On December 3, Niagara College recognizes the UN-designated International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a time to promote their rights and well-being.
This year, NC is featuring the work of Kate Wiley, and highlighting the second annual Disability Awareness Week, March 9 to 13, 2026.
Kate Wiley: Championing inclusion
An Educational Developer with the Centre for Academic Excellence, Wiley specializes in accessibility and inclusion, working to bring awareness to disabilities as a social model as opposed to a medical one.
“Barriers lie within systems,” said Wiley, “In my work, I try to ask how we can mitigate those barriers wherever possible.”
Having worked directly with students with disabilities with NC’s Health, Wellness and Accessibility Services, Wiley brings her frontline experience to her work supporting faculty to improve accessibility in their teaching. She also brings her own lived experience as a parent to a child with disabilities.
Kate Wiley
Wiley’s work with the CAE centers around best practices for inclusive teaching, offering sessions, webinars, and new content for NC’s Accessibility Hub.
Each month, Wiley shares the CAE – Accessibility and Inclusion Newsletter with all faculty. The resource includes tips for teaching for more accessible practices, and creates awareness and dispels myths around different disabilities.
As an instructor of Part-Time Teacher Training, Wiley promotes Universal Design for Learning (UDL), an educational framework that creates flexible learning environments for diverse students.
“It’s important promote UDL right at outset of their teaching journey at NC.”
Wiley underscores the meaning of December 3, with this year’s theme being ‘Fostering Disability Inclusive Societies for Advancing Social Progress.’
“Since 1992, International Day of Persons with Disabilities helps to not only highlight that disability rights are human rights and a social justice issue but celebrates the continuous contributions of persons with disabilities globally,” said Wiley. “As a post-secondary institution, we have an enormous role to play, and opportunity to create change, in committing to inclusion and full accessibility for persons with disabilities.”
Second annual Disability Awareness Week: March 9 to 13
This March, Wiley looks forward to new and more sessions for the second annual Disability Awareness Week, which has been expanded to include sessions for both students and employees.
“I’m really proud of the partnerships I’ve helped to create,” said Wiley, citing sessions with Student Engagement, NC-TRAC, HWAS, EDI and more at both campuses.
The student panel will also return, giving a voice to learners who navigate NC’s campuses with disabilities.
“While NC’s Disability Awareness Week won’t line up with December 3 this academic year, I feel that it is an opportunity to help students feel seen, supported, and valued,” said Wiley. “I hope that it helps to encourage a campus-wide mind shift to question how we design our systems, and normalize conversations about disabilities and accessibility.”
Save the date and stay tuned for more on Disability Awareness Week, March 9 to 13, 2026.
Events to mark International Day for Persons with Disabilities
Toronto Metropolitan University and George Brown College are hosting a couple events to events to mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and these are open to the NC community to attend:
December 1 : Stronger Together: Building a Community for Employees with Disabilities
December 2: Stronger Together: Students with Disabilities in Action
December 3: Stronger Together: A Collective movement for Accessibility Beyond the AODA
NC learning resources
Accessibility and Disability Inclusive Language Guide
Creating Inclusive and Supportive Online Courses
