Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) - Training Requirements for Employees and Volunteers
As part of Trent University's commitment to fulfilling our legal requirements of the AODA and building a cultural of inclusivity, we are offering AODA training to all members of the Trent community. Please note that for employees and volunteers these trainings are required, as soon as practicable upon becoming an employee or volunteer.
You can consult the information below to find the training that apply to you and for more information about how to access trainings. If you have questions, please contact access@trentu.ca, For our offering of current training please visit our Main Training Page.
If you have any questions, please see FAQ below, and if your question is not listed there, please contact EHRO.
AODA Customer Service Standard Training
The employee groups and volunteers listed below are required to complete AODA Customer Service Standard Training:
- All staff (including part-time, temporary, sessional etc.).
- All faculty.
- All student employees (including Graduate Teaching Assistants).
- All third party contractors.
- All volunteers.
This training is available online through the "Mandatory Employee Training" course on Blackboard. Online training will generate a certificate that you can provide to your supervisor. Your training record will be stored in Blackboard. To access Blackboard you must login to MyTrent using your Trent-issued username and your password.
Third-party contractors or other employees and volunteers who do not have access to Blackboard can complete the publicly available Customer Service Standard Training through AccessForward, Due to the requirement for Trent to track training of employees, please print the certificate that is available and provide this both to your manager/supervisor and the Equity and Human Rights Office (EHRO) Please contact us.
In-person training on the AODA Customer Service Standard is also available. This training occurs twice annually (once in the Fall semester and once in the Winter semester) as part of the Human Resources Staff Development Schedule. Training can also be arranged for individual departments or groups by contacting Andrea Walsh.
AODA Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR)/Human Rights Code Training
The employee groups and volunteers listed below are required to complete the AODA IASR/Human Rights Code Training:
- All staff (including part-time, temporary, seasional etc.).
- All faculty
- All student staff (including Graduate Teaching Assistants).
- All volunteers
This training is available through Blackboard. You can print the course completion verification notice at the end of the training and give it to your manager/supervisor.
Department specific in-person training can also be arranged. Please contact EHRO.
AODA Accessibility Awareness Training for Educators
The employee groups listed below are required to AODA Awareness Training for Educators:
"Educators" who:
- Design
- Deliver; or
- Instruct courses (including Graduate Teaching Assistants).
This training is available online through the "Mandatory Employee Training" course on Blackboard. Online training will generate a certificate that you can provide to your supervisor. Your training record will be stored in Blackboard. To access Blackboard you must login to MyTrent using your Trent-issued username and your password.
Information on Trent's Legislated Requirement for Training
Trent's Accessibility Policy provides more information on the University's requirements related to this training. The Government of Ontario's Accessibility website also has information regarding legislated requirements for educational institutions such as Trent.
Training for Educators
Educational and training institutions, such as Trent, are obligated to provide "educators" with accessibility awareness training related to accessible instruction as well as accessible course and program delivery. Under this legislation the term "educators" refers to any employee who is involved in designing, delivering or instructing courses. Within educational institutions teaching assistants are also included as educators.
As always, Trent strives to go beyond compliance; therefore we are opening the training to everyone who works with students. The training can be a tool for everyone in the Trent community.
Accessible MS Word Versions of Training
- Customer Service Standard Training in MS Word format.
- Customer Service Standard Training in PDF format.
- Customer Service Standard Training Quiz in MS Word format.
- Customer Service Standard Training Quiz in PDF format.
For alternative accessible formats contact access@trentu.ca.
AODA Training FAQ
Where can I go for more information on Trent University’s AODA policies?
Trent has an Accessibility Policy which is in place to promote an inclusive and accessible campus as outlined by the AODA. This policy and additional policies relating to accessibility and persons with disabilities can be found in the online Policy Library For more information or specific questions please visit the Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility or call 705-748-1011 extension 6602.
What is an AODA Training?
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) requires employees/volunteers in Ontario to complete training in order to increase their awareness and understanding of accessibility barriers, and strategies for addressing these barriers.
Currently, the AODA mandates that organizations provide training in three areas: Customer Service Standard Training, training on the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation/Human Rights Code and, for educators, the Accessibility Awareness Training for Educators. Training is to be completed as soon as practicable upon employment or volunteering.
Organizations are required to provide, within the training materials, organization-specific policies and procedures. Trent employees and volunteers can complete the required training through attending an in-person session or online through Trent’s portal.
Why complete the training?
The AODA training helps employees in Ontario understand and prepare for addressing accessibility barriers that may arise in day-to-day encounters with those who have disabilities. The goal is to create a fully accessible province that allows for equal access and full participation by persons with disabilities. We all have a role in making this goal a reality.
Employees in Ontario are required to complete the AODA training that applies to them, based on employee group or job-specific requirements. Organizations are required to track which employees have successfully completed the training, at Trent, this is done by staff in the Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility.
What training do I need to complete?
Trent University staff, student employees, volunteers, and external contractors working on behalf of Trent need to complete:
- Customer Service Standard Training
- IASR/Human Rights Code Training
For educators, classified as “employees who are involved in program or course design, delivery and instruction" by the AODA need to complete the below training in addition to the above:
- Awareness Training for Educators
Do I need to complete the training more than once?
No, you only need to successfully complete the training once. If you have successfully completed the required training, you do not need to repeat it. If an employee changes roles there may be additional or alternative training within the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation that is required.
What if I have completed the training with another organization in Ontario?
Most often, if you have completed the required training with another organization in Ontario and your job requirements or role do not require additional AODA training then you do not need to repeat the training at Trent. However, as Trent is required to track training completion for employees and volunteers, you will be required to submit proof of prior training to Trent’s Centre for Human Rights, Equity or Accessibility. This can be done through email to access@trentu.ca if you possess an electronic certificate of completion or alternatively by mail.
To whom do I need to provide proof of training completion?
If you successfully complete Trent’s online training, there will be an automatic record of completion created. Employees are encouraged to provide their supervisor or department with a copy of the certificate of completion received at the end of this online training. If you complete an in-person training with the Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility, you will be provided with a comparable certificate of completion.
Where can I go to access AODA training at Trent University?
Trent’s AODA training is provided online through Blackboard—see the Mandatory Employee Training courses section. Employees are generally added automatically to this course; however, if you need access to the course, please email access@trentu.ca or call extension 6602.
In-person training is offered through the Human Resources Staff Development Schedule.
Where can I go for information on using Blackboard and/or Qualtrics?
Blackboard: Trent’s Information Technology Department has a number of Blackboard user guides and resources. Support can also be accessed through the IT Helpdesk either in-person (Bata Library) or by telephone at extension 1010.
Qualtrics: Trent’s Information Technology Department has a Qualtrics resources page. You can access Qualtrics support by telephone at 1-800-340-9194 (in U.S. and Canada)
Where can I go for more information on Trent University’s accessibility-related policies?
Trent has an Accessibility Policy that outlines the University’s commitment to promoting an inclusive and accessible campus. This policy and additional policies relating to accessibility and persons with disabilities can be found in the online Policy Library. For more information about accessibility or specific questions please visit the Centre for Human Rights, Equity and Accessibility or call extension 6602.