Accessibility Week wrapped up at UW and across Canada, taking place from May 25-31. It was more than just raising awareness – it was about students and the community taking real action to make campus a more inclusive space for everyone.
One of the coolest parts of the week was the Capacity Project hosted by the Faculty of Engineering, which challenged students to come up with creative solutions to accessibility issues on campus. Some groups focused on physical barriers like tricky building entrances, while others tackled things like how disability is represented in the media. They got the chance to present their ideas to a group of staff.
There was also a spotlight on digital accessibility with the launch of a new Digital Accessibility Community of Practice. It’s a campus-wide network where people from IT, faculty, staff, and students work together to make online tools, websites, and learning spaces more accessible. They’re building a support system to share knowledge and come up with better practices across campus. It’s great to see this kind of collaboration happening, especially as we rely so much on digital learning.
And accessibility efforts went beyond just campus. The City of Waterloo hosted its own events during the week, like a tour of local businesses to rate their accessibility for an AccessNow Mapmission, a platform that rates places in real-time. Also showcased adaptive tech. It really showed how accessibility is a shared responsibility between universities, cities, and the people. Together, they showed how inclusive they benefit everyone, not just those with disabilities.
Overall, Accessibility Week 2025 wasn’t just about talking — it was about doing. Between student-led projects, new digital initiatives, and city events, it’s clear that making campus and the city more accessible is a shared goal. There’s still work to do, but this week proved we’ve got ideas to keep pushing forward.
