The Disability Screen Office (DSO) has unveiled a course designed for industry stakeholders to understand and comply with accessibility legislation in the screen industry.
The Accessibility & Disability E-Learning Series (ADLS) is launching in spring 2026 and was supported by the Canada Media Fund, Ontario Creates, Creative BC, the Province of British Columbia, the Bell Fund, Telus originals and the City of Toronto.
The course is designed to provide industry professionals with an understanding of current laws, regulations, policies and standards related to disability and accessibility in Canada’s screen industry, encourage recognition of the barriers facing people with disabilities in the industry; and provide guidance on removing those barriers.
Participants will be provided access to province-specific resources, detailing extra considerations depending on the region.
The ADLS will be online, self-paced and available in English and French. The course’s first module will comprise four videos, a DSO spokesperson told Playback Daily, with more details to follow closer to launch. It will have accessibility features such as transcripts, captions and American Sign Language/Langue des Signes Québécoise interpretation.
“Right now, there are very few structured resources to help folks in the screen industry understand what accessibility really means, especially in the context of Canadian laws, standards and practices,” said Winnie Luk, the DSO’s executive director, in a statement. “The Accessibility & Disability E-Learning Series helps fill that gap by providing producers, crew and decision-makers with practical knowledge to remove barriers, create more inclusive environments and stay compliant with regulations that apply to our sector.”
The course joins the DSO’s other programs and initiatives such as its Mapping Representation survey, the Industry Resource Hub and the Screen Festival Accessibility Program.
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