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Glossary of Terms

To help you understand the Guide better, we have included a glossary of terms used throughout the document. The way we talk about disability is very personal and can change over time. The definitions we provide might not perfectly match everyone’s experiences, but they reflect the practices and current understanding of disability.

Term Definition
Allyship Allyship is a relationship dynamic between allies and persons with disabilities where there is a shared commitment to dismantling systems of disability oppression.
Accommodation Accommodation is the modification of a work environment and the creation of a welcoming workplace for employees so that they can perform job functions efficiently and safely. Accommodation should be a forethought and intentional.
Accessibility Accessibility is the foundation that allows everyone to be included. Inclusion helps create meaningful experiences. When these experiences happen regularly, they lead to high-quality participation.
Adapted physical activity Sports, games, exercise, or physical activity programs that are modified so persons with disabilities can fully participate.
Area of practice Area of practice is an overarching theme or category of how-to strategies for disability inclusion in municipal recreation. There are eight areas of practice in this Guide, and dozens or more how-to strategies in each area.
Capacity building Capacity building is the process by which individuals, groups, organizations, and communities increase their abilities to perform core functions, solve problems, define and achieve objectives and understand their development needs in a sustainable way and broader context.
Disability Disability refers to any kind of impairment that affects how someone’s body or mind works. This can include seeing, hearing, mobility, flexibility, dexterity, developmental, mental health, memory, learning, pain, and unknown disabilities. It can be something that lasts forever, happens sometimes, or is temporary. Even if you can’t see it, a disability can make it harder for someone to fully participate in society because of barriers they might face. For definitions of disability types, please visit Statistics Canada’s Canadian Survey on Disability, 2022: Concepts and Methods Guide.
Evaluation A planned process to collect and analyze information to see how well a program works and to guide ongoing improvement.
How-to strategies How-to strategies are specific instructions or actions.
Inclusion Inclusion means making sure everyone can take part in activities, programs, events, or roles to the best of their ability.
Incidental physical activity Everyday activities that involve movement, such as walking to school or helping at home. These are usually light-intensity forms of activity.
Inclusive physical activity Physical activity programs where persons with and without disabilities participate together in the same activities.
Indicator A number or observation that shows something important about a program, such as participation rates, behaviours, or community outcomes.
Interview A directed conversation used to gather detailed information from a person about their experiences or opinions. They can be face-to-face, by phone, or online, and can follow set questions or be more open-ended.
Integrated physical activity Physical activity programs or settings where persons with disabilities are brought into a program that has been designed for persons without disabilities.
Intersectionality Intersectionality is a framework for understanding how a person’s various social identities—such as gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, class —combine to create unique experiences of both advantage and disadvantage.
Light physical activity Intentional activities that require little effort and do not cause noticeable changes in breathing, such as slow walking or easy stretching.
Measure A tool or set of questions used to describe and compare different parts of a program or behaviour being studied.
Medical model of disability The language of the medical model is medical and clinical. Disability is perceived as an impairment in a body function that is inherently pathological, and the goal is to return the function to as close to “normal” as possible.
Moderate to vigorous physical activity Activities that take more effort and make participants breathe harder and feel warmer or tired, such as running, swimming, or playing soccer.
Neurodiverse Neurodiverse refers to how thought patterns and behavioural traits vary in humans. “Neurodivergent” can describe persons on the autism spectrum and anyone who experiences neurologically different patterns of thought or behaviour.
Outcome A result or change tracked during a project or program to see if it made a difference.
Physical activity Any movement of the body that uses energy and increases heart rate and breathing.
Program A set of planned activities or events designed to help people or communities achieve a goal.
Questionnaire/survey A set of questions used to collect information about people’s characteristics, attitudes, or behaviours. These can be done on paper, online, or through interviews.
RE-AIM A framework for measuring the public impact of health or recreation programs. The five parts are Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance.
Social model of disability Disability is seen as one aspect of a person’s identity, much like gender, race/ethnicity, etc. From this perspective, the way to address disability is to change the environment and society, rather than person with disabilities.
Structured physical activity Planned and organized activities such as fitness classes, sports practices, or swimming lessons.
Target population The specific group of people that a program or evaluation is designed to impact or represent.
Unstructured physical activity Spontaneous, self-guided movement or play, such as playground games, free swimming, or unplanned use of parks and recreation spaces.
Person(s) with disabilities Person(s) with disabilities refer to individuals who have some kind of impairment that affects how their body or mind works. This includes physical, mental, intellectual, learning, communication, or sensory challenges. These challenges can be permanent, temporary, or happen from time to time. Even if you can’t see it, a disability can make it harder for someone to fully participate in society because of barriers they face. It’s important to say “person with a disability” because the person is not defined by their disability; they are individuals who happen to have a disability.
Quality participation Quality participation is an individual’s perception that their participation in an activity, program, event, or role has been positive, satisfying, and enjoyable.
Universal design Universal design is a way of creating products, buildings and outdoor spaces, and environments that are easy for everyone to use, no matter their age, size, or ability. It means designing things so that they are accessible and useful to as many people as possible without needing special changes. It’s not just about helping persons with disabilities; it’s about creating good design that benefits everyone. For example, automatic doors are helpful not just for people in wheelchairs, but also for parents with strollers or people carrying heavy bags.
Visitability Visitability is a way of designing homes and buildings so that they are easy for everyone to visit, especially people with mobility issues. This means including simple accessibility features that make it possible for visitors to enter and move around the main floor easily.