The province of Manitoba observes May 28 to June 3, 2023, as Manitoba Access Awareness Week (MAAW). Celebrated annually in conjunction with National AccessAbility Week, its purpose is to raise awareness of accessibility barriers experienced by Manitobans with disabilities and to promote removal of these barriers.

RRC Polytech is committed to developing a culture of diversity and inclusivity for the communities we serve. We believe in equal access to education and employment, and we are committed to fostering an environment that is welcoming, supportive and respectful of the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. The College will continue our work to meet, and exceed where possible, the mandate of The Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA).

To advance this commitment to accessibility, RRC Polytech has created an Accessibility Plan, which is updated every two years by the Accessibility Working Group, representing programs and departments across the College.  You can read more about RRC Polytech’s Accessibility Plan, Student Accessibility Services, Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services and Supportive Employment Program on our website. Centre for learning & Program Excellence (CLPE) has developed resources and guidelines on Staff Forum for staff and faculty to create accessible instructional and informational materials.

The Accessibility for Manitoban’s Act Information and Communication Standard was enacted in May 2022, and post-secondary institutions are required to meet the requirements of the Standard by May 1, 2024. To help the College community prepare for this Standard, the following session will be offered at RED Forum: Access in Action: Are you ready for the 2024 Information and Communication Standard? This information session will be led by a panel of staff bringing different perspectives to the conversation – Instructional Design, Instruction/Teaching, Student Accessibility Services and Accessible Technologies. Topics will include an overview of the Standard, inaccessible content and its impact, and designing content with accessibility in mind. Register for RED Forum here.

The Manitoba Accessibility Office will be celebrating Manitoba Access Awareness Week 2023 with a zoom webinar on Thursday, June 1, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The theme of the event is “Reducing Barriers to Web Accessible Information and Communications”.  It will include four short talks with organizations that received Manitoba Accessibility Fund (MAF) grants in 2022/23 to complete activities enhancing web accessibility and experiences for end users. To register for the webinar, please visit the Eventbrite page to sign up to attend. 

If you have any questions or feedback about RRC Polytech’s Accessibility Plan, please email us at diversity@rrc.ca.