1. Advocating Statement - We are advocating for all the TDSB facility/sites to install ramps and
elevators.
Advocacy Statement - Changing the facility sites will mean children, parents, and/or staff will
have easy access to and through the building. It will also support inclusion of all children.
Research Question: #5
How does it benefit the community itself?
Source of information
This is the website of source:
http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130219/tottenville/parents-of-disabled-children-fight-get-them-
into-staten-island-school
This is the bibliography of the website:
"Parents of Disabled Kids Press for Elevators and Ramps at SI School - Tottenville - DNAinfo.com New
York." DNAinfo New York. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://www.dnainfo.com/new-
york/20130219/tottenville/parents-of-disabled-children-fight-get-them-into-staten-island-school>.
Key Points:
“When he's in that kind of pain, then he can't walk. ...He just stays on the first floor [of the
school],” said his mom, Faye Dilgen.
“At least he’s getting to school.”
But when John graduates fifth grade in the spring of 2014, he may not be able to do even that.
The middle school he’s zoned for — I.S. 34, which is just across the street from his home —
does not have wheelchair ramps outside or elevators inside. To find an accessible school, he will
need to travel to I.S. 75 in Huguenot, a 20-minute drive away.”
“I think it's going to be difficult explaining to these kids what’s going on [with his illness]," said
his mom.” ("Parents of Disabled Kids Press for Elevators and Ramps at SI School - Tottenville - DNAinfo.com New York." DNAinfo New York.
N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130219/tottenville/parents-of-disabled-children-fight-get-them-into-
staten-island-school>.)
Summary of Key points/article above:
According to this article, the need of a ramp and elevator for all children that need them is
necessary since its taking away from their education. It’s taking away from their education
which is very crucial as children are the future of our country. Our community will benefit since

2. parents need to work in order to support their families and if they can’t work because they
have to stay home to take care of their children since their child can’t find a school in his/her
community due to lack of ramps and elevator. Our community is at loss since working parents
benefit our community more than parents that don’t work since if they can’t work then they
might have to get on welfare and the government ends up supporting the family when the
family is capable of working but can’t because of the lack of ramps and elevators.
This article also highlights the fact that the child is obligated to stay on the first floor due to the
lack of ramps and elevators which can take away from the child’s freedom and takes away
his/her self esteem. Since children are the future of our country, it is our job to make them feel
important and valued. We need to increase their self esteem and their independence in them
so that they will grow up to be confident adults that can focus more on their abilities instead of
their disability by installing ramps and elevators for them to feel freedom and take away
barriers that confined them to one place and restrict them from moving around freely.
Overall, more jobs will be created due to the demand of installing ramps and elevators in
schools for construction workers which means a working society.
This article also puts emphasis on the fact that the mother has to explain to her child that
he/she might not go to school because of lack of ramps and elevators. Our community benefits
since children need to be educated in order to give back to the society by going to school to
become something. If they are not able to go to school because of lack of ramps and elevators,
they won’t get the proper education to have a proper career in the future and become who
they want to give back to the society.
Evaluation of Research
The research I have found is helpful in supporting my advocacy position which is to install
ramps and elevators in schools for children that are in need for them since I have found an
article that emphasis’s a lot on the need of ramps and elevators. In this article, a child might not
be able to continue his/her education because the school in their community lacks ramps and
elevators to support the child and therefore, the child has to travel far to get into a school
which has these necessity. The education of the child is at risk. The only solution to this conflict
for the whole community since there may be a lot of other children that are in need of ramps
and elevators in order to move around with ease is to break this barrier and install ramps and
elevators. This way, the whole community benefits from being treated the same as all children.
Every child needs to feel included and wanted. Our economy becomes richer every time a child
gets educated since they end up getting into a career that will give back to the society since
working individual pay taxes and taxes benefit the community.

3. This article also talks about a mother’s sadness as she has to see her child suffer from the
emotional stress of wanted to send her child to a school yet she can’t since the school is not
properly equipped with ramps and elevators for her child to move around. This parent might
end up leaving her work due to having to support her child at home. This will also hurt the
community since our society needs working parents to work and support with paying tax.
Therefore with installing ramps and elevators, this parent can work and her child can get
educated.
The community will also benefit since they are creating employment for people since installing
the ramps and elevators is a job. This will increase tax payers and increase of jobs for our
economy.
Links to Stakeholders
Faye Dilgen is a stakeholder in favor of installing ramps and elevators in schools since her child
is in need of it to move around the school and get an education.
Parents that need this service will be in favour of installing ramps and elevators in schools
because they have children that need to feel independent moving around the school without a
barrier. Especially parents living in that community since they may have to travel farther away
from their home to take their children to school if they don’t have this service or not educate
their child at all which is unfortunate.
Children in need of this service are stakeholders because they need the elevators to go to
another floor if they have a class there. They don’t need barriers to prevent them from being
educated. They need ramps to move around the school in ease. Most importantly children need
to focus on their education and not stress over barriers that will prevent them from it.
Construction workers are also in our favour since they will get more job opportunities to install
ramps and elevators in schools that need them.
Principals are stakeholder in our favor because they will be providing an inclusive environment
to all children and parents.
Teachers are stakeholders in our favor because they will be creating an inclusive and welcoming
environment for all children.

4. Advocating Statement - We are advocating for all the TDSB facility/sites to install ramps and
elevators.
Advocacy Statement - Changing the facility sites will mean children, parents, and/or staff will
have easy access to and through the building. It will also support inclusion of all children.
Research Question: #2
Which school have easy access? Schools that have ramps and elevators for children with special
needs:
Source of information
http://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/marketlane/Programs.aspx
"Market Lane Junior and Senior Public School > Programs." Market Lane Junior and Senior Public
School > Programs. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/marketlane/Pro
http://www.tdsb.on.ca/profiles/5254.pdf
"Morse Street Junior Public School." tdsb.on.ca. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.tdsb.on.ca/profiles/5254.pdf>.
http://www.tcdsb.org/ProgramsServices/SpecialEducation/SpecialEducationPlan/SpecEdPlanDoc/Acces
sibility.pdf
"Toronto Catholic District School Board." tcdsb.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.tcdsb.org/ProgramsServices/SpecialEducation
http://www.brantford.ca/residents/accessibility/Pages/aodo.aspx
"Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act ." Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://www.brantford.ca/residents/accessibility
Key Points:
I have found three schools that have ramps and elevators for children with disability:
Market Lane Public School-“The school is completely accessible with ramps throughout
and an elevator.” ("Market Lane Junior and Senior Public School > Programs." Market Lane Junior and Senior Public School >
Programs. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/marketlane/Pro)
Morse Street Junior Public School-“Our school is fully wheelchair accessible with ramps,
washrooms and elevator.” ("Morse Street Junior Public School." tdsb.on.ca. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.tdsb.on.ca/profiles/5254.pdf>.)
Toronto Catholic District School Board-this school has more than ramps and elevators.

5. “The following accessibility features have also been installed in some schools from a
one-time accessibility grant several years ago: ("Toronto Catholic District School Board."
tcdsb.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://www.tcdsb.org/ProgramsServices/SpecialEducation)
a. Washroom modifications
b. Ramps
c. Wheelchair Stair-Lifts
d. Automatic Door Openers
e. Elevator Repairs
f. Lifting Devices
g. Structural Wall Modifications” ("Toronto Catholic District School Board." tcdsb.org. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://www.tcdsb.org/ProgramsServices/SpecialEducation)
Evaluation of Research
The research I have found is helpful in supporting my advocacy position which is to install
ramps and elevators in schools for children that are in need for them because I have found
three schools in Toronto that have ramps, elevators and more to support children with special
needs. This shows that some schools have these necessities for children that are in need for
them. This tells us that we are the only advocates for this cause. I wasn’t able to find a lot of
schools that have ramps and elevators but what I was able to find was that there’s hope in this.
There’s hope to end barriers for children with disabilities and to create an inclusive
environment for everyone. Under the Accessibility for Ontarians With Disabilities Act, I found
some important information in regards to eliminating barriers, “In order to ensure barriers are
removed the AODA states there shall be mandatory development, implementation and
enforcement of accessibility standards regarding goods, services, facilities, accommodation,
employment, building, structures and premises. The AODA outlines that all changes should be
completed before January 1, 2025, with goals being reached in 5-year increments.”("Accessibility for
Ontarians with Disabilities Act ." Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.brantford.ca/residents/accessibility). This tells us that there are hope and good things to look
forward to with a little patience and hard work.
Links to Stakeholders
The principal of these schools are stakeholders that are in our favour because they are providing
the children with an inclusive environment where the children, parents, teachers are all happy for
ramps and elevators for the children that have specials to move around with ease.
The parents are the stakeholders that are in our favour because they want their children to feel
included and valued for their uniqueness and not excluded because of their special needs.
The children are the stakeholders that are in our favour because they want to move around freely
with less depending on others to do it for them.

6. The community is stakeholder in our favour because they are guiding children that are in need of
ramps and elevators by having it installed in schools to take away barriers that cause the children
to not move around.
The government is a stakeholder in our favour because they are supporting this great cause of
providing ramps and elevators for children with special needs to ease their moving around.

7. Advocating Statement - We are advocating for all the TDSB facility/sites to install ramps and
elevators.
Advocacy Statement - Changing the facility sites will mean children, parents, and/or staff will
have easy access to and through the building. It will also support inclusion of all children.
Research Question: #5
How does easy accessibility support inclusion/diversity?
Source of information
This is the website of the source:
http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/opportunity-succeed-achieving-barrier-free-education-students-
disabilities/elementary-and-secondary-education
This is the bibliography of the website:
"Elementary and secondary education." Ontario Human Rights Commission |. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr.
2014. <http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/opportunity-succeed-achieving-barrier-free-education-students-
disabilities/elementary-and-secondary-education>.
Key Points:
“The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario voiced similar concerns: “Ramps, elevators,
washrooms, lab and counter tops which are appropriate for students with disabilities must be
included in the design of the facility. This gives the message that inclusion is being taken seriously.
In order for integration and full participation to occur, many existing school buildings must be
altered. This may take the form of moving classrooms, building an elevator or perhaps a ramp.
Currently, procedures do not exist that can readily accommodate these changes. Students are often
required to relocate to another accessible facility rather than attend their own local school” ("Elementary
and secondary education." Ontario Human Rights Commission |. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/opportunity-
succeed-achieving-barrier-free-education-students-disabilities/elementary-and-secondary-education>.)
Summary of key points/Article:
The article above fully states how easy accessibility (installing ramps and elevators for special needs
children) support inclusion/diversity. This article talks about the urgency of this issue since children
are having to go to a different school that could be farther for the parents convenience since there
work schedule might not allow them to take the time to take their child to a far school. The fact of
needing these services to make our school board environment more inclusive and diverse for
children with special needs is needed. This is telling us that children shouldn’t have to move in order
to be included in a school or because the school lacks ramps and elevators for them. Children need
to be given the opportunity to study close to where they are more convenient and that something
needs to be done about this soon. The fact that some children need to move to other schools takes
away from their inclusion. Every child has the right to feel welcomed in an environment based on

8. their abilities not what they can’t do because of their special needs. We should not separate them
because the school doesn’t have ramps and elevators. Instead we should act fast on bringing easy
access to all children as soon as possible to avoid any children feeling isolated or less because of
their special needs.
Evaluation of Research
The research I have found is helpful in supporting my advocacy position which is to install
ramps and elevators in schools for children that are in need for them because in this article, it
clearly states the urgency of installing ramps and elevators to support children with special
needs. This article shows a teacher’s concern for children with special needs and how they need
to feel included just like other children. Children shouldn’t have to move to another community
to be educated just because of their special needs. We need to make them feel welcomed and
valued in the same schools as other children so that they can grow up to be confident
individuals who will look at their abilities and focus less on what they can’t do. Sending children
to another school because their community school isn’t equipped with all the necessary things
for them to have access to is not the children’s fault. Children shouldn’t have to a farther school
when they have a community school near them. The school needs to install ramps and
elevators to make the parents and the children feel included and welcomed. This is not only
beneficial for the school as they are making their environment more inclusive to all children but
also to the people that will install the ramps and elevators as its creating more job
opportunities for people in our economy. Creating more jobs means a better economy since
there will be more tax payers which benefit the government. If the government is giving to the
community by installing ramps and elevators, they are also getting back from the community
with more jobs and more people that will pay taxes. This is a win win situation for the
community, the work, the government, the parents, the teachers, and most importantly the
children that are in need of this service in order to move around freely. Installing ramps and
elevators in order to create an inclusive environment is challenging as there’s a lot of work to
be done, with lots of money that needs to be invested but at the end of the day where is the
money going to. The money is going into making our society a better, inclusive, and move
welcoming place for all children to feel valued and the same as other children. The money is
going to the future of our country which are the children and therefore, they will benefit the
economy by getting educated and pursuing a career which will benefit the economy more.
Links to Stakeholders
Children with special needs that are in need of ramps and elevators are the stakeholders in our
favour because they need to feel included and welcomed into an environment that has less
barriers for them to move around freely. They need to feel independent and with the

9. installation of ramps and elevators, they can easily move around the school, with less assistant
needed by their parents or others.
The teacher’s are stakeholders in our favor because they are the once that showed their
concern about the impacts of not having ramps and elevators for children with special need.
They want to create an inclusive environment for all children.
The government is a stakeholder that may not be in our favour as they will need to provide
money in this service which is a little hard since our economy is not very rich. The government
is also in our favour because they will be providing an inclusive environment for all children
which will allow the parents to work with ease. The government needs parents to work so that
they will pay taxes and if their children aren’t getting the proper services in school, they might
have to stay home with their children to take care of them or spend more time taking their
children to a farther school which takes away from their work schedule. The government also is
in our favour since children are the future of our country and therefore, need to get educated
in schools. The lack of ramps and elevators can also cause some children to quit school since
they feel isolated. In order for the children to become educated and have a good career when
they grow up, they need to go to school and to go to school, they need ramps and elevators to
move around with ease.
The parents are the stakeholders that are in our favour as they want their children to go to
school and feel included. Plus their children are in need of ramps and elevators to go to school.
Parents don’t need to go through the stress of taking their children to another school which is
not convenient for them or their children. They want their children to feel welcomed and
included just like other children.
The people that will install ramps and elevators are also in our favour because they will get the
opportunity to earn some money.

10. Bibliography
DNAinfo New York. "Parents of Disabled Kids Press for Elevators and Ramps at SI School - Tottenville -
DNAinfo.com New York." DNAinfo New York. Nicholas Rizzi, 19 Feb. 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130219/tottenville/parents-of-disabled-children-fight-get-them-
into-staten-island-school>.
"Market Lane Junior and Senior Public School > Programs." Market Lane Junior and Senior Public School
> Programs. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/marketlane/Pro
"Morse Street Junior Public School." tdsb.on.ca. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.tdsb.on.ca/profiles/5254.pdf>.
"Toronto Catholic District School Board." tcdsb.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.tcdsb.org/ProgramsServices/SpecialEducation
"Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act ." Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014. <http://www.brantford.ca/residents/accessibility
"Elementary and secondary education." Ontario Human Rights Commission |. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr.
2014. <http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/opportunity-succeed-achieving-barrier-free-education-students-
disabilities/elementary-and-secondary-education>.