Key terms

An inclusive play space is a place where people of all ages, abilities, and cultures feel welcome to play and spend time together. It is designed so people can easily get there, move around safely and comfortably, and take part in many different play experiences, activities, and challenges. An inclusive play space includes the equipment, pathways, seating, shade, washrooms, gathering spaces, and other features that support the whole play experience. It uses principles of inclusion and accessibility so that people with different needs, abilities, and backgrounds can choose how they play, participate, and enjoy the space for as long as they wish. (Adapted from: Everyone Can Play: A Guideline to Inclusive Playspaces, Government of NSW, 2023)

Accessibility means removing barriers so everyone can take part in community life and have equal opportunities to contribute, participate, and benefit. Barriers can be physical, like stairs or narrow doorways; communication barriers, like information that is hard to read or understand; or social barriers, like unfair treatment or exclusion. Accessibility is important because it helps people feel included, respected, and able to participate in all parts of life, including social, cultural, economic, spiritual, and political activities.

People may experience barriers in different ways based on many parts of their identity, such as disability, age, culture, gender, language, income, or family background. These different experiences can overlap and sometimes create extra barriers. By identifying and removing these barriers, accessibility helps more people feel welcome, belong, and fully participate in their communities. (Adapted from COV Accessibility Strategy)

Ableism is a way of thinking and organizing society that treats people with disabilities as less capable, less valuable, or less important than people without disabilities. It can lead to people with disabilities being excluded, treated unfairly, ignored, or denied support and opportunities. Ableism can affect how buildings, services, workplaces, schools, and communities are designed, often making it harder for people with disabilities to participate. People may experience ableism starting from birth, or after becoming disabled at any point in life. Ableism often overlaps with other forms of unfair treatment and can create barriers that affect a person’s dignity, choices, participation, and sense of belonging. (Adapted from COV Accessibility Strategy)

Barriers are anything that makes it harder for a person with a disability to fully and equally take part in everyday life. Barriers can affect how people access places, services, information, opportunities, or relationships. They may be physical, communication, social, financial, or organizational. Some people may face additional or more complex barriers because of other parts of who they are, such as their age, culture, gender, language, income, or other experiences of unfair treatment. (Adapted from COV Accessibility Strategy)

Caregiver: A person who helps take care of someone else, such as a parent, family member, or support worker. (Adapted from Family Caregivers of British Columbia and Statistics Canada)

Cultural Inclusion: Making sure people from all cultures feel welcome, respected, and included. (Adapted from the UNESCO Declaration on Cultural Diversity)

Disability includes physical, mental health, cognitive, intellectual, sensory, or age-related conditions that may affect how a person moves, communicates, learns, processes information, or experiences the world. Barriers in the environment, services, systems, or attitudes make it harder for a person with disabilities to fully and equally take part in everyday life. Disabilities may be visible or invisible, and they may be permanent, temporary, or come and go over time. People may also experience disability in different ways depending on other parts of who they are, such as their age, culture, gender, language, income, or life experiences. (Adapted from COV Accessibility Strategy)

Equity means creating access in ways that recognise that people do not all start from the same place or have the same needs. For people with disabilities, equitable approaches focus on removing barriers and providing the supports, adjustments, or opportunities each person may need to fully participate. Equity is different from equality. Equality means giving everyone the same thing or treating everyone the same. Equity means providing different kinds of support based on a person’s needs so everyone has a fair opportunity to participate, belong, and succeed. (Adapted from COV Accessibility Strategy)

Inclusion is a way of thinking and acting that celebrates diversity and differences. Inclusivity means that everyone has something of value to offer, and that everyone has a right to belong. (Adapted from multiple sources: Alberta Education, cited in Creating Accessible Play Spaces, Rick Hansen Foundation, 2020; and Inclusive Play Design Guideline, Playworld, 2019)

Universal design means designing products, places, and spaces so they are welcoming, attractive, and usable by as many people as possible, regardless of their age, ability, or stage of life. Universal design aims to make things easier to access, understand, and use from the start, without the need for special adaptations wherever possible. It is often used in the design of buildings, housing, public spaces, products, transportation systems, and other parts of everyday life so that more people can use them safely, comfortably, and independently. Universal design is guided by seven principles:

Equitable use means a space, product, or service is designed to work well for people with different abilities, needs, and backgrounds. It is useful, welcoming, and accessible to as many people as possible.
Flexibility in use means a design can support different ways of using it. It allows people to choose the methods, positions, tools, or supports that work best for them.
Simple and intuitive use means a design is easy to understand and use, even for people with different levels of experience, knowledge, language, energy, or literacy.
Perceptible information means important information is shared in clear ways that people can notice, understand, and use, including people with different sensory, communication, or learning needs.
Tolerance for error means a design helps prevent mistakes and reduces the risk of harm if someone makes an accidental or unintended action.
Low physical effort means a design can be used comfortably, safely, and efficiently without causing unnecessary strain, fatigue, or discomfort.
Size and space for approach and use means there is enough room for people to reach, move, turn, interact with, and use a space or object comfortably, regardless of their body size, posture, mobility, or use of mobility aids.

(Adapted from the COV Accessibility Strategy and the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design)