Working with Student Services

Working with Student Services

St. Clair College Student Services is committed to supporting students with both permanent and temporary disabilities. 

Types of Disabilities

The following list provides examples of various disabilities, including but not limited to, temporary and permanent disabilities:

Academic Accommodations

Academic Accommodations are implemented to level the playing field for students with disabilities to provide equal opportunity for students to obtain an education (OHRC, n.d.). In consultation with Counsellors, students decide which accommodations are included or excluded from their Accommodation Plan.

The four most common accommodations include:

• More time for quizzes, tests, or exams
• Extensions for assignment deadlines
• Note-taking services
• Use of Assistive Technologies

Documentation

Students must submit medical documentation from a regulated healthcare practitioner to support functional limitations. The documentation is then assessed by Student Services to determine eligibility for accommodations. Students are protected by legislation (OHRC, n.d.); therefore, students - except those with learning disabilities - are not obligated to disclose their diagnosis; this information is considered private and confidential.

Accommodation Plans

Student Services collaborates with students to develop an Accommodation Plan tailored to each student’s needs and functional limitations, emphasizing the flexibility needed to foster student success. Once written consent is provided, the Accommodation Plans are emailed to faculty members and pertinent staff.

Questions about an Accommodation Plan?

If you have any questions about the Accommodation Plan or how it directly applies to an individual student, please reach out to the Counsellor listed on the student's Accommodation Plan by telephone or through email.

Students’ diagnoses will not be disclosed, but a discussion surrounding functional limitations is possible. For instance, a student may struggle with short or long-term memory or occasionally be absent due to disability-related reasons. Student Services can help to brainstorm strategies to best support our students. Exploring alternative evaluation formats is also important, where students still have an opportunity to demonstrate course requirements successfully. Providing a variety of assessments will promote task completion, engagement, and success.

Learning Strategies and Assistive Technology

Student Services extend beyond academic accommodations; support is also offered to help design learning strategies and Assistive Technologies. The Learning Strategist and Assistive Technologist meet with students individually or in groups. Learning Strategies focuses on academic skills, such as time management or test-taking strategies, while Assistive Technologies includes software, such as Kurzweil and Dragon.

We encourage faculty and support staff to direct students to Student Services should they disclose a disability and an Accommodation Plan has not been set up.

Working Collaboratively with Faculty

Student Services collaborates with students, faculty members, and the College, recognizing that collaboration is key. Everyone works towards a common goal: student success. This partnership allows us to share different perspectives and expertise, identifying barriers, concerns, and potential solutions.

Summary

• Student success is a collaborative effort
• Students with self-identified disabilities for either a temporary or permanent disability need to submit medical documentation to Student Services to receive an Accommodation Plan
• Accommodations, learning strategies, and Assistive Technologies can be used to support student learning in and out of the classroom
• Student Services supports both students and faculty members, and they are willing to address any questions surrounding accommodations, processes, learning strategies, and Assistive Technology
• Consultations can be arranged for support

Acknowledgements: This article is modelled after Working with Student Services by Niagara College and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International. Working with Student Services by Irene Stewart with contributions from Jenn Jones and Kathryn Griffin is licensed by St. Clair College CC BY NC SA.