At Samaak Institute (Founded in 2019), accessibility and inclusion are not side initiatives. They are foundational practices that shape how we design programs, communicate knowledge, and collaborate with institutions.
Over the past several years, and with particular consolidation in 2025, Samaak has developed a distinct accessibility and inclusion portfolio that bridges policy, practice, lived experience, and cultural work. This portfolio reflects our belief that accessibility is not only a legal obligation but also a cultural responsibility and a leadership practice.
Accessibility Leadership at Samaak
The accessibility and inclusion initiatives at Samaak are led by Dr. Farshid Sadatsharifi, Accessibility & Inclusion Specialist and co-founder of Samaak’s applied accessibility practice.
With over seven years of professional experience across digital accessibility, inclusive communication, training, policy review, and community engagement, and grounded in the lived experience of disability, this leadership model brings together:
Technical and standards-based accessibility expertise
Applied training and capacity-building
Cultural and linguistic sensitivity
Systems thinking across policy, practice, and attitudes
Accessibility at Samaak is therefore led, designed, and delivered by someone who understands both systems and lived realities. This approach consistently resonates with institutions seeking depth, credibility, and practical outcomes.
Core Accessibility & Inclusion Service Areas
Samaak’s accessibility portfolio is organized around five interconnected domains, reflecting how barriers actually function in real environments:
1. Digital & Built Environment Accessibility
We support organizations in identifying and addressing barriers in both digital and physical spaces through:
Accessibility audits and usability reviews
Scenario-based testing informed by real user journeys
Standards-aligned recommendations (AODA, Accessible Canada Act, WCAG)
The focus is not only on compliance but also on clarity, usability, and the equity of experience.
2. Training & Capacity Building
Samaak designs and delivers customized accessibility training for diverse audiences, including:
Postsecondary institutions
Public-sector teams
Communications, policy, and leadership groups
Training emphasizes:
Practical skills staff can apply immediately
Accessible documents, communication, presentations, and events
Understanding disability beyond checklists or stereotypes
3. Inclusive Communication, Policy & Strategy
We work with organizations to:
Review policies and practices through an accessibility lens
Strengthen inclusive communication standards
Integrate accessibility into organizational planning and decision-making
This work helps institutions move from reactive accommodation to intentional inclusion.
4. Disability Inclusion & Community Engagement
Samaak facilitates meaningful engagement by:
Centring respectful dialogue about disability
Creating safe, structured spaces for questions and learning
Supporting organizations in listening to lived experience without tokenism
Accessibility here is understood as relational rather than transactional.
5. Attitudinal & Cultural Barriers
A distinctive aspect of Samaak’s work is addressing the invisible barriers, assumptions, language, norms, and expectations that often undermine technical accessibility efforts.
Through training, facilitation, and cultural programming, we support organizations in developing more mature, ethical, and inclusive cultures.
Examples of Successfully Delivered Work (High-Level)
Samaak has successfully delivered accessibility and inclusion work across education, public service, and cultural sectors, including:
Accessibility training and workshops tailored to institutional platforms and workflows
Digital accessibility and usability reviews across multiple web environments
Accessible communications training focused on documents, social media, presentations, and events.
Barrier identification and community engagement sessions supporting organizational learning
Advisory and review work related to policies, programs, and public-facing initiatives
Across these projects, Samaak’s contribution has consistently emphasized clarity, practicality, and institutional readiness rather than one-off fixes.
(We are happy to share the names of our past clients and the nature of services we provided for them, should any institution or individual be interested in such details.)
Our Approach: Accessibility as Practice, Not Performance
What distinguishes Samaak’s accessibility portfolio is its integration:
Accessibility is embedded in planning, not added later.
Training is connected to real organizational contexts.
Lived experience informs, but does not overshadow, professional rigour.
Inclusion is framed as an ongoing responsibility, not a completed task
This approach has allowed institutions to build internal capacity, rather than relying indefinitely on external expertise.
Looking Ahead: Readiness for Deeper Institutional Partnerships
As organizations across education, culture, and the public sector face increasing expectations around accessibility and inclusion, Samaak is ready to deepen and expand its institutional collaborations.
We are prepared to support:
Multi-year accessibility capacity-building
Organization-wide training initiatives
Integrated accessibility strategies
Culturally and linguistically responsive inclusion work
Above all, Samaak remains committed to working with institutions that understand accessibility not as a checkbox, but as a shared ethical and civic commitment.
Institutions interested in collaboration, we welcome conversations grounded in clarity, care, and short-term, mid-term, or long-term impact.
Please do not hesitate to contact us by emailing: Samaak.ca@gmail.com.