National Accessibility Week 2026

The Centre for Workplace Accessibility (CWA) is excited to offer multiple ways to reflect, learn, and engage during National Accessibility Week, taking place this year between May 31 – June 6, 2026. 

The CWA’s theme this year is “Accessibility as Innovation,” which highlights how accessibility goes beyond a checklist—it sparks creativity, drives innovation, and strengthens engagement across our campus. It is a vital part of building a thriving, inclusive UBC community. 

Experiment! 

Start your week with something new. Drop in and try Focus Together: Body-Doubling Work Sessions. Hosted by the CWA, these sessions bring students, staff, and faculty together to work independently alongside one another in a structured rhythm: 25 minutes of focused work followed by a 5-minute break to rest and reset. 

Are you a people manager? Reach out to the CWA to learn how this approach can be adapted for team-based projects in your unit. At the CWA, we’ve also used this format to deepen reflection, engagement, and connection as we move through the Indigenous Learning Pathways course together. 

Innovate! 

Join us for a 60-minute virtual session: Access is an Ecosystem: Navigating Accessible Events Together, launching UBC’s new Accessible Event Resource Guide. This session introduces a shared, holistic approach to accessibility across in-person, virtual, and hybrid events. 

Learn how intentional design choices influence who feels welcome and who can fully participate. We’ll explore guiding principles and practical strategies—from early planning through post-event reflection—to help you create more accessible experiences. Whether you’re new to event planning or already experienced, you’ll leave with at least one idea to make your next event more inclusive. 

Explore! 

Drop in for a 30-minute lunch-and-learn session on SensusAccess, a new web-based document conversion tool available through the CWA. Open to all UBC students, staff, and faculty, this powerful and intuitive tool makes accessibility more immediate and achievable. 

Come as you are, bring your curiosity, and discover how a simple document can be transformed into multiple accessible formats in minutes, which will open new possibilities for learning, sharing, and connection. 

Learn! 

Drop by Koerner Library to explore a curated selection of books and films by persons with disabilities, alongside featured titles from the collection that showcase the vibrant, interdisciplinary field of disability studies.  

This book display is a collaborative curation between staff from Koerner Library and the Centre for Workplace Accessibility (CWA). You can find the selection of books and DVDs on the third floor (ground level entrance) of Koerner Library, right next to the fireplace. 

Accessibility offers new ways to read, work, and gather together. By experimenting, innovating, and exploring as a community, we can continue to create spaces where everyone can participate fully and meaningfully. 

Join us in celebrating National Accessibility Week and help shape a more inclusive future at UBC.