About Us

ARC-BC is funded by the BC Ministry of Education and managed by PRCVI (Provincial Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired). 

Mission

The goal of ARC-BC is to provide BC educators with access to high-quality digital and alternate format materials for their students with print or perceptual disabilities in a timely manner.  Production and distribution of the alternate format materials is centrally coordinated and duplication of effort in resource creation greatly reduced.  These activities support equitable and timely access to K-12 curricular resources for students who cannot access standard print materials due to a visual impairment, physical disability or comprehension disability.

Mandate

ARC-BC collects, produces and distributes high quality digital and alternate format materials for use by students with perceptual disabilities as a service to BC school districts.  Educators in all school districts are able to search this online repository or "digital library" to find and download alternate format resources related to the BC curriculum.

Context

In recent years there has been a significant increase in the demand for alternate format materials for students with perceptual disabilities.  This has allowed more students, who previously struggled to read conventional textbooks and novels, to complete their educational programs along with their peers. Before ARC-BC started, educators battled to provide the necessary electronic resources, spending a tremendous amount of time locating them or creating them on their own.  The same conventional print textbook may have been scanned many, many times across the province and very likely would remain with that one educator or, in some cases, have been circulated without observing Canadian Copyright Law.  ARC-BC offers solutions to several of these challenges.  By providing alternate format versions of the standard print materials used in the BC curriculum in a centralized, coordinated and secure manner, BC educators are able to quickly locate and acquire the alternate versions needed, without having to scan and edit the materials while ensuring they adhere to copyright law.

All BC students are entitled to equal and timely access to curriculum materials in formats that meet their learning needs. Our provincial government’s Education Plan recognizes that new technology is changing the way we communicate and connect with each other. The government has made a commitment to helping children gain the literacy skills they need for full participation in society. Some BC students face significant challenges in developing the literacy skills needed to read printed curriculum materials. By providing alternatives to print for these students, we help them participate more effectively in literacy activities and achieve their educational objectives.

PRCVI

PRCVI assists school districts in educating students whose access to the curriculum is restricted due to a visual impairment.  Our mission is to provide leadership, information, training and consultation to support school districts’ goals of equitable access and enhanced learning opportunities for students with visual impairments.  Our services to school districts include provision of alternate formats of provincially recommended learning resources in Braille and Large Print.

SET-BC

SET-BC assists school districts in educating students whose access to the curriculum is restricted primarily due to physical disabilities, visual impairments, autism and/or cognitive disabilities.  Our services to school districts include consultation, technology loans, training and resource support.