The University of Waterloo's employee accessibility training was revised in December 2019 to include updates to both our own accessibility initiatives and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). All University of Waterloo employees whether full-time, part-time, or contract are required to complete the accessibility training and it must be up-to-date.
How to access accessibility training
- Login to LEARN using your University WatIAM username and password
- Click the “Self Registration” link at the top of the page
- Select “AODA_Training: Accessibility Training” from the list
Note: If you receive a "not authorized" error, please contact LEARN support to have your User ID added to LEARN.
Be sure to visit the Safety Office's training webpage for other mandatory training requirements.
Training for volunteers
Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), the University is required to train all volunteers with the University as soon as practicable and keep a record of the training provided. The University has established the following definition for “volunteers”:
Definition: Individuals who, with or without special training, provide support to the University without payment and without any expectation of any kind of compensation outside of any academic or experiential learning program. Interns must not include students completing a practicum tied to academic requirements.
FOR NON-CANADIAN/NON-PERMANENT RESIDENTS: Many activities that do not provide financial remuneration (wages) are considered work by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and require a Work Permit and proper admission documents. Insurance coverage may also be impacted. It is important to be mindful of these work restrictions before undertaking or offering any activities or volunteer experiences.
**Please refer to the University’s Volunteer Guidelines for other relative requirements and departmental responsibilities regarding engagement with volunteers.
Departmental responsibilities
Departments that utilize volunteers to act on behalf of the University are responsible for ensuring that volunteers receive adequate training, as legislated by the AODA. Additionally, they are responsible for retaining a record of the training. Please note that volunteer training records are not stored in Workday.
- Waterloo's Volunteer Accessibility Training (PDF)
- Volunteer Accessibility Training Record-keeping Template (xlsx)
Please ensure volunteers complete any other applicable training prior to starting volunteer activities.
Questions?
If you have any questions regarding the training, including its content, please contact the Disability Inclusion team at aoda@uwaterloo.ca.