Accessibility Policy

The mission of Halton Waldorf School is committed to providing services to our students, parents, guardians, the public and our staff that are free of barriers and biases. HWS strives to ensure that key principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity are reflected and valued in our learning and working environments. Our conduct will demonstrate our belief in the strength diversity brings to our communities.

 

               Our commitment in fulfilling our mission is to strive at all times to provide our goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We are also committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our goods and services and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers.

 

Reasonable efforts will be made to ensure that:

1. Persons with disabilities are provided equal opportunity to obtain, use and benefit from the HWS’s goods and services;

2. Goods and services are provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities;

3. The goods and services provided to persons with disabilities are integrated with the provision to others unless an alternative measure is necessary to allow a person with a disability to benefit; the alternative measure may be temporary or permanent;

4. Communications with a person with a disability are conducted in a manner that takes the person’s disability into account;

5. Persons with disabilities may use assistive devices, service animals and support persons as is necessary to access HWS’s services unless superseded by other legislation.

 

               This policy and its procedures address the accessibility requirements of Regulation 429/07 Accessibility Standards for Customer Service under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

 

               This policy applies to all employees and all facilities of HWS in Ontario.

 

               “Assistive Devices” are auxiliary aids such as communication aids, cognition aids, personal mobility aids and medical aids (e.g., canes, crutches, wheelchairs or hearing aids).

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The Halton Waldorf School is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities and we will carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:

 

Communication

               HWS recognizes that people with disabilities may communicate differently because of their disability. HWS is committed to communicating with customers with disabilities in ways that take the nature of their disability into account.

 

Assistive devices

               HWS is committed to serving people with disabilities who use, or who may benefit from the use of, assistive devices: whether to access our goods or services, or for other reasons because of their disability. Our employees will be trained, and once trained, will be familiar with various types of assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods and services.

 

Use of service animals and support persons

1. HWS welcomes people with disabilities who use service animals. Service animals are allowed on HWS premises. When it is not readily apparent, employees may ask for clarification confirming that the service animal is required for reasons relating to disability.

2. HWS welcomes people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. We recognize that some people with disabilities may have support people - i.e. paid professionals, volunteers, family members or friends – to help them with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs, or with access to our goods and service. Support persons are allowed on any part of the HWS premises. At no time will a person with a disability be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on such premises. HWS does not charge additional fees to support workers who are attending with a disabled person at an event taking place at HWS.

 

Notice of temporary disruption

1. HWS will provide customers with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

2. The notice will be placed at all public entrances and service counters on our premises.

 

Training for staff

1. HWS will provide training to all employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on their behalf, and all those who are involved in the development and approvals of customer service policies, practices and procedures. As new staff is hired the training will become a component of their orientation and will be provided within a reasonable time frame. Training will be providing on an on-going basis to reflect updates and changes to the act. This will be done in a reasonable time frame.

2. Training will include the following:

• The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the requirements of the customer service standard

• How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities

• How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person

• How to use any equipment or devices available at HWS or otherwise that may help with the provision of goods or services to people with disabilities

• What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing our goods and services

 

Feedback process

         The ultimate goal of HWS is to meet and surpass customer expectations while serving customers with disabilities. Comments on our services regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated and may be provided in the following methods:

 

Mail:

Faculty Chair

Halton Waldorf School

2193 Orchard Road

Burlington, Ontario

L7R 3X5

        

Telephone: 905-331-4387

Fax: 905-3341-3231                 

 

In person:

Faculty Chair

        

Electronically:

info@haltonwaldorf.com

 

All feedback will be assessed and categorized based on the nature of the feedback. It will be forwarded to the appropriate person or body in the school so that they can review the feedback and respond as necessary. This will be done within a reasonable timeframe.

 

Availability

This policy is available upon request and is posted on our website.