OCAD University

The Inclusive Design Research Centre (IDRC) at OCAD University is a world leader in the theory and practice of inclusive design and the nexus of a growing global community that proactively works to ensure that our digitally transformed and globally connected society is designed inclusively. The Finding Deeper Commonality project at the IDRC tackles systemic, structural disparities in education and leverages the power of education to effect sustainable social change. By addressing the extreme needs of students who are outliers and marginalized minorities, the project benefits all students by creating systems that can adapt to student differences and variability. To counteract the effect of AI in amplifying, accelerating, and automating causes of disparity, the project also will address the negative impact of mechanized statistical reasoning in AI on students and educators who are not average.

The Inclusive Design Research Centre at OCAD University is the nexus of a growing, open, global community engaging in proactive inclusive co-design of emerging systems and practices in education. To foster mindsets that value human differences, the Flexible Learning for Open Education project at the Inclusive Design Research Centre will: co-create inclusive learning communities across opposing views; support intergenerational engagement between struggling students and isolated elders for mutual benefit; co-design decision tools and success metrics that value diversification; and support ethical decisions about artificial intelligence in education. This will advance and build capacity to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of open education.

The Inclusive Design Research Centre at the Ontario College of Art & Design supports emerging, innovative design in digital systems with a special focus on inclusive education and OER. The Centre will further develop its Flexible Learning for Open Education program to address the needs of diverse learners by removing accessibility-related barriers to OER adoption, and it will continue to support deeper learning by encouraging students to discover, identify, and refine their understanding of how they learn best. This work advances the development and improvement of the technical infrastructure for the OER movement, especially as it relates to accessibility.