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Welcome to Getting Started with Accessibility!

This course provides details about student supports for disabilities at Lethbridge Polytechnic. Our goal is to build a common foundation to facilitate providing support to Lethbridge Polytechnic learners with accessibility needs. We all have a shared duty to accommodate; this course aims to ease your pathway to understanding accommodations.

As a caregiver, parent, guardian, or other support person for a student at Lethbridge Polytechnic with accommodation needs, this course may help answer questions, act as a resource for information, build community, and—importantly—ensure that students have the support they need to be autonomous and successful at polytechnic and beyond.

Disability language primer

It’s important to keep in mind that different people and communities have different preferences when it comes to disability language. Some people prefer person-first language, while others prefer identity-first language.

When referencing disability generally, it’s appropriate to acknowledge these differences in preference and to use a mixture of terms. Of course, whenever possible, it’s best to ask individual people what terms they prefer to use.

Disability language resources

Staying up to date on respectful and accurate terminology can feel challenging. The important thing is being willing to learn. Still, it can be helpful to have reputable resources to consult when you encounter outdated or potentially harmful language, and you aren’t sure how best to revise it. The following online resources can provide guidance:

• National Center on Disability and Journalism Disability Language Style Guide Links to an external site.
• Disability Style Guide: Disability Glossary Links to an external site.
• Conscious Style Guide: Ability + Disability Guide Links to an external site.