Fanshawe's Accessibility services offers support to students
A recent study by the Higher
Education Quality Council of
Ontario described the unique challenges
that students with disabilities
face while completing their
post secondary education.
According to Shelley Reynolds and
Lois Wey of Fanshawe's
Counselling and Accessibility
Services, the college is doing well
to lighten the burdens faced by disabled
students.
One of the major challenges outlined by the HEQCO study was that "disabilities may prevent students from accessing financial aid for undergraduate and graduate school because of insufficient course loads and extended number of semesters." Wey outlined that Fanshawe students with disabilities are not required to reduce their course load to collect financial aid, though choosing to do so can be beneficial for some. For instance, many programs at Fanshawe do not allow for part-time studies, but once accepted, students with disabilities can negotiate the amount of courses they choose to take with counsellors. This can make completing college much easier for someone who may need more time to get through his or her course work.
Reynolds explained that there are also policies like the tuition cap to ensure students are not penalized for completing college at a slower pace. A student who is attending Fanshawe at a reduced rate due to a disability and has paid full tuition does not have to pay full fees for outstanding courses. "Rather than paying the full tuition fees for those courses, they're paying $20." There are limitations, such as having withdrawn from a course after a deadline, or re-taking a course due to failing it, but the tuition cap comes in handy in most cases.
Applying for OSAP, even if you don't think you qualify, may also open doors to other forms of funding if you have disabilities. By being eligible for even $1 of OSAP, a student is then able to apply for the bursary for students with disabilities, or be considered for a grant of $2,000 a year. While the study by the HEQCO warns of growing student debt, it is only being eligible for OSAP that counts in these cases (as a way to prove financial need), therefore taking the student loan isn't necessary.
Wey said she is proud of the college's accessibility program and hopes that Fanshawe students with disabilities will take advantage of the services available. "A lot of people perceive disabilities to be somebody in a wheelchair, or someone who is deaf or blind and it is visible ... some people don't perceive that if they have a chronic medical condition or if they suffer from depression or have a learning disability that it is in fact a disability. We want to be able to provide learning supports to help those people to be successful in college."
Fanshawe's Counselling and Accessibility Services deal with over 1,800 students with documented disabilities by offering counselling as well as other services, though its success depends on students in need of their help identifying themselves. This can be done online at www.fanshawec.ca/earlyid. After applying to the program, you will be contacted by email on which steps to take next. For more information on Fanshawe's Counselling and Accessibility Services, visit fanshawec.ca/disability or head to room F2010.
One of the major challenges outlined by the HEQCO study was that "disabilities may prevent students from accessing financial aid for undergraduate and graduate school because of insufficient course loads and extended number of semesters." Wey outlined that Fanshawe students with disabilities are not required to reduce their course load to collect financial aid, though choosing to do so can be beneficial for some. For instance, many programs at Fanshawe do not allow for part-time studies, but once accepted, students with disabilities can negotiate the amount of courses they choose to take with counsellors. This can make completing college much easier for someone who may need more time to get through his or her course work.
Reynolds explained that there are also policies like the tuition cap to ensure students are not penalized for completing college at a slower pace. A student who is attending Fanshawe at a reduced rate due to a disability and has paid full tuition does not have to pay full fees for outstanding courses. "Rather than paying the full tuition fees for those courses, they're paying $20." There are limitations, such as having withdrawn from a course after a deadline, or re-taking a course due to failing it, but the tuition cap comes in handy in most cases.
Applying for OSAP, even if you don't think you qualify, may also open doors to other forms of funding if you have disabilities. By being eligible for even $1 of OSAP, a student is then able to apply for the bursary for students with disabilities, or be considered for a grant of $2,000 a year. While the study by the HEQCO warns of growing student debt, it is only being eligible for OSAP that counts in these cases (as a way to prove financial need), therefore taking the student loan isn't necessary.
Wey said she is proud of the college's accessibility program and hopes that Fanshawe students with disabilities will take advantage of the services available. "A lot of people perceive disabilities to be somebody in a wheelchair, or someone who is deaf or blind and it is visible ... some people don't perceive that if they have a chronic medical condition or if they suffer from depression or have a learning disability that it is in fact a disability. We want to be able to provide learning supports to help those people to be successful in college."
Fanshawe's Counselling and Accessibility Services deal with over 1,800 students with documented disabilities by offering counselling as well as other services, though its success depends on students in need of their help identifying themselves. This can be done online at www.fanshawec.ca/earlyid. After applying to the program, you will be contacted by email on which steps to take next. For more information on Fanshawe's Counselling and Accessibility Services, visit fanshawec.ca/disability or head to room F2010.
