The province of Ontario has teamed up with the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work to publish an educational book series for children that casts spotlight on acceptance and individuality.
The three-book series is written by Carolyn MacDiarmid, a former preschool teacher with low vision, and features characters with diverse talents and strengths.
Ontario’s Accessibility Minister, Tracy MacCharles, made the announcement at a special event at the Abilities Centre in Whitby on Family Day, Feb. 19.
“Promoting greater acceptance and inclusion for young people with disabilities to the next generation will help us build a more accessible Ontario today and tomorrow,” she said.
The Abilities Centre is a fully accessible, multi-functional facility that provides sports and fitness, arts, research and education, and life skills opportunities for people of all ages and abilities.
The province has invested a total of $250,000 to develop the series through the Ontario150 program. As part of Access Talent: Ontario’s Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities, the series strives to help support and inspire youth and students with disabilities to achieve their full potential.
Public libraries and elementary schools across the province can order copies of the books for free through Publications Ontario. Print, digital, accessible and braille versions are available in English and French.
