Delivered by the Rick Hansen Foundation, this four-week, online, self-paced course will provide you with the foundational knowledge to understand the needs of people with disabilities and how our physical spaces can be made more accessible. Enhance your knowledge and application of Universal Design and meaningful accessibility through video interviews of people with lived experience, leading subject matter experts, and case studies. This course will take approximately 20 hours to complete.
Peer to peer learning via one-hour virtual sessions will take place weekly. Discussions will be facilitated by an RHFAC Professional Instructor and sessions will be recorded.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the scope and prevalence of disability in the community.
- Describe how people with disabilities experience the social and physical environment.
- Demonstrate confidence in communicating and interacting with people with disabilities.
- Learn about Universal Design and meaningful accessibility for people with disabilities, and how to apply them in the built environment.
- Gain knowledge of fundamental legal framework affecting people with disabilities.
- Learn about the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification™ (RHFAC) program, its benefits and methodology.
- Apply an Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) lens to projects/operations.
- Build a community by engaging and sharing with your peers.
Who Should Take this Training?
- Built environment professionals and students including architects, civil engineers, and building and interior designers.
- Facility and property managers looking to improve building accessibility.
- Accessibility consultants and anyone involved in managing public and private spaces.
Program Details
- This is a fully online, self-paced course.
- Learners will have 4 weeks to complete the course from the course start date.
- On average, if you do all the readings and reflective work, this course will take approximately 20 hours.
The RHFAC Fundamentals Training consists of 3 modules and contains video interviews of people with lived experience and leading subject matter experts, and case studies. They are:
- Module 1: Understanding Disability
- Module 2: Understanding our Built Environment
- Module 3: Measuring Accessibility in the Built Environment
This course includes weekly one-hour virtual sessions and online discussions facilitated by a coach to support peer learning. Sessions will be recorded but attendance is highly recommended for peer learning. To successfully complete the course, learners will be required to take 3 module quizzes and earn a passing grade of 80% or higher on each. Learners will be issued a certificate and a badge upon successful completion of the course. Course materials will be available for “view-only” access 1 month after the end of the 4-week course. Join learners from different partner institutions in one offering.
RHFAC Fundamentals Training Course Prerequisites:
- No prerequisites required.
- This course does not qualify learners to obtain their RHFAC Professional designation; anyone looking to do so must successfully complete RHFAC Professional Training.
Instructors
Your RHFAC instructors are not just educators—they are seasoned professionals and recognized accessibility experts, bringing real-world experiences to their teaching.
Upcoming Courses
One-hour weekly sessions run once per week, typically on Tuesdays from 2:00 – 3:00 PM (Eastern Time Zone). There are four (4) virtual sessions in total.
- Spring: 18 May 2026 – 12 June 2026
19 May, 2026
26 May, 2026
02 June, 2026
09 June, 2026
Instructor: Gail Martiri - Fall: 8 September 2026 – 6 October 2026
8 September, 2026
15 September, 2026
22 September, 2026
29 September, 2026
Instructor: Jenny Blome - Winter: 12 January 2027 – 9 February 2027
12 January, 2027
19 January, 2027
26 January, 2027
2 February, 2027
Instructor: Julia Pannolino
*French sessions during 12 January 2027 – 9 February 2027 available
Registration Details
RAIC Members
Price: $1,350 + Applicable Taxes; Members can register through a special link in RAIC Connects. Contact education@raic.org with any questions.
Non-Members
Price: $1,500 + Applicable Taxes
System Requirements:
This course is delivered on the Rick Hansen Foundation Training Portal. For more information about system requirements, go to Browser Support for Canvas to understand the system requirements for optimal performance.
Accessibility
To learn more about accessibility, please visit Canvas Accessibility. We strive to make our courses as accessible as possible, but if you have any concerns or questions, please contact training@rickhasen.com