Glossary
- Ableism
- “A system of assigning value to people’s bodies and minds based on societally constructed ideas of normality, productivity, desirability, intelligence, excellence, and fitness. These constructed ideas are deeply rooted in eugenics, anti-Blackness, misogyny, colonialism, imperialism, and capitalism. This systemic oppression leads to people and society determining people’s value based on their culture, age, language, appearance, religion, birth or living place, “health/wellness” and/or their ability to satisfactorily re/produce, “excel” and “behave.” You do not have to be disabled to experience ableism.” (Source: Boston University – Ableism, [PDF version, 80 Kb] TL Lewis)
- Accessibility
- The degree to which a product, service, program or environment is available to be accessed or used by all. (Source: Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada – Glossary)
- Accommodation (adjustment)
- Any change in the working environment that allows a person with functional limitations in their abilities to do their job. Accommodations (adjustments) can be temporary, periodic or long-term, depending on the employee’s situation or changes in the workplace. (Source: Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada – Glossary)
- Accessibility Commissioner
- Appointed by the Governor in Council, the Accessibility Commissioner reports to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion. The Commissioner is responsible for compliance and enforcement activities as well as handling complaints for all other activities and sectors under federal jurisdiction. (Source: Translation Bureau - Accessibility Glossary)
- Acquired disability
- An acquired disability is one that has developed during a person’s lifetime as a result of injury (e.g. spinal cord or acquired brain injury) or illness. The term is used to draw a distinction between impairments acquired during one’s lifetime from those present from birth, particularly with respect to lived experience. Acquired disabilities may result from various types of impairments listed in the Accessible Canada Act, including physical, mental, cognitive, communication and sensory. (Source: Canadian Heritage – Transparency – Literature review).
- Alternative text
- A brief descriptive text that is added to an image to make it accessible to people who use screen readers. (Source: WebAIM (Web accessibility in mind) – Alternative text)
- Assistive devices or technologies
- Technology that works with user agents, like a web browser, to make content more accessible for persons with disabilities. (Source: Employment and Social Development Canada – Glossary of Terms)
- Barrier
- Anything that hinders the full and equal participation in society of persons with disabilities, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory disability or a functional limitation. (Source: Accessible Canada Act)
- Captioning
- The process of displaying text on a video or audio content to make it accessible to people with hearing impairments. (Source: WebAIM (Web accessibility in mind) – Captions, Transcripts, and Audio Descriptions)
- Chief Accessibility Officer
- The Chief Accessibility Officer is responsible for monitoring and reporting to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion on the implementation of the Accessible Canada Act across all sectors. The Officer is also responsible for reporting and providing advice to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion on emerging and systemic issues. (Source: Translation Bureau – Accessibility Glossary)
- Contrast ratio
- The difference in brightness between the lightest and darkest parts of a screen display. It is important for people with low vision who may have difficulties perceiving low-contrast text. (Source: WebAIM (Web accessibility in mind) – Contrast and Colour Accessibility)
- Deputy Minister Champion for Federal Employees with a Disability
- Employment and Social Development Canada Deputy Minister Kristina Namiesniowski, was appointed to this role on November 29th, 2022. (Source: Employment and Social Development Canada Kristina Namiesniowski)
- Disability
- Any disability, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication or sensory disability or a functional limitation, whether permanent, temporary, or episodic in nature, or evident or not, that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders a person’s full and equal participation in society. (Source: Accessible Canada Act)
- Discrimination
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Treating someone differently or unfairly because of a personal characteristic or distinction, which, whether intentional or not, has an effect that imposes disadvantages not imposed on others or that withholds or limits access that is given to others.
There are 13 prohibited grounds of discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act, based on:
- race
- national or ethnic origin
- colour
- religion
- age
- sex
- sexual orientation
- gender identity or expression
- marital status
- family status
- genetic characteristics (including a requirement to undergo a genetic test or disclose the results of a genetic test)
- disability, or
- conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted or in respect of which a record suspension has been ordered.
(Source: Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada – Glossary)
- Diversity
- The inclusion of different types of people. A diverse workforce in the public service is made up of individuals who have an array of identities, abilities, backgrounds, cultures, skills, perspectives and experiences that are representative of Canada’s current and evolving population. (Source: Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada)
- Episodic disability
- Episodic impairments refer to those related to conditions or diseases that result in discrete periods of disability. The underlying conditions or diseases are lifelong but their effects, which can vary in intensity and duration, are different from those of permanent or progressive disabling conditions. (Source: Canadian Heritage – Transparency – Literature review)
- Equity-deserving
- A group of people who, because of systemic discrimination, face barriers that prevent them from having the same access to the resources and opportunities that are available to other members of society, and that are necessary for them to attain just outcomes.
In Canada, groups generally considered to be equity-deserving groups include women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people who are part of 2SLGBTQI+ communities, religious minority groups and racialized people. The types of equity-deserving groups may vary based on factors such as geography, sociocultural context, or the presence of specific subpopulations. Some people may prefer different terminology, such as “equity-seeking group”, which highlights the actions of the communities that fight for equal access to resources and opportunities by actively seeking social justice and reparation. Other terms include “equity-denied group”. (Source: Guide on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Terminology) - Executive function
- A set of cognitive processes that enable individuals to plan, organize, prioritize, and complete tasks. (Source: National Centre for Special Education Research)
- Gender-based analysis plus (GBA+)
-
An analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and non-binary people may experience policies, programs and initiatives. The “plus” recognizes that GBA goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences.
We all have multiple identity factors that intersect to make us who we are, and GBA+ considers many other identity factors such as race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability. (Source: Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada)
- Harassment
-
Any improper conduct by an individual that:
- is directed at and offensive to another individual in the workplace, including at any event or any location related to work
- the individual knew or ought reasonably to have known would cause offence or harm.
Harassment comprises objectionable act(s), comment(s) or display(s) that demean, belittle, or cause personal humiliation or embarrassment, and any act of intimidation or threat. (Source: Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada – Glossary)
- Inclusion
-
The act of including someone or something as part of a group. An inclusive workplace is fair, equitable, supportive, welcoming and respectful.
Inclusion recognizes, values and leverages differences in identities, abilities, backgrounds, cultures, skills, experiences and perspectives that support and reinforce Canada’s evolving human rights framework. (Source: Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada – Glossary)
- Intersectionality
- The term “intersectionality” was coined in 1989 by scholar and civil rights activist Kimberlé Crenshaw to explain how race interacts with gender and other factors to produce barriers for Black women. Today, intersectionality is understood more broadly as a framework for understanding how aspects of a person's identity combine to create different modes of discrimination and privilege. (Source: Women and Gender Equality Introduction to GBA Plus)
- Invisibilization
- Refers to the complex ways in which the concerns, lives, experiences, and histories of those who are often vulnerable or marginalized go unseen and unconsidered. Invisibilization can involve covert and subtle or overt and violent means.
- Non-apparent disabilities
- A disability that is not visible, such as mental health conditions, chronic pain, and some neurological disorders. (Source: National Centre on Disability and Journalism)
- Sensory processing disorder
- A condition that affects how the brain processes sensory information, which can manifest in different ways for different individuals. (Source: National Centre on Disability and Journalism)
- Self-declaration
- Applicants voluntarily providing information in appointment processes for statistical purposes related to appointments and, in the case of processes that target employment equity groups, to determine eligibility. (Source: Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada – Glossary)
- Self-identification
- Employees providing employment equity information for statistical purposes in analyzing and monitoring the progress of employment equity groups in the federal public service and for reporting on workforce representation. (Source: Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada – Glossary)
- Trauma
- Psychological and emotional damage resulting from a distressing event or experience, which may cause impairment in daily functioning. (Source: The National Institute of Mental Health)
- WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
- A set of guidelines that provides standards for making web content accessible to people with disabilities. (Source: The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) – WCAG 2)
- Universal Design
- A design approach that considers the needs of a diverse range of users, including those with disabilities, in the development of a product, service, or environment. (Source: Centre for Excellence in Universal Design)
Additional Glossary References
For more glossary terms on accessibility and disability inclusion refer to the following Government of Canada glossary resources: