How much is Universal Accessibility Actually Taught in Canadian Occupational Therapy Programs?

Area of Science:

• Occupational Therapy Education
• Universal Design
• Accessibility in Healthcare

Background:

• The environment significantly impacts occupational participation.
• Current occupational therapy training may have limited focus on universal accessibility (UA).
• Understanding the extent of UA education in Canadian occupational therapy programs is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the scope and depth of universal accessibility (UA) content within Canadian university occupational therapy curricula.
• To identify gaps and variations in UA education across different programs.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach combining surveys distributed to occupational therapy programs across Canada.
• Collection and analysis of course syllabi related to universal accessibility (UA).
• Descriptive statistics and content descriptive analysis were employed.

Main Results:

• All surveyed programs (13/14) include UA content, but only seven offer dedicated accessibility courses.
• Seven programs provide internships focused on UA, indicating practical application opportunities.
• Identified gaps include limited knowledge, insufficient depth, and poor interprofessional collaboration in UA training.

Conclusions:

• Universal accessibility (UA) education in Canadian occupational therapy programs is heterogeneous.
• Consensual definitions of UA concepts are necessary to clarify the occupational therapist's role.
• Enhancing UA training is vital for occupational therapists to promote inclusive environments.