K-12 Education Standards Development - 2022 Final Recommendations Report

Aug 31, 2026

A final recommendations report developed for proposed K-12 education accessibility standards under Ontario’s Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. It transmits the chair’s submission to the Minister and outlines how committee feedback from an initial public review shaped evidence-based, person-centered directions. The recommendations address students with diverse disabilities, define accountability and implementation implications, and align actions with collective work across disability communities, organizations, government, education sectors, and student voices.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatDOCX

Pages195

Reading Time1 h 8 min

AccessFree to download

Letter from the chair

Background

AODA purpose and accessibility standards

Legislative reviews and education focus

Survey and focus areas

Mandate of the committee

Committee role and responsibilities

Development of proposed Kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) education standards – 2022 final recommendations report Letter from the chair The Honourable Raymond ChoMinister for Seniors and Accessibility777 Bay Street5th Floor, Toronto, OntarioM7A 1S5 Dear Minister, The K-12 Education Standards Development Committee has completed our Final Recommendations Report for the development of a proposed K-12 Education Standard under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). As chair and on behalf of the committee, I am pleased to submit this final report for your consideration. In doing so, I would like to bring to your attention several of its key elements, in advance of your full review. The feedback our committee received on our Initial Recommendations Report, which was posted on the government’s website (Ontario.ca) from June to November of this year, provides extensive support for our initial recommendations, which emphasized the improvement of individual and systemic responses to barrier-free education. The recommendations contained in our Final Recommendations Report are intended to be responsive to students with different and specific disabilities inclusive of low incident, invisible, episodic, and highly complex disabilities. The committee work recognizes and respects ongoing evidence-based research principles, approaches to understanding person-centered learning, and accommodating and supporting education that benefits all students. As such, recommended directions are grounded in current research and evidence-based principles that will continue to inform and critique thinking and action supporting accessible, inclusive, and equitable education. The processes for accountability and implementation along with the implications of reframing organizational structures and resources for necessary standards reform will require collective deliberation and solution-focussed attention, along with action by and with disability communities, organizations, government, education sectors and the voices of students with disabilities. It calls on coordination and alignment of current and new policy, procedures and practices that are responsive to equitable accessible education for students with disabilities. The timeline for the recommendations we have provided continues to follow the long-term objective that by 2025, the K-12 education system is fully accessible, equitable, inclusive and learner-centered. The objectives are characterized by immediate, short- and longer-term implementation upon the enactment of the regulation set out by your ministry, and the Ministry of Education. Finally, I would like to let you know once again what an honour it has been to chair this committee and work alongside such enthusiastic and knowledgeable members dedicated to accessibility in all aspects of the K-12 education sector. We were supported extremely well in every step of this process by staff and management in your ministry. We look forward to your response on these final recommendations, and to following the review and implementation process going forward. Sincerely, Lynn Ziraldo Chair of the K-12 Education Standards Development Committee Background The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (the act) became law in 2005. Its stated goal is the creation of an accessible Ontario by 2025, through the development, implementation and enforcement of accessibility standards that apply to the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. The accessibility standards under the act are laws that businesses and organizations with one or more employees in Ontario must follow so they can identify, remove and prevent barriers faced by persons with disabilities. These standards are part of the act's Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation, O. Reg. 191/11 (the regulation). Currently, there are five accessibility standards that apply to key areas of day-to-day life for Ontarians. These are: information and communications

FAQs

What is the purpose of this final recommendations report?

It provides the committee’s Final Recommendations Report to support development of a proposed K-12 Education Standard under AODA 2005.

How were the committee’s recommendations informed before the final report?

Feedback from an Initial Recommendations Report posted on the government website from June to November, along with survey input and ongoing evidence-based research principles, supported and shaped the recommendations.

What accessibility areas and student needs are the recommendations intended to address?

The recommendations target barrier-free responses in K-12 education for students with different and specific disabilities, including low incident, invisible, episodic, and highly complex disabilities.

Aug 31, 2026

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