1. Access to Immigrant Settlement
Services for People with Disabilities
OCASI-ERDCO – Welcoming and Inclusive Communities Accessibility
Project

2. Outline
∗ Defining disability
∗ Experience of Being a Newcomer with a Disability
∗ The Law and People with Disabilities
∗ Developing an Accessibility Plan
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3. What is the first thing that
comes to mind when you
hear the word disability?
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4. What do you know
about people with
disabilities?
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5. What do you know
about newcomers with
disabilities?
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6. Solutions to the “Problem” of
Disability
Medical Model Social Model
 Cure  Universal design
 Rehabilitate  Accommodating environments
 Prevent  Eliminating barriers
  Including voice and
Treat
experiences of people with
 Decisions made by experts disabilities
 Promoting valued roles
 Changing society
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7. Definition of Disability…
(Continued)
Impairment and/or Exclusionary
Illness
+ environments and/or
attitudes
=
DISABILITY !
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8. What are some of the barriers
newcomers with disabilities
experience in Canada?
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9. Barriers for Newcomers with
Disabilities
 Labour market exclusion.
 Increased vulnerability to domestic and other forms of
abuse.
 Social and economic dependence on family.
 Negative attitudes towards disability in their own and
mainstream cultures.
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10. Barriers for Newcomers with
Disabilities
 Lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate health,
social, and educational services. Service providers lack
sensitivity when delivering services.
 Lack of knowledge of how to navigate all areas of
community life and may not feel it is appropriate to
question professionals or educators.
 Barriers to learning English or French.
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11. Barriers for Newcomers with
Disabilities
 Lack of affordable and accessible housing.
 Gap between immigrant settlement services and disability
specific services.
 Newcomers have decreased access to disability income and
other supports.
 Discriminatory immigration policies for people with
disabilities.
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12. Summary
Broader Society
immigration policies disability supports
Community
barriers to services/supports
lack of accessible/affordable
housing
Individual
Can’t find a job or go
to school
Perception of disability
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13. Definition of Disability
“Disability” results from the interaction between
persons with impairments, conditions or illnesses and
the environmental and attitudinal barriers that
hinders full and effective participation in society on an
equal basis with others.
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14. Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities (AODA) –
Definition of Disability
 Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or
disfigurement
 A condition of mental impairment or a developmental
disability
 A learning disability or a dysfunction in one or more of the
processes involved in understanding or using symbols or
spoken language
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15. Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities (AODA) –
Definition of Disability…(Continued)
 A mental disorder
 An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed
or received under the insurance plan
 Established under the Workplace Safety & Insurance
Act, 1997
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16. Ontario Human Rights Code – Definition of Disability
 ...the person has or has had, or is believed to have or have
had:
 Any degree of physical disability
 A condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability
 A learning disability
 A mental disorder
 An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or
received under the insurance plan established under the
Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997
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17. The Charter of Rights and Freedom
∗ Section 15(1) recognizes that every individual is equal
before and under the law and has the right to the
equal protection and equal benefit of the law without
discrimination and, in particular, without
discrimination based on race, national or ethnic
origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental or physical
disability.
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18. The Canadian Human Rights Act
∗ States that physical and mental disability are
prohibited grounds of discrimination.
∗ The law includes the “Duty to Accommodate ".
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19. Duty to Accommodate
Employers and unions in Canada are required to make
every reasonable effort, short of undue hardship, to
accommodate an employee who comes under a
protected ground of discrimination within human
rights legislation.
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20. Accessibility Standards
1. Customer service
2. Employment
3. Information and communications
4. Transportation
6. Built Environment
(in development)
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21. Types of Barriers
Type of Barriers Examples
Attitudinal Talking to a person with an intellectual
disability like a child
Information & Communication Print is too small for people with low
vision.
Reading level is too high or grammar too
complex
Technology Computers in a computer training class
for newcomers do not have accessible
software, like screen readers or pointing
devices
Organizational Agency doesn’t hire people with
disabilities from ethno-cultural
communities as settlement workers
Architectural & physical 21
No elevator or accessible washrooms

22. Challenges at Work…(Continued)
CHALLENGES RESULT
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23. Accessibility Plan
TASK BARRIERS BEING ACTIVITIES PERSONS TIMELINE
ADDRESSED INVOLVED
Establish policies,
practices and
procedures
Create a
welcoming
environment
Do outreach -
how you
promote your
service
Partner and
network
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