Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology

Start Smart SessionJune 25th, 2009

Services for Students with Disabilities

Agenda• Transition to Post-Secondary

• Disability Services– Who registers with Disability Services?– What is a Case Manager?– What is a Learning Strategist?– Accessing Services– Student Responsibilities – Confidentiality– Accommodations– Other Services

• Assessment for Success

• Financial Assistance– OSAP– BSWD

• Questions

Transition to Post-Secondary Education

Transition to Post-SecondaryStudent issues

• I find it difficult to take total responsibility for my own learning.

• I find it difficult to handle the workload!

• I have problems getting myself organized.

• I get distracted in class. How can I focus?

• I’m failing a course and don’t know where to go for help.

• I’m afraid to tell my professors about my disability.

• I wish I had a friend. It’s so hard to make friends. It was so much easier in high school.

• I’m not sure this is the right program for me.

Transition to Post-SecondaryKeys to success

• Program fit

• Awareness of strengths and challenges

• Self-directed

• Self-advocacy

• Good support network

• Wise use of college resources

Disability Services

Promoting Self-Reliance

Maximizing Potential

Encouraging Lifelong Learning

Who Registers with Disability Services?• Students who have or suspect they have a:

• Physical or medical disability• Mental health condition• Deaf, deafened or hard of hearing• Learning disability• Blind, low vision• Acquired brain injury

register with Disability Services in order to receive accommodations in and outside of the classroom.

• An accommodations is:• “special arrangements made so that persons with disabilities can

fully participate." - Ontario Human Rights Code

What is a Case Manager?

• Case Managers are faculty who work with students to develop a personal program of services and accommodations.

• Case Managers:– Assist with educational planning

– With students, develop an accommodation plan

– Offer guidance on financial issues specific to students with disabilities

– Refer to Learning Strategists when needed

– Promote independence by counseling on disability issues

– Counsel for transition to the workplace or other postsecondary programs

What is a Learning Strategist?• Learning Strategists are faculty who teach students how his/her

disability impacts on his/her learning in a post-secondary environment. Through assessment, evaluation of documentation and discussion, a Learning Strategist will develop an individualized learning plan support academic goals.

• A Learning Strategist identifies strengths and weaknesses and then develops strategies that maximize strengths to compensate for the areas that are challenging.

• A student’s Case Manager will refer students who are eligible for Learning Strategist services.

Accessing Services

Step 1• After you have accepted an

offer to Mohawk College you can call the Disability Services office at 905-575-2211.– The sooner you do this the

better, as it takes time to get all accommodations in place. The best time is in the summer before your program starts.

Step 2• When you call the Disability

Services office you will be making an appointment to see a Case Manager.– Case Managers are divided

up by program and by disability group. The receptionist may ask you what your disability is to ensure that you meet with the correct Case Manager.

Accessing Services(Continued)

Step 3• You will attend your Case

Management appointment.– You will need to bring as

much information as you have about you and your disability. Documents to bring can include:

• IPRC or IEP documents• A psycho-educational

assessment • Documentation from a

physician

Step 4• At your appointment you

will speak to your Case Manager about the services available to you and the accommodations that will be put in place to support you while at college.

Responsibilities of Students

• Students identify their disability needs to Disability Services.

• Providing accommodations is a partnership.

• Students inform faculty of their recommended accommodations.– The Confidential Academic Accommodation Plan outlines the

appropriate accommodations for each student. It is the student’s responsibility to provide the Confidential Academic Accommodation Plan to each faculty member where he/she believes accommodations are necessary.

– Students are not required to disclose nature of disability to faculty.

Confidentiality• Disability Services at Mohawk College is a confidential service.

The documentation you bring to the Case Manager is held in confidential file in Disability Services.

• Confidential information is shared only with student consent. You will be asked to sign a consent form so that your Case Manager can speak to others who can also support your academic goals. Those people may include:– Mohawk faculty/staff– Parents– Community agencies

It is your choice with whom your information is shared with.

• Limits of confidentiality

Accommodations

Typical Test Accommodations

• Extra time• Separate Room• Reader and/or Scribe• Computer and/or adaptive

technology

Typical Classroom Accommodations

• Digital recording of lectures• Peer and/or Computerized

Notetaker• Breaks• Educational Assistant

An accommodations is:• “special arrangements made so that persons with disabilities

can fully participate." - Ontario Human Rights Code

Other Services

Tutoring

•Peer Tutoring•Specialized Tutor

Psycho-educational Assessments

Counselling/Self-Advocacy

Alternative Format Adaptive Technology

What is Adaptive Technology?

• What is Adaptive Technology?– Adaptive technology is equipment or software that is used to

improve the ability of individuals with disabilities to work independently. Adaptive technology supports students by

taking advantage of the student's existing strengths. Examples are: Kurzweil, Dragon Naturally Speaking and Inspiration

• A Learning Strategist assesses the need for adaptive technology and trains students to use, in conjunction with individualized adaptive technology strategies.

Assessments for Success

Assessments for Success

• All first year students write the Assessments for Success.

• Students will receive information about assessments in the “Preparing for College Success” package sent to all first year students.

• The assessments are to evaluate incoming students’ communication and mathematic skills. – Students will be asked to write Communications, or

Mathematics, or possibly both.

Assessments for Success(Continued)

• If you require testing accommodations to write the assessments, please make an appointment with a Case Manager as soon as you receive your notice.

• For more information you can go to:1. www.mohawkcollege.ca

2. Click on the Assessments for Success

icon on the main page

Financial Assistance

Financial Assistance

• Some students with disabilities face increased financial demands to accommodate their specific needs at college.

• There is specific funding available to support students with disabilities to gain some of these accommodations.

• The next few slides will discuss some of these financial assistance options. For additional information regarding eligibility and potential purchases, please speak to your Case Manager.

Ontario Student Assistance Program(OSAP)

• Many bursaries and scholarships are tied to the Ontario Student Assistance Program.

• Disability Services recommends that all students apply for the Ontario Student Assistance Program whether they believe they will receive these funds or not.

• You can apply online for the Ontario Student Assistance Program by:

1. http://osap.gov.on.ca 2. Click on Apply Online

The Canada Access Grant

• The Canada Access Grant is up to $2000 per year for students with permanent disabilities.

• To receive this grant you must apply for the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP).

• For more information about this grant please go to:1. http://osap.gov.on.ca 2. Click on OSAP Info3. Click on Assistance for

Students with Disabilities

Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD)

• The Bursary for Students with Disabilities is:– Up to $10,000 for each academic year– Non-repayable– Taxable benefit

• The Bursary for Students with Disabilities provides funding for disability-related expenses.

• The expenses can include:– Equipment, computers, software– Tutoring needs– Psycho-educational assessment

Bursary for Students with Disabilities Eligibility

Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Demonstrate financial need.• This means that you must be

Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) eligible.

Have no previous default of an Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) loan.

Be actively registered at college.• You may have to repay the bursary

if you withdraw early in term.

To be eligible for the Bursary for Students with Disabilities a student needs to meet the following requirements:

Bursary for Students with Disabilities Additional information

• Students need to talk to his/her Case Manager to ensure that he/she is eligible and to discuss what types of purchases would be appropriate to accommodate his/her disability.

• The Bursary for Students with Disabilities is authorized by the student’s Case Manager. Students work with their Case Manager to determine eligibility and appropriate purchases to be made with the bursary.

• It is not recommended that students make purchases prior to starting college or without consulting with his/her Case Manager.

• Students should make an appointment to see his/her Case Manager once OSAP is either approved or denied the student’s application.

For More InformationAbout Disability Services

• For more information about Disability Services, you can go to:

1. www.mohawkcollege.ca

2. Click on Mohawk Students

3. Click on Help for Students

4. Click on Disability Services

Questions