Our commitment to accessibility
The National Disability Knowledge Forum believes accessibility is fundamental to participation, inclusion, and belonging.
Accessibility is not simply about meeting technical requirements or complying with legislation. It is about ensuring people can meaningfully participate in research, knowledge sharing, decision-making, and community life.
As an organization focused on disability knowledge and inclusion, we recognize that accessibility must be reflected not only in what we advocate for, but also in how we work.
We are committed to identifying and removing barriers wherever possible and to continually improving the accessibility of our website, publications, events, communications, and engagement activities.
Accessibility and Inuit contexts
The Forum recognizes that accessibility is experienced differently across Inuit Nunangat and Northern communities.
Accessibility is influenced by many factors, including:
- Geography
- Housing
- Transportation
- Internet connectivity
- Language
- Service availability
- Cost of living
- Community infrastructure
- Cultural safety
- Social relationships
For many communities, accessibility cannot be separated from broader conversations about community wellbeing, participation, and inclusion.
The Forum seeks to understand accessibility in ways that reflect these realities and recognizes that barriers are often interconnected.
Website accessibility
We are committed to making our website accessible to as many users as possible.
Our goal is to align with recognized accessibility standards and best practices, including:
- Clear and consistent navigation
- Plain language wherever possible
- Meaningful headings and page structure
- Alternative text for images
- Keyboard accessibility
- Sufficient colour contrast
- Accessible forms
- Mobile-friendly design
- Compatibility with assistive technologies
Accessibility is considered throughout the design, development, and maintenance of the website.
Accessible information and publications
The Forum is committed to making its publications and resources accessible.
Where possible, we will:
- Use plain language summaries
- Provide accessible PDF documents
- Use readable fonts and layouts
- Ensure logical document structure
- Provide alternative formats upon request
We recognize that accessibility needs vary and will continue working to improve how information is shared.
Accessible engagement
Meaningful participation requires more than accessible documents.
The Forum strives to make meetings, workshops, consultations, and engagement activities accessible and welcoming for participants with diverse needs.
Depending on the activity, accommodations may include:
- Virtual participation options
- Captioning
- Flexible participation methods
- Plain language materials
- Advance distribution of materials
- Additional time for discussion and feedback
- Alternative communication approaches
Accessibility planning is integrated into project design whenever possible.
Continuous improvement
Accessibility is an ongoing process rather than a fixed destination.
We recognize that barriers may still exist and that there is always more to learn.
The Forum is committed to:
- Listening to feedback
- Learning from lived experience
- Improving accessibility practices over time
- Adapting to changing needs and technologies
- Sharing what we learn with others
We view accessibility as a shared responsibility and an ongoing commitment to creating spaces where people can participate fully and meaningfully.
Feedback
We welcome feedback about the accessibility of our website, publications, events, and activities.
If you encounter barriers or have suggestions for improvement, we encourage you to contact us.
Your feedback helps us improve accessibility and better serve communities across Inuit Nunangat and Canada.
Accessibility and knowledge sharing
The National Disability Knowledge Forum believes knowledge should be accessible, understandable, and useful to the people and communities it is intended to serve.
Too often, research findings remain inaccessible to community members because they are shared only through academic publications, technical reports, or highly specialized language. While these formats have an important role, they are not the only ways knowledge can be shared.
The Forum is committed to making disability knowledge available through a variety of formats that recognize different ways people access, understand, and engage with information.
Whenever possible, we aim to:
- Develop plain language summaries alongside research reports.
- Share findings through community presentations and discussions.
- Create resources that can be used by community members, organizations, and decision-makers.
- Use clear and accessible language that minimizes unnecessary jargon.
- Present information in ways that are respectful of different learning styles and communication preferences.
- Support the translation and adaptation of knowledge resources where feasible.
- Ensure communities can access and benefit from the knowledge they help create.
We recognize that accessibility is not only about removing physical or technological barriers. It is also about reducing barriers to understanding, participation, and decision-making.
Knowledge becomes more meaningful when it can be shared, discussed, challenged, and applied within communities. For this reason, the Forum views accessible knowledge sharing as an essential part of ethical research, meaningful engagement, and community accountability.
By making research and information more accessible, we hope to support stronger dialogue, more informed decision-making, and greater participation in conversations that affect Inuit communities and people with disabilities.