over 55 articles, checklists, videos, and resources – are openly licensed so they can be adopted, adapted, and repurposed by individuals or organizations around the world to improve the accessibility of their professional communications, events, and courses.
Since being launched, the Accessibility Hub has been widely shared in the post-secondary community and is a shining example of the College’s focus on being a local and global community builder. It symbolizes NC’s continued efforts to be more inclusive and foster a supportive student experience.
Learn more and bookmark the site.
Staff donor Trina Washington aims to reduce barriers, level playing fields
Read the full story on NC’s Encore website.
