|
Accessibility Services (formerly the Special Needs Office) has been providing services to students with disabilities at Laurentian since 1989. Our department has grown substantially since then. We now have approximately 450 students registered with our department each year with disabilities, including mobility disabilities, vision and hearing impairments, medical conditions, learning disabilities and psychological/emotional disabilities. Our role at Laurentian is mandated by the Ontario Human Rights Code as it relates to people with disabilities. Some relevant points pertaining to students with disabilities in the Human Rights Code include:
Definition of a Disability:
“Disability” covers a broad range and degree of conditions, some visible and others not. A disability may have been present from birth, caused by an accident, or developed over time. It includes physical, mental, and learning disabilities, mental disorders, hearing or vision disabilities, epilepsy, drug and alcohol dependencies, environmental sensitivities, as well as other conditions.
Addressing Barriers:
Persons with disabilities face many kinds of barriers on a daily basis. These can be physical, attitudinal or systemic. It is more effective to identify and remove barriers voluntarily rather than waiting to respond to individual accommodation requests or complaints.
The Duty to Accommodate:
Even when facilities and services are designed as inclusively as possible, some persons with disabilities may still require an accommodation to meet their individual needs. The “duty to accommodate” is the legal obligation that employers, unions, landlords and service providers have under the Code to meet the needs of persons with disabilities. The goal of accommodation is to allow equal benefit from and participation in services, housing, or the workplace.
Shared Responsibility:
Accommodation is a shared responsibility. Everyone involved, including the person seeking accommodation, should co-operate in the process, exchange relevant information, and explore accommodation solutions together.
|
Accessibility Services
Parker Building
L-210
Telephone
(705) 675-1151 ext. 3324
Fax
(705) 675-4807
Email
AccessibilityServices
|