Accessibility at USask
The University of Saskatchewan (USask) strives to create spaces where everyone can take part in learning, working, and community life. Accessibility is a guiding priority in this work. Accessibility means removing physical, social, and systemic barriers caused by ableism. It also means designing spaces, systems, and services with and for disabled people — including those with visible, invisible, episodic, or contested disabilities. Disability is not a personal deficit. It is shaped by how bodies and minds interact with environments influenced by policy, culture, and other factors.
Accessibility is a shared responsibility. Everyone at USask — students, staff, faculty, and leaders — has a role in creating inclusive spaces and removing barriers. Supporting accessibility shows respect for disabled people’s dignity and their right to take part in many ways.
About the plan
Accessibility Plan 2025 outlines goals and actions in six areas where accessibility can make the biggest difference. It builds on work already underway and reflects feedback from students, staff and faculty.
The plan responds to The Accessible Saskatchewan Act and will be reviewed and updated every three years. Progress will be tracked and shared publicly to support transparency and accountability.
Guiding principles
Accessibility Plan 2025 is guided by universal design and intersectionality.
Universal design means creating spaces, tools, and systems that work for as many people as possible without needing special changes for each person. For example, captioned videos help people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, but they also help people in noisy places, those learning English, and anyone watching without sound. Designing for accessibility benefits everyone, and while Universal Design is important, it does not replace disability-led expertise or accommodations for specific access needs.
Intersectionality means that people can face barriers in different ways because of overlapping parts of who they are — like their disability, race, gender, or culture. Addressing intersectionality means understanding how forms of oppression such as racism, sexism, and classism add to ableism in university systems. For example, someone who identifies as a person of colour and uses a wheelchair may experience both racism and ableism, which may compound barriers to their participation at the university.
These insights guide accessibility planning at USask.
Priority areas
Accessibility Plan 2025 focuses on six priority areas identified in the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Framework for Action:
- Student experience: making services and supports accessible for all students, including those learning online or at a distance
- Teaching and learning: creating flexible learning spaces and materials that support different ways of learning
- Research, scholarly and artistic work (RSAW): improving access to research spaces, tools and opportunities
- Employee experience: embedding accessibility in hiring, training and workplace supports
- Systems: making university systems, policies and digital tools easier to use and more inclusive
- Physical space: designing and maintaining buildings and outdoor areas that are safe and welcoming
Download the plan
This page shares highlights from Accessibility Plan 2025. The full plan is offered in multiple formats to support different technologies and accessibility needs. PDF is best for printing, EPub works well with e-readers and screen readers, and Word offers flexible text display for accessibility. If one format does not work as expected, please try another or contact us for assistance.
EDI Framework for Action
Accessibility Plan 2025 is part of the university’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Framework for Action. This framework affirms that inclusion needs planning and equity means removing barriers built into systems.
Next steps
The university will monitor progress and update the plan as needed. Updates will be posted on this page. Future changes will reflect feedback from the campus community and align with broader institutional goals.
Feedback
Share your feedback anytime to help improve future updates by emailing ediframework@usask.ca.
Feedback will be reviewed by the deputy provost and the university’s equity, diversity and inclusion project specialist in collaboration with leaders from relevant academic and administrative areas.