About Us

3 people sitting on a ledge, laughing

Who we are

ACE-BC provides the expertise and resources required for post-secondary institutions, Accessibility Coordinators, Students, Instructors, and Services Providers to provide equitable access to post-secondary education for students who are Deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind.

Located at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), ACE-BC’s mandate is to provide province-wide leadership to the post-secondary system regarding equal access for students who are Deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind attending post-secondary institutions in British Columbia.
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The Academic Communication Equity-BC’s (ACE-BC) vision is that all people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind have equitable access and the equal opportunity to attain their educational goals in post-secondary institutions in British Columbia.

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At the heart of ACE-BC our core values are equity, access, inclusivity and diversity. We support the post-secondary system and all those with whom we partner to provide greater access to meaningful learning for Deaf, hard of hearing and DeafBlind students in B.C.

Service Excellence
We are dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of service in all our programs and services, with the utmost respect for diversity, to the postsecondary system, our stakeholders and partners.
Collaboration and Innovation
Central to our success is the commitment to a collaborative model involving stakeholders, community partners and experts that support effective practices in communication access across systems. Together we can respond to emerging issues and adapt our systems to achieve our shared vision of student success.
Access and Inclusion
Our work is rooted in valuing diversity, equitable access and inclusion of Deaf, hard of hearing and DeafBlind students by removing barriers and enabling equal opportunity to achieve their educational and career goals.
Aerial view of people studying in a common area BCIT Burnaby Campus
The ACE-BC vision is that all people who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing and DeafBlind have equal access to higher education in British Columbia.

We gratefully acknowledge and respect the Coast Salish Peoples, including the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations on whose traditional lands ACE-BC resides, as an act of respect and a step on the path to reconciliation. We strive to understand, honor and integrate Indigenist ways of knowing and being in our services as part of contributing to reconciliation in the province of British Columbia. As a province-wide program, we also acknowledge the other territories and lands of Indigenous peoples of whom the post-secondary institutions that we serve also make their professional homes upon.