Removing barriers, expanding access

Students arrive at university with different experiences, strengths and needs. Creating an equitable learning environment means recognizing those differences and working to ensure they don't stand in the way of education.

For Chris Rogerson, associate vice-president of Student Experience and Success, one sign of progress is that more students are accessing the accommodations and supports available to them. Access and Inclusion Services includes access advisors and academic strategists, who work with students to understand the barriers they are experiencing and develop strategies to help reduce them. Last year, Access and Inclusion Services provided service and support to more than 2,300 students. While a growing number might appear concerning at first glance, Rogerson sees it another way - more students who experience barriers are reaching post-secondary education, and more are comfortable disclosing their needs and asking for support.

"It's actually good news when we see those numbers increase," Rogerson says, adding that it can reflect a campus where students feel comfortable seeking support.

Director of Access and Inclusion Services Michelle Dow believes that improving accessibility begins with being willing to ask questions, including investigating whether the way something has always been done is necessarily the way it has to be done. The goal is not to assume that every student needs the same thing. It is to consider how environments, information and learning experiences can be designed to work for a wider range of people.

"We have to start the conversation," Dow says. "The minute you start asking the 'what ifs,' that's when the possibilities begin to emerge."

New spaces offer expanded opportunities

Increasingly, the "what if" conversations are happening across MRU. One particularly visible change can be found in MRU's accommodated exam spaces. Demand has grown considerably. In the 2022/23 academic year, MRU received 10,535 requests for accommodated exams. Rogerson says that number later reached 12,390, creating pressure on existing spaces and making expansion increasingly important.

The reasons a student may require an accommodated exam environment vary. One student might need fewer distractions or additional time while another may use speech-to-text or reading software, making a shared exam room impractical. Sensory needs can also make factors such as noise and lighting important. To better meet that range, the University converted room Y210, which was previously being used as a makeshift overflow space, into an accommodated exam room. The renovation added 19 spaces equipped with features including dividers, computers, upgraded electrical infrastructure and access to MRU's network to increase exam invigilation through software monitoring.

Nearby, another space was converted to include eight isolation pods. The enclosed spaces offer controlled lighting and a quieter environment, while accessible features support students with mobility needs, such as sit-stand desks. Because the pods aren't permanent structures, they can also be moved or repurposed as needs change.

The impact was quickly apparent. During one fall final-exam period before the expansion, 564 isolated exams were written using 11 existing rooms. After the new spaces were introduced, that number rose to 733. More capacity can mean something quite simple, but important for a student who can now write an exam when their classmates do, rather than rescheduling because an appropriate space isn't available.

From accommodation to accessibility by design

While providing individual accommodations remains essential, another part of MRU's approach asks whether some barriers can be prevented from existing in the first place.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) encourages educators to build flexibility and accessibility into learning from the outset. Rather than assuming one method will work for everyone and making adjustments afterward, universal design considers a range of learners during the design of the learning experience itself.

"When you teach a class that's universal design, you don't need all of your accommodations because it's accessible," Rogerson says.

Dow describes a similar approach beyond the classroom. Information, services and spaces can offer multiple ways for people to engage in person or virtually, through text or video, or through other formats appropriate to the situation. The key, she says, is having accessibility represented during the planning process.

"How can accessibility be a part of the conversation so that we're removing those barriers in the planning phase, as opposed to getting to the end where we've created something great, but then we realize we've actually just created a barrier.'"

That thinking is being incorporated into new spaces at MRU, including the new Sam Taylor Student Commons. Features will include accessible classroom doors, sit-stand desks, height-adjustable counters and an additional elevator. A calm room will offer a quieter space with controllable lighting and soft seating for students who may be experiencing sensory overload.

Accessibility is all around us. It is included in how information is organized on a website, the inclusion of alt text for images, visuals to help someone find their way through a building, technology to help someone enter a space or information available in multiple formats.

Willingness to listen and adapt is particularly important on a campus that has evolved over many decades. MRU is an older campus, and some physical spaces present challenges that cannot be changed overnight. Some changes can happen relatively quickly, while others require planning, investment and time. Needs also evolve as technology, teaching practices and understanding of accessibility change.

This evolution extends beyond the classroom through MRU's recently updated Student Accommodations Policy, which provides a clear, collaborative framework for students facing barriers due to limitations in the academic, service area, or work-integrated learning environment. Grounded in the Alberta Human Rights Act, the policy outlines the responsibilities of all involved in the accommodation process. It also steps in during unexpected circumstances, offering support for temporary conditions like concussions or physical injuries. By maintaining strict privacy for student medical documentation and embedding a two-week appeal process, the framework ensures equitable access while safeguarding academic and non-academic standards.

For both Rogerson and Dow, improving accessibility does not mean assuming the work will ever be finished.

"I feel like accessibility is an ongoing conversation," Dow says. "It's not something that you can consider 'done' because we're always evolving. We're always growing."