Persons with disabilities may experience barriers that make it hard to experience full and equal participation when they are trying to:
- Access a school district program, building or information
- Receive a service or support
Our District wants to know the specific barriers persons with disabilities face.
By “accessibility" we mean “How easily can this thing be reached, entered, or used by a person with a disability?
By “disability" we mean the inability to participate fully and equally in society as a result of the interaction between an impairment and a barrier.
An “impairment" includes a
- physical,
- sensory,
- mental,
- intellectual, or cognitive impairment,
- whether permanent, temporary, or episodic.
By “barrier" we mean anything that hinders the full and equal participation in society of a person with a disability
caused by environments, attitudes, practices, policies, information, communications, or technologies, and
affected by intersecting forms of discrimination.
Some examples of barriers may include:
- Buildings with no wheelchair ramps at the entrances
- Floors without wheelchair-accessible washrooms
- Information that is hard to understand
- Forms that are not available in a different form, like Braille or large print
- Important videos without captioning or ASL alternatives
The definitions used are those outlined in the Accessible British Columbia Act. Central Okanagan Public Schools has formed an Accessibility Committee to advise the organization in its development of an Accessibility Plan. Following the directives of the Accessible British Columbia Act, the plan will include strategies to identify, prevent, and remove barriers to accessibility that persons with disabilities may face when interacting with the School District. The committee will follow the principle of “nothing about us without us."
Central Okanagan Public Schools Accessibility Plan
Click here to read the plan.
Accessibility feedback and contact information
Help us understand the barriers you have faced when accessing information, programs, services and/or buildings within Central Okanagan Public Schools.
Make sure to include:- What you were trying to access
- Where the barrier happened and what the barrier was
- Any recommendations you might have
We would also like to hear about accessibility features in the district that are working well.
Ways to provide feedback:
Use this anonymous form to describe experiences and make recommendations on how barriers can be removed or improved upon.Submit your anonymous feedback through our online form.
2. By Phone
250-470-3267
A staff can help you complete the form. (Available: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4pm)
Tell us the language you speak if you’d like a translator, and we will make arrangements to provide someone for you to speak with. 3. Email
You can attach files to help explain the barrier you faced in your email like:
- a video
- a voice recording
- photos
If American Sign Language (ASL) is the best way for you to communicate, you can upload a video of yourself using ASL into the email.
4. Mail
Write to:Central Okanagan Public Schools - Accessibility1040 Hollywood Road S., Kelowna, BC, V1X 4N2
Frequently Asked Questions
What will be done with my feedback?
Your feedback will be read by a district staff member. They will share your feedback with the Accessibility Committee and area of service you had trouble accessing.
Your feedback may influence the School District's Accessibility Plan.
How will I know if my feedback has been addressed?
You will not get a status update about your feedback. If you share your contact information, you may get a follow up request from us wanting to understand your experience better. If there are no questions, you may not be contacted.
Who can provide feedback?
We want feedback from anyone who interacts with Central Okanagan Public Schools, who may have:
- Experienced a barrier
- Witnessed someone experiencing a barrier
How will my privacy be protected?
The questions in the feedback form are optional. They are there to help you provide us with information about barriers. You can share as much or as little as you want. You are not required to share your contact information.
If you do share your name and contact information, your identity will only be known by the people who read it.
