COLLEGE COMMITTEE ON DISABILITY ISSUES



COLLEGE COMMITTEE ON DISABILITY ISSUES

COMITÉ COLLÉGIAL EN BESOINS PARTICULIERS

November 15, 2004

The Honourable Bob Rae

Advisor to the Premier and Minister – Postsecondary Education Review

2 Bloor Street West, Suite 700

Toronto, Ontario

M4W 3R1

Dear Mr. Rae:

Please accept this as the submission from the College Committee on Disability Issues, the provincial association of all publicly funded college disability service providers, and an ACAATO operating group.

The College Committee on Disability Issues has been working since 1987 to establish appropriate responses to students with all disabilities accessing Ontario’s colleges. Our student numbers have grown from 3,500 students in 1990 to 14,549 students in 2004 (the size of a large college - 9.5% of all students).

Ontario is the only province that provides dedicated funding directed for accessibility services, a fact which we gratefully acknowledge. The provincial portion of the Bursary for Students with Disabilities is also a unique addition to the Canada Study Grant. However, this review is timely given the structure which has evolved over the past 15 years. Improved communication and consideration for a more complex student profile is required to remove barriers for students and allow them to demonstrate their abilities.

Thank you for considering our suggestions. They are made in the interests of our students who often struggle daily with the requirements for post secondary education , sometimes highly impacted by disabling conditions. We have included some real student profiles in the appendix in the hopes of bringing them to life for you.

Yours Sincerely,

Toni Connolly,

Chair, College Committee on Disability Issues

College Committee on Disability Issues

Response to the Postsecondary Review

Since 1988, the College Committee on Disability Issues has collectively developed and implemented services to thousands of students with disabilities across Ontario. These responses below are those of our collective voice based on our experiences to date.

Suggestion Summary:

1. A review should be undertaken to examine the funding and policies around the provision of equitable, appropriate and timely services to students who are Deaf or hard of hearing.

2. A review should be undertaken to examine the provision of Alternate Print Format materials for students who are blind or partially sighted or otherwise ‘print blind’.

3. The Bursary for Students With Disabilities should be granted based on the individual disabling condition, not tied to the requirement for OSAP. A mechanism to liaise with the Canada Student Grant should be implemented.

4. Funding for the Accessibility fund remain as a specifically targeted program.

5. Colleges should have funding sources for dedicated personnel to liaise with secondary schools in order to provide students with disabilities with the transitional activities they require for success, both during the transition to post secondary studies and during the transition to the workplace.

6. Disability Offices should be provided with the resources and commitment to engage in the type of applied research related to disabilities and education and the workforce.

7. MTCU should develop specific methods to liaise in a coordinated manner with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and Apprenticeship, WSIB, etc. to provide a continuum of services to students with disabilities in a manner that is respectful and professional and that makes use of the funds and documents utilized by all ministries.

8. A review should be conducted to determine if the additional cost to a student with a disability to complete a program over a longer period, as a direct result of the disability constitutes a discriminatory practice.

9. In view of the requirements of Bill 118, a policy should be considered that would mandate that all renovations and new construction should meet or exceed barrier-free standards as a requirement of MTCU financial support. Further, funding should be made available to colleges to directly assist in implementing barrier removal initiatives in college Accessibility Plans.

10. There should be a plan to renew the technology resources that students with disabilities require during school attendance with a view to update and replace them regularly.

Recommendations

These recommendations are the result of the deliberation of Ontario’s 24 colleges’ disability offices, collectively under the College Committee on Disability Issues, which is an operating committee of the Coordinating Committee on Student Services. These issues affect all students with disabilities in all colleges.

In the Investing in Ontario’s Workforce: Strong Colleges for a Strong Ontario by the Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario, there is a stated need for “providing adequate and predictable funding to enable colleges to plan for, and implement, effective educational programs and services to support student success”. The request for an additional $10 million dollars for disability related services by 2007/08 is a result of extensive consultations with students, employers and college personnel and represents an amount that will support the following expected outcomes:

“Broadening supports and services for students with disabilities will:

▪ Increase the rate of participation in postsecondary education for Ontarians with disabilities;

▪ Ensure colleges can provide the services and supports these students need to succeed in postsecondary studies;

▪ Provide a supportive environment where students with disabilities have a higher probability of successfully completing their postsecondary education, thereby increasing retention and graduation rates for this population;

▪ Facilitate employment for graduates with disabilities, thereby offering opportunity for higher earnings, independence and self-reliance, and

▪ Increase the number of qualified graduates entering the workforce and improving the productivity of this historically marginalized pool of talent.” (p.38-39)

In addition, this financial investment proposal also supports the Ministry of Education documents, The Transition Plan and Pathways to Success.

Recommendations:

(These recommendations are in no particular order. They are equally important to various student groups.)

1. A review should be undertaken to examine the funding and policies around the provision of equitable, appropriate and timely services to students who are Deaf, deafened or hard of hearing. Currently, the Interpreter Fund as well as other sources of funding, are totally inadequate to meet the educational needs of students who require an interpreter or electronic communicator or intervenor. Additionally, dedicated funding is targeted to in-class activities only, excluding other important student activities such as out-of class dialogue with professors, study groups, tutoring sessions, library research, out-of class assignments and all social activities. This approach discourages colleges from investing in full time interpreters and electronic communicators, thereby discouraging students from entering this field and thus contributing to the chronic shortage of these professionals in Ontario.

2. A review should be undertaken to examine the provision of Alternate Print Format materials by:

• Determining the benefits of providing all/or some services in-house at each institution (especially for class handouts and reference material);

• Actively lobbying publishers to provide materials electronically;

• Encouraging government to enact legislation or regulations similar to those in the US regarding e-text that would permit the purchase or reproduction of materials in alternate format without infringement on copyright laws and in a timely, user-friendly manner for persons with disabilities;

• Providing institutions with the resources to provide books, handouts and other print materials electronically, (e.g. high-speed scanner, scanning program, staff costs to edit text), until appropriate legislation is enacted.

The current funding mechanism is highly problematic with a low student satisfaction. Delays in receiving materials can seriously impact the level of student progress. In fact, many institutions have increasingly turned to technology to provide materials electronically at the expense of staff time or student time as they scan their own documents. We feel that students with disabilities have additional challenges in the academic setting and the requirement to scan all their own documents can put additional strains on their success. Typically, one textbook alone k can take several hours to scan and edit.

3. The BSWD should be granted based on the individual disabling condition, not tied to the requirement for OSAP. A bursary based on a disability should be granted based on the educational requirements of the effects of the disability and with consideration for the financial need of the student. The requirement for OSAP alone should not be a basis for the bursary as in many cases, disability service providers have confirmed students in financial need and in need of disability related services who have not qualified for OSAP. Disability service providers at each institution should liaise with Financial Aid Offices to develop an appropriate financial needs test that could be correlated with the disability needs test and applied at each institution equitably. Most often, aboriginal students, and those on WSIB do not qualify for the BSWD though many would benefit greatly from such access.

Further, a mechanism to liaise with the Canada Student Grant should be implemented so there is consistency between provincial and federal mandates and to ensure that the advice of qualified staff working in disability services is heard by the staff creating policies for the Canada Student Grant program. Currently, there is no such dialogue and decisions about eligibility of students and products or services are done in isolation of the student or the disability service provider which causes confusion and inaccuracies in an otherwise crucial program.

4. Funding remain a specifically targeted program. Other innovative funds may have a different process due to the nature of pilots and applied research. Funding level should increase for 2004/05 as per the ACAATO document ‘ask’. Consideration should be given to the pressures on institutions to provide appropriate services to students with hidden or complex disabilities. (Appended case studies of more complex student issues).

In 2001-02, there were 168,789 students enrolled in colleges and 13,549 students, or 8 per cent, received accommodation for a disability.2 Since 1998, the number of students with disabilities has risen by 30 per cent. In addition to addressing the needs of students with disabilities actually enrolled in programs, the colleges also support many more applicants with disabilities. – ACAATO report p.6.

5. Colleges should have dedicated personnel to liaise with secondary schools in order to provide students with disabilities with the transitional activities they require for success, both during the transition to post secondary studies and during the transition to the workplace. This is one area largely unaddressed by the system. Transition activities prepare students for post secondary studies and activities thereby increasing opportunities for success; while appropriate transitional activities provide a mechanism to transfer accommodations and equipment from the educational setting to work, thereby increasing the likelihood of sustained employment. Mature student entry and apprenticeship students would also be assisted by this service.

6. Disability Offices should be provided with the resources and commitment to engage in the type of applied research related to disabilities, education, and the workforce. An example would be an investigation of the type and effectiveness of accommodations for various disabilities both in school and in the transition to the workplace. Since there are so many students with disabilities in Ontario’s colleges (14,000 in 2003), the student users, number of accommodations and the qualified interested personnel make these applied research activities valid and necessary.

7. MTCU should develop specific methods to liaise in a coordinated manner with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Apprenticeship & Literacy within the Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities, Ministry of Community and Social Services, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board , etc. to provide a continuum of services to students with disabilities in a manner that is respectful and professional and that makes use of the funds and documents utilized by all ministries. Currently, students need to navigate a maze of service providers (each with differing regulations). We believe that there are missed opportunities, duplication and stress on students as a result of this.

8. A review should be conducted to determine if the additional cost to a student with a disability to complete a program over a longer period as a direct result of the disability constitutes a discriminatory practice. A student who needs to reduce course load may take 2 or 3 times longer than his/her non-disabled peer to complete a program. If the individual borrows funds for living expenses, then he/she will graduate with a greater debt than the cohort members. This results in a higher cost for education and a longer time before employment earnings begin.

9. In view of the requirements of Bill 118, a policy should be considered that would ‘mandate’ that all renovations and new construction should meet or exceed barrier-free standards, as developed by the Canadian Standards Association, as a requirement of MTCU financial support. The requirements of the proposed Bill 118 will potentially have a major impact on institutions and their operation and planning for gradual implementation should be encouraged immediately.

10. There should be a plan to renew the technology resources that students with disabilities require during school attendance with a view to update and replace regularly. Capital investment is an on-going requirement.. This capital may be the only access a student with a disability may have considering that some students do not qualify for personal technology.

Finally, we are reminded by the Human Rights Commission in the report The Opportunity to Succeed: Achieving Barrier-Free Education for Students with Disabilities:

It should be remembered that while there are costs associated with providing certain forms of accommodation and support to students with disabilities, there are lifelong costs to not providing these supports. The Code requires education providers to accommodate students with disabilities up to the point of undue hardship. Participants in the consultation repeatedly identified inadequate funding as a serious barrier for students with disabilities. Part of the duty to accommodate includes providing the resources that children and youth with disabilities need to have the opportunity to succeed.

Respectfully submitted to the Honourable Bob Rae, Advisor to the Premier and Minister, Postsecondary Education Review – CCDI November 15, 2004

Appendix: Profiles of Students We Assist

Long-time service providers have noticed a real change in the profile of some of the students with disabilities accessing college education. Some real examples of student profiles from the system are itemized in the appendix in 10 complex student profiles.

Students with Complex Disabilities

Increasingly, disability service providers are assisting students with a complexity of disorders. It is not unusual to have students who have a physical disability plus a vision disability or learning disability. Increasingly, students with learning disabilities, or other disabilities, also have a co-morbid psychological disability.

In addition, students with complex disabilities have the same expectations of service as other students. A student undergoing chemotherapy as a result of cancer, may still wish to have classroom sessions taped in his/her absence, an exam proctor deployed to the home or hospital room to ensure exams are done in time, books on tape to decrease fatigue and a counsellor to discuss the impact of the medical condition on the current program of study and possible employment options. (See Complex Student Profile #1, #4, #5, #7, #9, #10)

Students with Psychiatric Disabilities

This group of students has been increasingly accessing services (1,235 identified in 2002). When disability service providers (both in the colleges and universities) were looking for a reason for the increase, we were told by the students’ psychiatrists that attendance at post secondary was seen as part of the treatment plan for their clients. While often very successful in post secondary, typically students with psychiatric disorders require frequent appointments with disability counsellors and advisors around the daily stresses of college activities. Not infrequently, faculty also require case conferencing and information about the needs of these students. Due to the nature of their disorder, these students also frequently require extensive tutoring supports, from tutors who have been trained by disability staff to understand the needs of these unique students. These students require a high degree of service from all members of the disability service office. (See Complex Student Profile #1, #6, #8, #9.)

In the past, Vocational Rehabilitation Service counsellors were the case managers of these students and they often presented to our offices as ‘educationally ready’ with all community supports and academic supports in place including vocational direction. That duty has been delegated to the post-secondary institution that is often the first point of contact for the student after their psychiatrist. In some areas that are under serviced with mental health staff, the colleges are the main or only source of support for these students. Disability staff are concerned that specific staff expertise is required to professionally assist these students. Institutional liability is an issue in some colleges.

The Ontario Disability Supports Program, which has replaced some of the functions of the VRS program, provides students with disabilities with a new set of challenges. Students tell us the process to access services can cause years to complete and they are often turned away from assistance for the first and even subsequent applications. In fact, the number of students with documented disabilities we assist who are also on ODSP is relatively a small proportion. This leaves the disability office staff as the primary support for these students.

Students who are Deaf, Deafened or Hard-of Hearing

This is another unique group of students, also on the increase in Ontario’s colleges. While the Interpreter Fund pays a portion of the direct classroom costs associated with interpreters and electronic notetakers, this fund does not come close to providing what the student actually needs. Counselling, advising, tutoring, learning strategy training, assistive technology training with interpreters or electronic notetakers is outside the Interpreter fund allocation and must be born by the college service. (see Complex Student Profile #3.)

Students with Non Verbal Learning Disabilities

We include this group as a special category as it is emerging as a new classification for the college system. These students may have a sub set of characteristics that are a particular challenge for disability staff. They require intensive counselling related to their social interactions with college members and considerable intervention with faculty. We are still undergoing professional development about this disability at this time.

Student Personal Complications

Students with disabilities are among Ontario’s least financially stable. Generally, they have only been eligible for low paying or volunteer jobs. They often come from economically challenged backgrounds and are without the resources, both personal and financial, to withstand any complications in their lives. Many are single parents, recently displaced from jobs, or recently injured. They require all the resources of our institutions whether financial aid, medical services or food banks. This personal profile can complicate an already complicated educational plan and increase the stress faced by many students with disabilities. (see Complex Student Profile #11 for 5 summaries.)

Student Expectations

Students with disabilities are entering college today expecting a full range of services. They understand that it is their right to be fully accommodated and expect to have services that include training and access to the most modern technology, informed disability service providers, testing accommodations, information and assistance with applications for a variety of bursaries, professional disability advising, information about other college services that might benefit them, interpreting or other classroom assistance, personal care, fully accessible classrooms and service areas and the emotional support of an advocacy office such as the disability offices.

Community Expectations

The complex student profiles mentioned include expectations of the community. It is common for the disability counsellor or advisor to have regular meetings with parents, social workers, mental health professionals, occupational therapists, WSIB counsellors, other agencies such as CNIB, CHS counsellors and advocates.

Administrative Challenges

The disability office has a number of challenges involving the accountability, personnel recruitment and training, and management of resources.

Accountability

There are several funding envelopes that require accountability measures. The Accessibility Fund requires an annual report that includes the numbers and types of disabilities. Since our numbers have grown, we require databases which require accurate data entry to maintain student tracking. As part of the student tracking, disability staff also gather and maintain proof or disability, psychological and medical reports, reports from other agencies and previous school records.

The Interpreter Fund requires annual reports including the numbers of students receiving service and the number of staff providing that service with costs. Behind the scenes, this requires the recruitment, training, scheduling, monitoring, and evaluating the performance of the staff so assigned. This is a large, semester-long task that has frequent last-minute changes. Even the central colleges who have many of the administrative tasks performed by a single college find they have a high degree of administration to get the numbers of hours required to the central booking.

The Bursary for Students with Disabilities has been a highly successful program, providing students with much needed products and services. However, each application requires verification, quotes, proof, collection, and requests for funds from the Financial Aid Office, all tracked and verified. There is considerable staff time spent with this process.

The Enhanced Services Fund has been of huge benefit for students with learning disabilities this past year. However, it too has come with reporting guidelines that require a high level of detail (as we would expect to have with a new service).

Personnel Recruitment and Training

The area of disabilities requires staff trained and sensitive to the requirements of a diverse population of students with disabilities. With a wide range of staffing requirements and competencies, disability staff are finding that the recruitment, training, scheduling and monitoring of an increasing number of part-time staff associated with different functions to be a real time consuming part of the daily duties.

Management of Resources

The field of disabilities is growing and advancing at warp speed. This requires that not only disability staff need time for continual updating, but our adaptive equipment and software also needs that same upgrading. In only a few years, computer equipment becomes obsolete; software requires upgrades; the assistive software no longer works with newer equipment necessitating replacement; new staff need training, and all staff need re-training.

System-wide Deficits in Disability Offices

There are several areas within the disability office that merits attention in the areas of staffing and resources.

• Staffing

There are currently insufficient front-line staff (disability counsellors or disability advisors) to provide the adequate services to today’s student with the level of complexity demanded. Each and every office requires additional disability counsellors.

In addition, some colleges report a requirement for additional full-time support persons whether educational assistants, learning strategists or technicians. Full-time staffing brings the level of consistency and professional expertise that builds an effective service.

Every office requires additional support staff to support the need for accountability, reporting, tracking and scheduling.

• Resources

Most offices reported a requirement for additional hardware/software to support the student need for training and access to facilities.

Most colleges feel that additional disability counsellors and/or support personnel, additional resources and some administrative support for accountability measures, would be required to support the level of student activity they are seeing in their college disability offices.

Complex Student Profile # 1

DISABILITY TYPE: Multiple

PRESENTING CONDITIONS

1. Quadriplegia as the result of a broken neck and spinal cord injury sustained in a workplace related vehicle accident approximately 13 years ago.

2. Diabetes has caused an amputation, (As a result of the diabetes and other circulatory difficulties, he had both legs amputated below the knee. Not only has this caused very serious medical problems, but also from a self-esteem viewpoint, it has been devastating.

3. Vision: Over the last couple of years, his vision has deteriorated. Doctors feel that it is likely due to the diabetic condition. Long hours at the computer can cause him quite a lot of fatigue.

4. Schizophrenia: He developed Schizophrenia over the last several years. It is thought to have presented as a result of the extreme trauma that he has endured. It manifests as auditory delusions and dependant upon his physical health, the symptoms may vary. He must have medication injections twice a month. This medication also causes side affects that can make him emotionally sensitive and interfere with sleep patterns.

5. Seizure disorder: He has suffered some severe seizures. There is no known reason for them, yet a constant watch is kept for the reoccurrence of them.

6. Learning Disabilities: Identified as an adult with learning disabilities though secondary education was at the basic level and there was no diagnosis or IPRC throughout elementary or secondary school.

OTHER PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Because of being in a wheelchair and having few leisure options available to him, he has gained a great deal of weight. He has begun a fitness regime at the college, in an effort to control his weight. Several other medical complications come into play. He has a catheter and bladder bag for urination and is plagued by frequent often very serious bladder infections and infections within the catheter and he must undergo a bowel routine every second day in order to empty his bowel. These routines are very time consuming and must be done regularly in order to keep the bowel trained and functioning.

As a result of the above – he has great difficulty forming relationships that offer diversity. He tends to see his workers, etc as his friends and the friends that he does have in his life are not necessarily providing healthy relationships for him. He also abuses alcohol when situations get overwhelming. This of course only complicates all of his other co-existing conditions

ACCOMMODATIONS:

▪ Personal attendant

▪ Specialized schedule

▪ Access to computer equipment (voice recognition)

▪ Learning strategist, assistive technologist

▪ Career & personal counselling

SIGNIFICANT COSTS:

College area is well set-up for his physical disabilities but he requires considerable attention from staff of the disability resources.

Meetings with faculty, WSIB counsellor, nurse, and other professionals in his life to maintain consistency.

Complex Student Profile #2

DISABILITY TYPE: Multiple

PRESENTING CONDITIONS:

Because of work related injury to hand, student was sponsored by WSIB and part-time program enrolment was encouraged. Had been unsuccessful in pre-technology program before identifying disability needs and now enrolling in alternative program

Learning problems became obvious with lack of progress, so worked with learning strategist and referred for LD assessment. Evaluation confirmed learning disability and additional supports and accommodations were provided

OTHER PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Unable to manage workload, but regulations of sponsor did not allow for reduced number of courses. Student experienced considerable academic stress. Trauma from injury and need to understand disability and personal implications required individualized support.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Note sharer, extended time on tests and exams, distraction reduced location for tests and exams, counselling support regarding trauma and disability issues, diagnostic assessment, learning strategies instruction, training in use of assistive technology (voice recognition software), peer tutoring, instructional accommodations in the classroom.

SIGNIFICANT COSTS:

Considerable staff time for contacts with sponsoring agency and other college personnel, and multiple disability services staff involved. Complexity of case and need for expertise from a number of different service providers resulted in costs significantly greater than most students. However, this case represents a noticeable trend with increasing numbers of injured workers and persons with complex mental or physical health disabilities accessing college education. Estimated cost to provide disability services to this student: $9,300 for one academic year

Complex Student Profile # 3

DISABILITY TYPE: Hard-of Hearing (Student has very limited hearing in both ears.)

PRESENTING CONDITIONS:

Student is enrolled in a chemical engineering program and has proven to her professors that she is capable of the academic work. The difficulty is around the accommodations of electronic notetaker. Classes are frequently long with 3-5 hour labs. This makes scheduling the note taker challenging; what times during that period is a note taker required on a daily basis? Are there occasions when 2 notetakers are required to prevent note taker fatigue? This requires weekly scheduling in conference with the student and faculty.

In addition, the student has a study group (mandated by the course), frequent evening lab work outside of class hours, and is on student council. None of these activities are covered by the Interpreter Fund.

OTHER PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS:

▪ Student is a single mother of 2 boys in grade school and is not receiving child support

▪ She exists on OSAP and finds money an issue as well as child care for evening labs.

▪ During college, she was also diagnosed with lupus, a condition that causes fatigue.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

1. Electronic note taker for all scheduled class times

2. Counselling around disability and work load (resigned from student council)

3. Recruited volunteer student notetaker for ‘student notes’ during class

4. Provided electronic notetaker from department funds for tutoring sessions (electronic notetaker)

SIGNIFICANT COSTS:

Staff time for frequent counselling sessions; problem-solving sessions with other staff.

Electronic notetaker

Student has used BSWD for computer and assistive tech

Complex Student Profile # 4

DISABILITY TYPE: Medical- Degenerative Muscular Dystrophy

PRESENTING CONDITIONS: No oral communication

No use of lower extremities. Requires physical assistance with all tasks

Extreme fatigue issues creating an inability to sustain attention for prolonged periods

Unable to hold books to read –requires reading materials in alternative format or need to be read to him

OTHER PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Mother assists with personal care

Ineligible for OSAP and/or assistance with ADP

Uses a primitive means of communication- a printed alphabet table attached to his tray on his chair

Uses his knuckles to point to letters to spell –spells every work letter by letter

Does have access to a laptop with Wivik and a special mouse which he can control using the side of his hand

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Reduced program course load

Educational assistant to accompany him to class to take notes, assist with assignment completion and with studying

Educational assistant works with instructors to help them understand the student’s mode of communication

Alternative evaluation to oral presentations

Unlimited time for tests and exams working both with the EA to translate what the student is saying to a scribe who records his answers

Tests normally need to be done over a couple of days and/or instructors allow take home tests

SIGNIFICANT COSTS:

As the student is not currently eligible for any form of financial assistance, Disability Services has absorbed the costs for the educational assistant and taped texts when not available through W.R. MacDonald.

Educational Assistant costs for the academic year = $7140.00 (15hrs/wk x 17.00/hr. x 28 wks.)

Taped Texts =$1215.00 ($9.00/hr x 3hrs/chapt. X 45 chaps.)

Scribing (not done by staff or volunteers 9.00/hr x 24hours per academic year )= $216.00

Total Cost = $8571.00

Complex Student Profile #5

DISABILITY TYPE: Multiple, non-verbal, limited mobility in arms and hands, uses wheelchair, some learning problems (CP)

PRESENTING CONDITIONS:

• Uses electric wheelchair

• Non verbal, uses alternate communication system, which requires an assistant to translate

• Limited use of hands and arms, requires assistance with turning pages, typing work and note taking

• Requires attendant care ( feeding and personal care) and classroom assistance

• Some learning difficulties

OTHER PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS:

• Male student prefers same-sex attendant (female is the most common in this area)

ACCOMMODATIONS:

• Class assistant

• Test accommodations in separate room, extra time, scribe and reader

• Reduced courseload 50%

• Advocacy/education/support for faculty

• Tutoring

• Adaptations to classroom environment and tools (Photography lab, camera etc)

SIGNIFICANT COSTS:

• Class assistant (scribe, reader, notetaker, directee)

• Retrofitting a separate washroom (we have several large accessible washroom stalls within washrooms but female attendant with male student and personal care needs required an individual unisex washroom to be created)

• Renting of digital camera as alternative to cameras available to other students in photography course

• Purchase of personal MAC computer on the wheelchair tray to replace the original PC previously used (cost absorbed by student’s family in this case)

• Disability staff time - organizing, communicating with and coordinating outside services, faculty and course demands and auxiliary staff with student needs throughout the term

Complex Student Profile #6

DISABILITY TYPE:

1. Learning Disability

2. Psychiatric Disability, Depression and Anxiety Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and other mental health issues.

PRESENTING CONDITIONS:

This female student currently resides with her family in a rural area approximately 60km from campus. The family has a long history of social, financial, and substance abuse struggles. Various community services have been involved, with this family, over the years (mental health, CAS, government assistance, police, etc.). As well as having a severe learning disability which makes learning a significant challenge, this student has experienced multiple traumatic events, such as sexual and physical assaults. She has had limited opportunities to socialize with peers, thus presents as younger then her 18 years. The traumatic events have resulted in an emotional disconnection so this student often presents with flat affect and can be challenging to engage and communicate with interpersonally.

OTHER PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Parents divorced at an early age. Her biological father died 6 months ago.

Stepfather and mother both deal with substance dependence and are not able to maintain employment. Therefore, they use their daughter’s OSAP as income to support their needs. This student would like to move out of the house but no longer has the financial means (because her OSAP has been spent by parents) and lacks the life skills and personal support to make this type of change and transition.

This student is frequently suicidal. She requires psychiatric medication but often cannot pay for her prescription. Her parents are not supportive of her receiving counselling or medication for treatment, so she must do this at the college, as she doesn’t have the means (i.e. transportation) to attend other treatment facilities within the community and her parents would prohibit her from attending.

Due to a shortage of family physicians, this student does not have a family doctor to monitor her physical and psychiatric challenges.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

• Weekly and sometimes daily contact with a college counsellor, through counselling sessions, e-mail, and phone calls. Frequent conference and consultation meetings between the counsellor, faculty and support staff to help support this student and manage her suicidal behaviour.

• Learning Support Services, - tutoring, note-taking, learning strategies (2-3 hours/week), extra time for tests, reader for her tests, and assistive technology.

• Reduced course load

• Additional funding through the Bursary for Students with Disabilities to achieve an up to date psych-ed assessment.

• Bi-weekly contact with the college doctor and nurse to monitor psychotropic medications.

SIGNIFICANT COSTS:

This student needs numerous accommodations such as note-taking, tutoring and learning strategies which for one semester cost in the vicinity of $1000.

Obviously there are other expenses which result from the variety of other people who are dealing with her in a case management approach – counsellor, support staff, faculty, nurse and college doctor. These costs would far exceed the accommodations listed above.

Complex Student Profile #7

Disability: Deaf blind

Presenting Conditions:

▪ Due to dual sensory impairment, student must take courses on a reduced course load

▪ Requires all print material in Braille

▪ Requires a trained intervenor with her at all time while on campus because of her in ability to communicate with others without this support

▪ Limited number of trained intervenors

▪ Not able to access on line portions of courses

▪ Requires an additional person to constantly monitor her on line course work in order to transcribe this information in Braille

▪ Requires that all professors be well organized and plan well in advance of class in order to have course material transcribed into Braille

▪ Must rely on WRMS for Braille transcription. Often material transcribed by WRMS is not completed before the course begins

Other Personal Conditions:

▪ Not qualified for OSAP

▪ Highly motivated student who demands a high level of professional service

Accommodations:

▪ Deafblind intervenors

▪ Textbooks in Braille (audio tapes are not an option for this student)

▪ Unlimited time on tests and exams

▪ Scribe for tests and exams

▪ Requires additional time on the part of professors in order to go over material presented in class which she may not have gotten.

▪ Intervenors to assist in accessing on line course material

Significant Costs:

▪ Technology! Computer systems with Braille display can cost over $20,000.00

▪ Cost of in house Braille transcription per year – $$$ ?????

▪ Intervenors, at LEAST 2 intervenors are required for every hour of course time

o Normally takes 20 hours of in class time with up to 5 additional hours a week for tutoring. Total minimal cost for intervenors for 1 week - $2,000.00

▪ Significant time spent assisting this student from several disability service staff members.

Complex Student Profile #8

DISABILITY TYPE: Mental Illness

PRESENTING CONDITIONS:

Depression/ADD/Bipolar

OTHER PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Medications – unable to concentrate – sometimes cannot attend classes because of inability to get up early – emotional issues

ACCOMMODATIONS:

1. Counselling,

2. extra time to tests/exams in separate room to avoid distractions,

3. learning strategies,

4. notetakers in all classes, etc.,

SIGNIFICANT COSTS:

Access to computer at college in a quiet environment

Cost for Psychiatrist on staff to service students who are in residence (counseling and meds). Paid for by department.

Frequent interaction with staff at Disability Services.

Complex Student Profile # 9

DISABILITY TYPE: Medical/Psychiatric

Diagnosis: Neurocardiogenic Syncope, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Social Phobia, Low Mood

PRESENTING CONDITIONS:

A major symptom of neurocardiogenic syncope is fainting as a result of a sudden drop in blood pressure. This is not a seizure. The fainting episodes can be daily and sometimes occur more than once a day. The student’s blood pressure drops quickly when he is feeling anxious. The student has had this condition for the past 3 years and it occurs in most public situations where he is alone (i.e. at school, in the mall, going out for a walk in the neighbourhood). The student is taking medication for this condition and he is under the supervision of a psychiatrist and physician.

OTHER PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS:

This condition is not just medical in nature. The psychiatric factors complicate the situation and likely make the fainting worse.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

The initial intake took place in the early summer (2002) before the student’s first term in September. Meetings took place with program faculty and the parents to arrange for the student to audit some of his courses (before actually having to take them) over the summer. This was recommended by the psychiatrist, as it was believed that this would help to reduce the stress and anxiety the student feels in new situations. Arrangements were made for the student to attend some classes with one of his parents during the summer.

For the Fall semester courses, meetings took place with the program coordinator to determine what courses and how many the student would take. Initially the student thought he could handle all but after auditing the summer courses, he decided to take a reduced course load. Each of the student’s teachers was notified of his medical condition and what to do should he faint in the classroom. Every department on the college campus was notified. This notification was encouraged by the psychiatrist and the family as it was felt that the more people that knew about the student the less anxious they would be about his fainting.

Documentation from the psychiatrist indicated that the student should be accommodated with the following: longer deadlines for assignments and tests, completing tests and exams alone in a quiet room. These accommodations were provided. In addition to these recommended accommodations, a reduced course load was recommended, access to tutoring, getting assistance with notes, counselling support and providing the assistance of someone walking with him to classes. The psychiatrist also advised Disability Services to treat the fainting as normally as possible and to allow time for the student to regain consciousness. The psychiatrist indicated that the student’s symptoms would reduce over time as he became more comfortable with the academic setting. Both the psychiatrist and the family wished that the ambulance not be called when he fainted, as he would quickly regain consciousness.

By the end of the first semester, it was observed that the fainting spells were not decreasing and the length of unconsciousness was becoming longer. The Disability Services Counsellor was called most times to the scene where the student was unconscious. There were approximately 26 incidents since Fall 2002 to March 2003 that required counsellor intervention. These incidents frequently required notifying Security, Health Services and the ambulance. Because of their frequency and following a number of meetings with college personnel (i.e. Health Services, Security, Vice-President, College Lawyer) a college decision was made to call the ambulance quicker than what was advised by the psychiatrist and family.

Attempts were made by the Disability Services Counsellor to provide the student with a peer helper for the Winter semester (as a result of the frequency of fainting and the isolation the student was experiencing). This helper fulfilled the role of walking the student to classes and meeting up with each other to partake in social activities on campus.

SIGNIFICANT COSTS:

The costs could be measured in a number of ways. There were numerous times when the counsellor was called out of appointments with other students to attend to this student because he fainted. Thus the other students were forced to re-book appointments. The counsellor was required to remain at the scene until emergency personnel arrived and the family was contacted (this could take up to 2 hours of time). When the counsellor was unavailable to intervene, two other staff from Disability Services made themselves available for back up.

One could also say that the time of other college personnel was used considerably. Security personnel were involved with every incident of fainting. The college nurse was somewhat involved. Because there is only one nurse on campus, her being away from the office was a significant issue.

Discussions are happening regarding having the student accompanied by an educational assistant. Through the counsellor's observations, it has been seen that the student faints much less when accompanied by someone from class to class. While this may be an accommodation, it is not regarded by the psychiatrist as therapeutic. Attempts are being made to come up with a compromise. If an educational assistant is permitted, it will create a significant educational expense for the Disability Services Office.

Considerable time has been spent working with the student’s instructors regarding assignments, tests and accommodations. In addition, much time is used to update client records surrounding the fainting episodes and correspondence with the family and psychiatrist.

Complex Student Profile # 10

DISABILITY TYPE: Multiple

1. Childhood head injury resulting in mobility impairment (right side paralysis affecting gait and use of arm),

2. cognitive impairments (short and long term memory significantly weakened, slowed processing speed, central auditory processing disorder),

3. visual impairment.

PRESENTING CONDITIONS:

Student enrolled in a program with significant physical demands. Challenges relate to mobility issues, vision limitations, central auditory processing disorder, slowed processing speed and memory limitations.

OTHER PERSONAL CONSIDERATIONS:

• Student had substantial difficulty gauging appropriateness of program based on career direction and disability-related challenges.

• Very emotionally labile, especially in latter half of the day when fatigue factors impact on frustration tolerance and coping skills.

• Student also living independently for first time and faced numerous challenges negotiating some basic self-care strategies in residence such as asking for assistance with opening food packages, requesting adaptive fixtures in room and washroom (e.g. grab bars). Considerable reliance on parents to arrange all aspects of educational accommodations and services.

• By end of first semester, independent assessment of physical capabilities and accommodations required in order to assess appropriateness of program of study and possible adaptive equipment due to concerns related to suitability of program, student ambivalence, and need to define specific accommodation requirements if continuing in program.

• Student referred to counselling for assistance with interest/career exploration and ongoing psychological counselling and support.

• Total of twelve persons from inside the college and in the community involved in assisting/supporting this student (total excludes family members). Involvement primarily generated by student and family, aside from referral to college counsellor, which was suggested by college Disabilities Consultant.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

- Specialized equipment required for program

- Extra time for tests

- Enlarged print materials for all courses, including tests/exams

- Use of Optilec (image/text enlarger) in residence room for homework, assignments, reading, etc.

- Notetakers

- Study buddy

- Supplemental peer tutoring

- Access to computers for all tests and in-class written assignments

- Readers and scribes for tests where required

- Quiet room for tests

- Use of memory aids for tests

- Reduced course load

SIGNIFICANT COSTS:

Optilec - $4,700

Notetakers and Study buddy - $1,300

Total $6,000

Complex Student Profiles #11 (five summaries of additional needs)

Student in a Business Admin Program second year; he is married and the father of 3 children. He is very hard working and always has employment once school has been completed. His earnings and OSAP are not sufficient to house, cloth, feed & care for his family. Note his wife has medical conditions that prevent her from being employed. This student is a person with a disability. Expenses for family prescription medications, family dental needs, rent and food have necessitated accessing bursary monies, Personal Needs Assistance monies, the local Santa fund and regularly accessing on a rotating basis, different local food banks.

Student, first year in the Social Service Worker Program is a single sole support parent, mother of 5 children all living at home. Due to a very old OSAP default the result of being in a terribly abusive relationship she was denied OSAP until a clearance was determined (it took till Dec. 2002 for this to occur) Despite needing prescribed medication for stress and depression (she didn’t have the prescription filled until we were able to access some funds & intervene with Social Service providers. She was not eating so she could feed her children. She was paying $800 per month rent and only receiving $875 per month from Social Services. She barely survived by accessing local food banks, obtaining a Personal Needs Assistance bursary and not paying all her bills. Since she didn’t receive OSAP she had to borrow books and often copied pages through our Resource centre. She had to operate a very old car, as it was cheaper to do so than afford bus passes for herself & her children. She borrowed wherever she could and had racked up her Zellers card for winter clothing to the maximum (for the basics so her children would freeze during the winter.

Another female student is a second year student in the Indigenous Wellness & Addiction Program. At age 23 she is a single sole support parent, mother of 3 children under the age of seven. She has a learning disability and is a recovering addict. In addition she was sexually abused as a child on several occasions and later in life was raped twice. Given her stress level, inadequate OSAP funding, trying to provide the basic necessities for her family, attending school & completing assignments there was a breakdown & local CAS became involved.

Note in her first year she had a 3.4 GPA and during the fall 2002 semester she began failing for the first time. She needed to be referred for special victims of sexual abuse counselling (facilitated through our office), obtained Personal Needs Assistance

and emergency loans.

A female student in our Early Childhood Education Program received a marginal amount of OSAP necessitating that she work almost full time hours to pay for rent and food (often she would not eat). She lived in the outskirts of North Bay and had to pay a car

pool fee of $20 per day which caused even further hardship. In the end the stress and exhaustion resulted in her withdrawing from school.

A female student in Nursing is a sole support single parent mother with one child. She encountered difficulties getting clearance for a very small (under $1400) very old OSAP debt.

She also has a disability, despite this she has always found employment and has not been on social assistance for any length of time. With no OSAP, and tuition, books and child care to pay for not to mention food & rent she has had a lot of stress. She did receive some Personal Needs Assistance however this cannot even come close to meeting serious financial short falls. She got some help from extended family members, food bank assistance; through solid advocacy she obtained a childcare subsidy (not through the normal route). Eventually in second year part way through the semester she got OSAP clearance which helped significantly since this also opened the door to accessing the BSWD (Bursary for Students with Disabilities) which assist with disability related expenses.

In her particular case it can be argued that her stress level was increased as well because of bare bones faculty availability did not provide her with much needed one to one faculty time. (Note this was not due to faculty unwillingness but was simply the result of an overextended under resourced program area.

The five examples cited are reflective of what we see and what students often face daily.

Fortunately only one of the five withdrew.

The above students particularly counted on access to counseling, Special Needs counseling & support services, emergency assistance from the financial aid office, access to internal resources e.g. free computer lab time, library services, free copying services, peer tutoring and faculty time.

Many of these students need academic assistance that presently is unavailable through an internal college academic skills centre.

With appropriate assistance, these students can graduate and become employed, participating members of Ontario.

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