Author: Lucy Diaz
The transition from high school to postsecondary is a daunting one. It is the beginning of a new era in life and is significantly different from the one before it. Particularly, for disabled students, the topic of accessibility is critical to consider when deciding on postsecondary institutions. We will cover some good examples of accessible institutions all over Canada and specific schools/programs for certain disability groups. Please note, this is not an extensive list, there are many other incredible institutions in Canada. Hopefully, this information will help you get started in your post-secondary search, whether you are looking for a university, college or trades program!
1. Alberta
The University of Alberta has many accommodations available for students, including course accommodations, exam accommodations, housing/parking/support animal accommodations and accommodation funding. They do require medical documentation before any accommodation is provided. The letter must outline the nature of your diagnosis, indicate how long the condition has been present/expected to persist, describe the impact of barriers in the environment, be completed by a qualified professional and be less than five years old. Certain medical conditions require extra documentation, the guidelines can be found here. Despite the long process, the University of Alberta stands out for the amount of support it is willing to provide.
Inclusion Alberta offers an Inclusive Post-Secondary Education where adults with developmental disabilities can register in post-secondary courses (on a non-credit basis), participate in all parts of university/college life and receive a certificate of accomplishment at graduation.
Several institutions in Alberta also provide Transitional Vocational Programs for adults with mild disabilities who wish to learn career and life skills. These colleges include Mount Royal University, Norquest College, Olds College and Red Deer Polytechnic.
2. British Columbia
Vancouver Community College (VCC) not only provides accommodations but entire courses that are made accessible for certain disabilities. They offer Accessible Education and Training certificates in Career Awareness, Food Service Careers, and Retail and Hospitality Careers. They also provide courses/certificates for Deaf and hard-of-hearing students and courses for students with vision disabilities. To access accommodations at VCC students must meet with a Disability Counsellor and provide medical documentation. However, after the process is completed, accommodations can include exam accommodation, job search assistance, community resource referrals, and interpretation.
3. Manitoba
The University of Manitoba requires a health professional to fill out its Disability Assessment Form for students to begin the process of accessing accommodations. Once that is completed, students will have access to exam accommodations, note-taking assistance, assistive technology and ASL-English interpretation. They also provide Career search assistance.
4. New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick (UNB) has 2 main campuses, Fredericton and Saint John. The process of accessing accommodations at this institution is similar to other schools. Each campus has similar services, some unique ones to UNB are Assistance with Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities applications and referrals to on-campus or community-based services such as counselling.
5. Newfoundland and Labrador
The College of the North Atlantic has many campuses and lists the accessibility coordinators across all campuses on their website. The process of gaining access requires documentation and a meeting with the Accessibility Services Coordinator. On their website, they list the required documentation for certain diagnoses. However, they do not list the services they can provide. In the FAQ, they do refer to using Kurzweil as an assistive technology and Dragon Naturally Speaking as a scribe, but no other information is provided.
6. Northwest Territories (NWT)
The post-secondary institutions in NWT do not list any accessibility centers or supports. However, the NWT Disabilities Council has the Learning Support for Persons with Disabilities Fund. The eligibility requirements include: must have a disability, must be involved in a learning activity, must show their commitment to achieving stated education, show clear employment or personal goals, be 18 years of age or older and be an NWT resident (and unable to receive funding for training elsewhere).
7. Nova Scotia
The services provided by the Nova Scotia Community College are extensive, and the process of accessing them is relatively simple. You must fill out a student intake form and provide documentation. They have a separate article listing possible accommodations, the list is extensive and includes alternative formats of textbooks, attendants to assist with personal care, chunked time/reduced length, closed captioning, electronic scribe, in-class recording and more. There are also external funds which can help cover costs for accommodations not provided by the college. The Accessibility Services team can help access these funds and programs.
8. Ontario
Ontario Colleges has a list of college programs for adults with developmental/learning disabilities. They are community integration programs focused on allowing students to grow their academic, vocational and social skills.
Most of the universities in Ontario have accessibility services and from online sentiments, they all seem to be on par with each other. However, York University stood out to me due to how in-depth their website was when it came to accessibility. The process of registering is typical and straightforward. They provide workshops for prospective students and their parents about the transition from high school to university and the support they provide. Some of the accommodations they provide include exam/test accommodations, interpreters and note-taking services for deaf/hard of hearing students and a van to help get around campus. I truly recommend looking at their website to review what services you might want to take advantage of. They have many more supports not covered here.
9. Prince Edward Island
University of Prince Edward Island provides many services, including assistive technology for audio note-taking options, speech-to-text options and text-to-speech options. They also provide tutoring and a Learning Strategist to help with time management, organization, and reading/notetaking/writing skills. To access these services, you must schedule a meeting with Accessibility Services and provide medical documentation.
10. Quebec
Concordia University’s accommodations include assignment extensions, attendance accommodations, note-taking accommodations and audio recordings of lectures. As with York University, Concordia has many accommodations, too much to cover in this summary, so I encourage you to check out the website and see the specific accommodations you may need.
11. Saskatchewan
The University of Regina’s accommodations and the process of requesting accommodations are typical. However, something that stood out was the existence of The Brad Hornung Accommodations Test Centre. Exams are stressful and having a concrete place for accommodations will ensure a smoother test season for students.
12. Yukon
Some of the accommodations Yukon University offers are alternate settings for tests/exams, extra time for tests/exams and textbooks/course material in alternate formats. Students who do not have documentation can still reach out to the Accessibility Services and confirm if any accommodations are available to them, something not common in universities.
This list of accessible post-secondary institutions will give you an idea of the possible accommodations available in post-secondary education. Remember there are many other facilities in Canada with incredible support and programs, this blog post is only a starting point. Remember to check out our other blog posts which will continue to guide you as you continue your journey!