Prepared by: Steven Nicholls, Vice-President (University Affairs) Brock University Students Union

Transcription

1 POLICY PAPER Students with Disabilities Prepared by: Steven Nicholls, Vice-President (University Affairs) Brock University Students Union Alysha Li, Vice-President (University Affairs) University Students Council, Western University Primary Research by: Sheridy Leslie, Research Analyst Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance With Files From Brian Belman, 2012 Research Intern Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance Arielle Stockdale, Researcher Brock University Students Union

2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This policy paper addresses the experiences of students attending a university in Ontario who also live with one or more disabilities. Students living with disabilities are a growing population in the post-secondary sector. This coincides with the increasing need for post-secondary institutions to broaden the reach and scope of the accommodations they offer their students. Students believe that all willing and qualified students in Ontario must be able to access and excel within Ontario s post-secondary education system. Past governments have reflected this concern within two ground-breaking bodies of legislation: the Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA; 2001), and within the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA; 2005). Collectively these documents ensure that persons living with disabilities in Ontario are sufficiently accommodated. The Students with Disabilities Policy Paper has been divided into five topic areas, which include: Data and Research, Campus Accessibility, Campus Support Services, Financial Assistance, and Barriers. To guarantee that students who are attending an Ontario University and who are living with a disability receive the same level of support and inclusion across the province, OUSA has put forth the following recommendations: Data and Research The government should increase the amount of funding provided to OSDs to better reflect their time and resource demands and to increase the outreach efforts necessary to connect all students with recognized or self-identified disabilities. Financial Assistance Every institution must extend full scholarship eligibility to students with disabilities who are taking a reduced course load. The provincial government should lobby the federal government to expand the diagnostic assessment limitation under the Canada Student Grant for Persons with Disabilities to cover the costs of psychosocial assessments in their entirety. The provincial government should lobby the federal government to expand the eligibility criteria for federal grants and bursaries to include students with temporary disabilities. Automatically exempt students with severe permanent disabilities from the OSAP expectation of a minimum pre-study period contribution. Campus Accessibility All Ontario universities should continue working towards implementing accessibility standards outlined in the Building Code of the ODA and any other applicable AODA standards. Universities should adopt a universal instructional design philosophy where accessibility is built into instructional standards and campus infrastructure outside of traditional spaces for students with disabilities. The provincial government must make further progress towards enacting the Built Environment AODA Standard. Campus Support Services 1

3 Information on disability accommodation requirements should be provided to students during high school to ensure that they have enough time to have assessments completed. Universities should strive for greater program consistency and a wider target audience in summer transition programs for students with disabilities. Universities should send information on Disability Services and summer transition programs (STPs) to all students in the acceptance package. Barriers Institutions should pursue comprehensive training strategies for faculty and staff to help reduce or eliminate stigma as a barrier for students accessing services. 2

4 INTRODUCTION In September 2012, a total of 92,548 perspective students had accepted their offers of admission, and were preparing to attend university in Ontario. In 2005, the number was 76,378, which amounts to a 21.5 percent increase in first year enrolment over a 7-year period. 1 As more Ontarians are choosing to attend university, more diverse needs and requirements are being voiced among the Ontario undergraduate student population. Along with these changes comes the necessity to ensure that these diverse needs are met, and to work towards equal access for all Ontarians wishing to pursue a post-secondary education. The Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services estimates that one in seven people in Ontario have a disability. 2 A disability can affect a person's ability to achieve a post-secondary education, and can also greatly influence their experience within a post-secondary institution. In Ontario, 34 percent of people between the ages of 15 and 64 with disabilities have a college or university degree, compared to 44.5 percent of people without disabilities. 3 Moreover, 22.2 percent of persons with disabilities reported to have discontinued their education because of their condition. 4 The responsibility to accommodate the diverse needs of Ontario's current and future students lies not only in the hands of the institution itself, but in the hands of all Ontarians, from those who write and develop policy, to those who implement it at the ground level. This paper will examine the current environment in Ontario universities as it relates to students with disabilities. Recent research conducted by the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) examined both quantitatively and qualitatively the experiences of post-secondary students who are living with one or more disabilities, the results of which have been included in this paper. Primary research was conducted at our member institutions in order to provide a more relatable context to our concerns and recommendations. As a result, OUSA has developed several principles, concerns, and recommendations on behalf of Ontario undergraduate students with disabilities. This paper is divided into five separate topic sections, including: Data and Research, Campus Accessibility, Campus Support Services, Financial Assistance, and Barriers. Each section outlines separate principles, concerns, and recommendations related to the section's topic. The paper has been laid out in this manner in order to offer an overview of OUSA's policy stance, and the reasoning behind each recommendation. Overall, this paper has been structured around OUSA s most basic of principles: Principle One: All willing and qualified students in Ontario must be able to access and excel within Ontario s post-secondary education system. All willing and qualified students in Ontario must be able to access and excel within Ontario s postsecondary system, regardless of ethnicity, physical or mental disability, socio-economic circumstances, geographic location, or any other barriers. A post-secondary education must remain free of all physical, social, and financial barriers to all of those who are qualified. Currently, there are several pieces of federal and provincial legislation in place that outline the rights of persons with disabilities, and regulate the treatment of Ontarians with disabilities by public sector institutions. To understand the current situation faced by students living with disabilities, it is important to briefly review the legislation in existence today. At the most basic level, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the right to equal protection and benefit under the law, with specific reference to discrimination based on mental or physical 1 Ontario Universities' Application Centre. (2012). Undergraduate confirmation statistics September Retrieved from, 2 Ministry of Community and Social Services (2008). Making Ontario accessible. Queen s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from, 3 Statistics Canada. (2006). Participation and activity limitation survey (PALS). Catelogue no X 4 Ibid. 3

5 disability. 5 Similar to the Charter, the Ontario Human Rights Code is the provincial legislation created to give equal rights and opportunities to all Ontarians without discrimination. 6 The recognition of this basic freedom was very important in setting the stage for legislation that applies specifically to persons with disabilities. In 2001, the Government of Ontario passed the Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA), which was introduced to provide further direction regarding how to ensure that persons living with a disability are not discriminated against and that their rights, as outlined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, remain protected. 7 The ODA calls on provincial ministries and on various public sector organizations to plan for the identification and removal of any existing barriers to receiving full accessibility for persons living with a disability. However, it should be noted that the implementation of the ODA to date has only applied to central government facilities without targeting the broader public sector as a whole. For example, the ODA requires every central government facility to ensure that all web-based and physical publications are accessible upon the request of a person with a disability (ies). 8 Finally, in 2005, the Government of Ontario went one step further in ensuring equal rights for Ontarians with disabilities when it passed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act was introduced to ensure that both the broader public sector and not-for-profit organizations in Ontario complied with the accessibility requirements set by the provincial government. 9 The AODA aims to develop sets of "standards" to ensure accessibility in the areas of customer service, transportation, information and communications, employment, and the built environment. In the case of universities, these standards are intended to reinforce the notion that people with disabilities have a range of different service needs that post-secondary institutions must recognize and put into place. Currently, Ontario universities are only required to comply with the necessary Customer Service Standards. However, in early 2013, all public institutions will be required to comply with standards surrounding employment, communication and transportation. 10 Given that mandatory compliance to these standards will be made official in the near future, it is important for universities, as places of inclusive higher learning, to be proactive in their implementation of all AODA standards and principles. While there is much federal and provincial legislation, as well as institutional policy that refers to persons with disabilities, there is not a universally accepted definition of "disability," and thus no one definition of a "student with a disability". It is very important to note that the ODA, and the AODA each define "disability" slightly differently, and each university may also have its own definition (Refer to Table 1). For the purposes of this paper, OUSA will not strictly refer to one definition of disability, but may reference several definitions as they apply to the specific topics being addressed. TABLE 1: DEFINITIONS OF DISABILITY USED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF ONTARIO Legislation/Program Definition of Disability Ontarians with Disabilities Act (ODA), 2001 (a) Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical coordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair 5 Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, s2, Part I of the Constitution Act, 1982, being Schedule B to the Canada Act 1982, (UK), 1982, c11. 6 Human Rights Code, s 10(3), RSO 1990, c H.19 7 Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, s 2, Part I of the Constitution Act, 1982, being Schedule B to the Canada Act 1982, (UK), 1982, c11. 8 Ontarians with Disabilities Act, s 4(7), 2001, S.O. 2001, c Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, S.O. 2009, c Ministry of Community and Social Services (2008). Making Ontario accessible. Queen s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from, 4

6 Accessibility for Ontarians Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005 Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD)/ Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Persons with Permanent Disabilities (CSG-PDSE) or other remedial appliance or device, (b) a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability, (c) a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language, (d) a mental disorder, or (e) an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997; ( handicap ). (a) Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical coordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device, (b) a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability, (c) a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language, or (d) a mental disorder. (a) a functional limitation caused by a physical or mental impairment; (b) a functional limitation that restricts your ability to perform the daily activities necessary to participate in studies at a postsecondary level or the labour force; and (c) a functional limitation that is expected to remain with you for your expected life. As we move forward as a province and as a society, we must ensure that we continue to adapt and develop policies that take into account all persons, including those with disabilities. Accessibility is about more than simply changing the structures within a province or an institution; it is about creating a new culture of inclusion and adaptability. Together, all Ontarians can work to make our universities more equitable, and to ensure that accessibility is neither an issue for current students with disabilities, nor a deterrent for future students with disabilities who are considering the pursuit of higher education. 5

7 DATA & RESEARCH CONCERNS CONCERNS Concern One: Funding to support individuals and programs for students with disabilities is based upon data that likely under-reports the number of students with disabilities. Research suggests that there may be more students attending Ontario s universities with a disability than there are reflected in the current funding framework provided by the provincial government for universities and students. The evidence to support this claim has been reported by each Ontario University in their Multi-Year Accountability Agreement (MYAA) Report Back (Refer to Table 2). 11 A section of all MYAAs report the number of students with a disability on campus. However, MYAA reporting traditionally limits information on students with disabilities to the number of those registered with their institutions Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) or equivalent (Refer to Table 3). These numbers are required by the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities (MTCU) to calculate each institution s allotment of the Accessibility Fund for Students with Disabilities (AFSD). In 2011, nearly 8,000 undergraduate students in Ontario completed OUSA s Student Satisfaction and Usage Survey. The findings of this survey have led OUSA to believe a clear discrepancy exists between the number of students with recognized disabilities registered with their university s OSD and the number of students who self-identify as having a disability but who have not registered. This discrepancy may result in insufficient provincial funding provided to universities via their OSDs. The findings of this survey indicate that there are a large number of students who identified as having a disability but have not registered with their university s OSD. For example, from OUSA s student survey, almost 10 percent of Brock University s undergraduate students reported having at least one disability, yet Brock s MYAA Report Back for only reported five percent of their undergraduate population as having a disability. 12 Hence, in this example, Brock would not have received enough funding to accurately reflect the total number of students who identify as having one or more disabilities. Moreover, if we extrapolate the total number of Ontario university students with a self-identified disability from the results of OUSA s student survey, over 32,000 students (or eight percent of Ontario s total university enrolment) live with a disability. When compared to the total number reported in all MYAA Report Backs, only about 20, 000 students (four and a half percent of total enrolment) were recognized as having a disability. Given these calculations, an estimated 12,000 students who identify with having a disability are not directly benefiting from the funded services provided through each Ontario University s OSD. TABLE 2: REPORTED NUMBER OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ATTENDING AN ONTARIO UNIVERSITY AS EVIDENCED IN MYAA REPORT-BACKS, Ontario University * * * Algoma University 91** 93** Brock University 825 (5%)*** 719 (4%) Carleton University 1,448 (6%) 1,420 (6%) 1,457 1,460 1,284 Guelph University 1,078 (5%) 1,035 (5%) 885 1, Lakehead University 470 (7%) 470 (6%) Laurentian University 494 (6%) 489 (5%) MYAA Report Back data and total enrollment numbers for the corresponding years were sourced from the public reports released by each University in Ontario. 12 Brock University s MYAA Report Back percentage was calculated from the reported 825 students with a disability, divided by the population of undergraduate students that year at Brock (15,691) and multiplied by

8 McMaster University 1,123 (5%) 1,088 (4%) 1,200 1,296 1,100 Nipissing University 433 (8%) 462 (8%) OCAD University 287 (7%) 367 (9%) Ottawa University 1,379 (4%) - 1,815 1,880 1,844 University of Ontario 331 (4%) 277 (4%) Institute of Technology (UOIT) Queen's University 654 (4%) 769 (4%) 1, Ryerson University 1,304 (4%) 1,148 (4%) 1,095 1,128 - University of Toronto 2,673 (4%) 2,572 (4%) 2,532 1,786 - Trent University 567 (7%) 461 (6%) Waterloo University 1,477 (6%) 1,473 (5%) 1,460 1,460 1,400 Western University 1,473 (5%) 1,298 (4%) 1,157 1,063 - Wilfrid Laurier University 1,031 (7%) 889 (5%) Windsor University 484 (4%) 507 (3%) York University 2,398 (5%) 2,377 (5%) 2,196 2,153 2,900 Total 20,020 17,914 19,075 17,869 13,264 Note: *Reliable statistical information indicating the percentages of students with disabilities attending a university in Ontario between the reporting years of , were not available. ** Reliable statistical information indicating the percentages of students with disabilities attending Algoma University between the reporting years of , were not available. ***Percentages in brackets represent the proportion of students with disabilities attending Ontario s Universities as a percentage of total population TABLE 3: A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS HAVING A DISABILITY IN THE OUSA STUDENT SURVEY* AND STUDENTS IN MYAA REPORT-BACKS % of students with a % of students who disability reported in the identified as having a MYAA Report Back (2010- disability reported in the 2011) OUSA student survey (2011) Brock University 5% 9% McMaster University 5% 7% Queen s University 4% 9% Waterloo University 6%*** 5% Western University 5% 9% Wilfrid Laurier 7% 10% University Windsor University 4% 11% Note: *Only OUSA member schools** were included in this comparison. ** OUSA member Trent Oshawa was excluded from the above comparison since an MYAA Report Back specific to the Trent Oshawa campus is not available at this time. *** The percentages used here are rounded to the hundredth decimal point, the difference between the number of students with disabilities reported through the MYAA Report Back for this institution and the number reported through the OUSA student survey, is less than a percentage point (5.80% versus 5.30% respectively). Lastly, it is important to note that the use of assistive technology is not considered to be a service exclusive to an OSD under MYAA Report Back criteria. This means that the gathering of statistics on the usage of assisted technology on campus occurs at the discretion of each institution, not the provincial government, and is therefore not included in provincial funding calculations. 7

9 RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendation One: The government should increase the amount of funding provided to OSDs to better reflect their time and resource demands and to increase the outreach efforts necessary to connect all students with recognized or self-identified disabilities. Throughout September and October of 2012, OUSA conducted a series of interviews at universities across the province with disability service providers and students living with one or more disabilities. 13 Among the disability service providers interviewed, every one of them indicated that it was common for a disability advisor to be assigned hundreds of cases, and in some cases up to 400, during a single school term. None of the schools visited had more than three full-time disability advisors working in their university s OSD at one time. Many of the service providers reported heavy workloads and strained resources, despite the fact that many students with disabilities do not access OSD services (Table 3). Delivering information on the programs and services available to students with disabilities is very important, considering how past research has found that 39 percent of students with disabilities did not know disability services or an OSD existed at their school. 14 This is particularly troubling in a context where many students do not access services from which they could benefit. To address the discrepancies in student support and outreach outlined in this paper, the provincial government should increase the amount of funding provided to OSDs across the province in order to increase their outreach efforts to all students who identify as living with a disability. In addition, increased funding to these offices would allow for the expansion of resources provided by the OSD to registered students in need of one-on-one support. This would allow each university s OSD to prepare their students and accurately gauge the services and expertise needed by the OSD for the start of the term. 13 Interviews for this research were conducted on OUSA member campuses ( 14 Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation. (2009). The price of knowledge: Access and student finance in Canada. Retrieved from, 8

10 FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE The findings of our research conducted earlier this fall suggested that students who are registered with the OSD are not effectively being informed of the funding opportunities available to them. For example, the majority of students interviewed this fall were not aware of all the funding sources available to them upon first meeting their disability advisor. Those who did receive some funding were limited to the sources chosen for them by their advisor. In another case, one student sought funding on his own through his parent s workplace and via award websites, since he was not aware of any funding opportunities available to him through his OSD. Before explaining OUSA s recommendations for changes to the current financial assistance programs for students living with disabilities, it is important to review the existing financial resources available. Currently, the responsibility for funding financial assistance programs for students with disabilities is jointly shared by the provincial and federal governments. Each offer substantial bursary programs that, in theory, could provide a combined total of $12,000 dollars in assistance to help offset the cost of study. Below is a list of the current financial assistance programs for students living with disabilities: Ontario Bursary for Students with Disabilities: The Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD) is for students with permanent or temporary disabilities who are studying full- or part-time at a post-secondary institution and have financial need. 15 Students who qualify for the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) or the Canada Student Grant for Part-time Students (CSG-PS) can receive this bursary. 16 Up to $2,000 per academic year can be paid out to cover a student s disability-related costs such as providing students with their own computer along with a variety of adaptive technologies. 17 Students are also required to submit an estimation of the costs they seek to be reimbursed of through the BSWD program. To apply for the grant, students must fill out an application at their institution s OSD and submit them to their school s financial aid office, along with supporting documentation. In the academic year, 9, 884 bursaries were granted, totalling $3.5 million. 18 Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Persons with Disabilities: The Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Persons with Disabilities (CSG-PDSE) is available to students with a permanent disability to help cover some of the educational costs related to their disability. Students apply to this grant in tandem with the BSWD, and it functions in much the same way. Like the BSWD, this grant is available to full- and part-time students who qualify for financial assistance. However, unlike the BSWD, this grant will cover educational costs of up to $8,000 per year 19 and is only available to students with permanent disabilities. Canada Student Grant for Persons with Permanent Disabilities The Canada Student Grant for Persons with Permanent Disabilities (CSG-PDA) is available to students with a permanent disability who are studying full or part-time at a post-secondary institution and who demonstrates financial need. Students seeking to apply for this grant must: 1) qualify for the Canada Student Loan Program; and, 2) have a permanent disability that has been defined in the Canada Student Financial Assistance Regulations (in accordance with the Canada Financial Assistance Act, 1994) as, a functional limitation that is caused by a physical or mental impairment which restricts the ability of a person to perform the daily activities necessary to participate in studies at a post-secondary level or in the workforce that is expected to remain with the 15 Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities. (2010). Bursary for students with disabilities. Queen s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from, 16 ibid. 17 ibid. 18 Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities. ( ). Accessibility plan. Retrieved from, 19 Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. (2011). Canada student grants program. Retrieved from, 9

11 PRINCIPLES person for the person s expected life. 20 Students must demonstrate proof of disability by submitting a psychosocial assessment, a medical certificate, or a receipt of provincial disability assistance. The grant is valued at $2,000 per year, which is distributed in allotments of $1,000 per school term. Unlike the BSWD and CSG-PDSE, students receive the money upfront rather than being reimbursed after purchases have been made. 21 Principle One: Students with disabilities must be provided with additional financial assistance in order to cover the higher costs associated with obtaining their education. Students with disabilities often experience higher than average costs to attend university than those without. Students living with a disability can incur additional educational costs associated with their disability through the purchase of items such as: walking, visual and auditory aids; medications; assistive and adaptive technologies; off-campus mental health counselling; off-campus healthcare; and accessing alternative formats for various course-related materials. With some of these expenses ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars, the cost of an education for a student with a disability can be substantial. Additionally, students who are not eligible for needs-based assistance (grants, bursaries & public loans) still incur additional costs associated with their disability, causing greater financial strain than is recognized by government funding sources. The burden these additional costs place on students was evident from the responses of those who identified with having a mental or medical disability during our research interviews. Of particular concern for those with a disability that is episodic in nature is the cost and necessity of having to regularly purchase medication to keep their disability at a level of high function. Medication is not cheap right now I have to pay full price for my medication and I am on four medications and sometimes 5 depending on episodic things because I have 1 episodic disability. I get $1000 from this grant per semester, which is really helpful because sometimes I need to seek outside help. Most programs are free but if I need to see a psychiatrist or a psychologist immediately they are not cheap I think people with episodic disabilities should be able to get grants because at the time they are still going through something harsh and less often than not they have less time to cope with it because it comes out of nowhere. I have been dealing with this for so long I have highs and lows but for the most part I have exercises, I know what to do and I am medicated otherwise I would not be able to be sitting here with you right now. First generation, mental disability, mature student. Episodic disabilities are often not treated the same as permanent disabilities, especially in terms of the number of financial opportunities available for permanent disabilities compared to disabilities that are not labeled as permanent but just as chronic and debilitating. This higher educational cost is a troublesome burden shared by a large number of Ontario students with disabilities. As demonstrated below in a recent survey of students with disabilities, nearly 40 percent of all students with a disability require some sort of medication, 37 percent require specialized or assistive forms of technology, and 18 percent of Ontario students with a disability find themselves in need of walking aids, hearing aids and wheelchairs Canada Student Financial Assistance Regulations, 1995, SOR/ Retrieved from, 21 Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. (2011). Canada student grants program. Retrieved from, 22 Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation. (2009). The price of knowledge: Access and student finance in Canada. Retrieved from, 10

12 Students with disabilities in Ontario often pay extremely high educational costs associated with their disability and as such should be fully supported by the provincial government to reduce the financial burden carried by these students. Government funding in the form of grants and bursaries must continue to increase to match the growing costs of services, medications, and associated technologies that students with disabilities require in order to successfully complete their post-secondary studies. FIGURE 1: TYPES OF AIDS AND SERVICES USED BY STUDENTS LIVING WITH ONE OR MORE DISABILITIES No Aids or Services Other Communicaiton Board Guide Dog White Cane Sign Language Interpreters Attendent Care Services Specialized Transportation System Wheelchairs/Scooters Crutches or other Walking Aids Hearing Aids Alternative Formats Specialized or Adaptive Technology Drugs & Medical Supplies Estimated Testing Time Academic Accomodation 5% 6% 1% 1% 2% 2% 4% 4% 5% 6% 7% 11% 37% 39% 63% 75% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% CONCERNS Concern Two: The proportion of students living with a disability who utilize privately sourced loans is higher than students without disabilities. As outlined before, students with disabilities have disproportionally high educational costs compared to students without. In addition to the typical costs of attending university, such as tuition, textbooks and ancillary fees, many students are saddled with the mounting costs of psychotropic medications and other pharmaceutical treatments, adaptive technology, and other disability-related aids and services (Refer to Figure 1). The cumulative total of these expenses can be prohibitively high, thereby forcing many students with disabilities to seek other funding sources, particularly privately financed loans. Students with disabilities turn to private loans at a higher proportion than those without disabilities. Amongst underrepresented groups, students with disabilities utilized private loans at a rate of 18 percent, 23 compared to percent for students without. 24 Furthermore, the findings of OUSA s 2011 student survey suggests that students with disabilities receive approximately $1,000 more through private loans than the average total loan amount for students without a disability, for a sum of over $9,000/year. 25 As stated earlier, aboveaverage loan amounts are needed by many of these students because of the higher than normal educational costs associated with their disability. Indeed, in reference to Figure 2, 63 percent of students with disabilities cited their aids and services as being too costly for them to purchase on their own Ibid. 24 Frenette, Marc. (2007). Why are youth from lower-income families less likely to attend university? Evidence from academic abilities, parental influences, and financial constraints. Ottawa: Statistics Canada; Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance. (2011). Student satisfaction, usage, and financial aid survey. Unpublished raw data. 25 Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance. (2011). Student satisfaction, usage, and financial aid survey. Unpublished raw data; Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation. (2009). The price of knowledge: Access and student finance in Canada. Retrieved from, 26 Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation. (2009). The price of knowledge: Access and student finance in Canada. Retrieved from, 11

13 FIGURE 2: REASONS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES DID NOT ACCESS AIDS OR SERVICES Other 14% Unavailable in the area where I live 15% Unable to secure awards/bursaries 26% Not eligible for bursary programs 31% No government program to fund access 32% Unaware of available resources 39% Too costly for personal purchase 63% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Concern Three: Access to some government grant programs is restricted to students with a registered, permanent disability, limiting access to students who may suffer from a temporary disability. For the federal government there is certain criterion to access this money and there is certain criterion for the provincial government. If you have a permanent disability you're fine. If you need some therapy but you don t have a permanent disability you can be covered for this under the province. However if you were only eligible for funding under the federal government except you had a temporary disability you would not be funded. A disability service provider, Mid-size University in Ontario From the perspective of the service providers interviewed for this research, many of them confirmed that they never had any trouble getting funding for students with permanent disabilities who needed financial assistance to pay for their accommodation related costs. However, in the case of students who had disabilities that were not officiated as a permanent disability either by a medical professional or by the OSD, these students were less likely to receive funding from all available public sources. Furthermore, these disability advisors observed that as a consequence, students without a permanent disability faced greater burdens in managing the costs associated to their accommodations, medication, or other disability-related needs. While the Ontario government offers a $2,000 bursary to students with permanent and temporary disabilities, the federal government accommodates only the former. For instance, the Canada Bursary for Services and Equipment for Students with Disabilities provides students with a grant of up to $8,000. However, this federal program is only open to those with permanent disabilities. 27 Yet some temporary disabilities may result in significant lifestyle changes that bring with it significant costs. 28 Therefore a sufficient amount of funding should be made available to these students. 27 Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities. (2010). Bursary for students with disabilities. Queen s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from, 28 For more information see the, National Educational Association of Disabled Students. (n.d.). Enhancing accessibility in post-secondary education institutions. Retrieved from, 12

14 Government grants that only apply to students with disabilities labeled as permanent are a concern for two reasons. The first reason is that there is evidence to support that the educational costs associated with a disability add to the cost of a post-secondary education. For example, 63 percent of students who did not use aids or services related to their disability stated that cost (in terms of a personal purchase) was the primary reason for them not accessing these resources (Refer to Figure 2). The second reason this is of concern is that it sends an inconsistent message to students with disabilities about how the government prioritizes their needs. Concern Four: Students with disabilities are more likely to be unable to work, but are subject to the same OSAP income contribution requirements as other students. OSAP expects all students to contribute at least $2,900 of their pre-study (May-September) employment income towards their education. 29 This value is then calculated into a student s loan amount. However, there is no clear or publicly accessible process to appeal this requirement, leaving many in the dark and frustrated. Those students with disabilities who are unable to work and who do not know of this stipulation may never receive an appropriate loan total in relation to their true need. Results from OUSA s student survey suggest that nearly 25 percent of students with disabilities did not work during the summer months due to health reasons, compared to only 2 percent of students without a disability. 30 This further compounds the financial stresses experienced by many of these students. Concern Five: Students with disabilities may be restricted from admission scholarships due to full time status requirements. Students with disabilities often take a lighter course load than average. Accommodations are made at the provincial level to reflect this reality, with the MTCU (through OSAP) declaring full-time status to be a 40 percent course load for a student living with a disability, compared to a non-reduced course load of 60 percent. Ontario s universities, unfortunately, do not share this same policy. Institutional admission scholarships often require a student to be enrolled full-time (60 percent course load), thereby excluding some students with a disability who meet OSAP s full-time status requirements but not those of their university. This lack of access to additional funding further contributes to the financial barriers already faced by students with disabilities. Among the service providers interviewed, many expressed that they believed it to be easier on students if the OSD were to handle their problems as they arise on a case-by-case basis. This position stems from a belief held by service providers that any changes to the internal scholarship system for students with disabilities would create a stigma within the university towards disabilities and the students who live with them. For instance, if a student needed to take a reduced course load but had a scholarship that required them to remain in a certain number of courses, the disability advisor would advocate on their behalf rather than request for that scholarship to be amended to include students with a disability whose needs include a reduced course load. We re lucky in that it might have to do with the size of our institution but we are usually able, through student disability services, to make some of the things happen that need to happen for the individual students. Director of Educational Development Centre, Mid-size University in Ontario Students work with their individual advisors and we manage it on a case-bycase basis. A disability service provider, Mid-size University in Ontario 29 Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. (2012, July) Eligibility, assessment and review manual. 30 Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance. (2011). Student satisfaction, usage, and financial aid survey. Unpublished raw data. 13

15 It is particularly an issue for students with mental health issues or chronic medical issues that may flair up time-to-time usually in the experiences we have had we are usually able to facilitate their withdrawal from classes, if that s what needs to happen, without any academic penalty. - An Executive Director of Student Affairs, Mid-size University in Ontario In another example, if a student needed to bring a case to a campus tribunal for getting a grade removed from their transcript or having a course dropped without penalty, they were also handled on a case-by-case basis. Yet, regardless of the outcome of these review processes, they were never used to set precedence for changing the system to be more receptive to the needs of students with disabilities. Our research found this preference for dealing with issues on a case-by-case basis to be predominant within campus OSDs. Concern Six: Students with learning disabilities often need to pay significant costs for private psychological assessments, which often go unsupported by government. When in high school, a student with a learning disability can receive assistance and accommodation without a formal diagnosis. Even if a student does have a formal diagnosis, however, any assessment and determination made for a student under the age of 18 expires after 5 years. Upon entering university, students with learning disabilities that have not been confirmed do not receive accommodation from their OSD without a full psychosocial assessment completed by a registered psychologist. Those entering university with a confirmed learning disability completed years before will soon have to complete that same assessment. These evaluations, unlike those done during one s adolescent years, remain valid indefinitely. 31 The problem with these university mandated assessments is that their cost is extraordinarily high, ranging from $1800-$2400 or more. 32 Furthermore, public health insurance plans typically do not cover the cost of these private assessments. Government funding is available to help cover a portion of these costs, but the funding proves insufficient. The Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Disabilities, introduced in 2000, does not consider this type of diagnostic test to be eligible for funding. However, the Ontario Bursary for Students with Disabilities will fund diagnostic assessments. The Ontario portion of the grant will reimburse a student up to a maximum of $1,200 for a diagnostic assessment. 33 Since these tests range from $1800- $2,400, a substantial portion of the fee is shouldered by the student even though Ontario covers diagnostic assessments. 34 The federal government s refusal to shoulder even a portion of the cost of covering diagnostic assessments means that many students who think they may need support for a disability lack the ability to find it. However, this is not simply an issue for students who believe they may have a disability due to academic difficulty. The psychosocial assessments that students with learning disabilities use to access disability support often expire after five years, if they were achieved before the student turned This means that a student going into a post-graduate degree or a sixth year of study in any program must be re-assessed by a registered psychologist. Any number of factors, including growing out of their disability, may contribute to this an unexpected result: a negative assessment where they previously had a positive one. RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendation Two: Every institution must extend full scholarship eligibility to students with disabilities who are taking a reduced course load. 31 Disability Accommodation Requirements were sourced from information retrieved from each OUSA member s official university website. 32 Tsagris, D., & Muirhead, B. (2012). Evaluating post-secondary supports for Ontario students with learning disabilities. Toronto, Ontario: Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. 33 Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Bursary for student with disabilities application form. Queens Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from, 34 Tsagris, D., & Muirhead, B. (2012). Evaluating post-secondary supports for Ontario students with learning disabilities. Toronto, Ontario: Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. 35 National Educational Association of Disabled Students. (n.d.). Enhancing accessibility in post-secondary education institutions. Retrieved from, 14

16 The majority of students OUSA interviewed this fall agreed that having to make sense of the difference between being recognized as a full-time student by their institution and the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) was particularly frustrating since most institutions have definitions of full-time status that differs from OSAP s definition. The school and OSAP [are] different. For OSAP, if you are in 3 classes you re fulltime and at [my university] if you re in 3 classes you re part-time and I still forget. I went to vote in the bi-election last night and I was told I was not eligible to vote I think the part-time/full-time registration thing makes me feel like a lesser student especially when you re cut off from the [full-time student union] because I consider that my home, I have been there for two years now it would be incredibly helpful to even them out. If you re taking 3 classes I think you should be considered full-time at the academic school level as well as OSAP. Make them parallel to avoid all the confusion. It drives me absolutely nuts. 3rd year, mental disability, part-time student Students faced with this decision must weigh whether it is more important to maintain their funding from OSAP, or maintain full-time status within their institution and retain access to and use of their services. Almost all the students interviewed expressed that if they knew, while taking a reduced course load, they could meet a high standard of academic excellence that the university respected they would be less reluctant to do so. Likewise, the findings of our fall research show that all the disability service providers interviewed want to see a change in how both full- and part- time statuses are treated, particularly at the institutional level. Among them, they had observed status as a barrier for those students who frequently need to reduce their course load and therefore fluctuate between full-time and part-time studies. If I have a student who starts out with 5 [courses] and then their condition exasperates and they are having a hard time functioning and they drop one and then they drop another one that s another thing, one of the big barriers is with this full-time, part-time status thing with OSAP. If you have a permanent disability you can go down to two courses and still be considered full-time and not lose your funding and not just for OSAP, it's a huge issue for coverage for benefits, for medication. The insurance coverage is better when you re full-time. I have students who are part-time who are really suffering because they do not have the coverage to pay for their meds but if they could be considered full-time for insurance reasons that would really help them. A disability service provider, Mid-size University in Ontario What some disability service providers suggest is a more flexible full-time status that would not reduce the academic rigor associated with a full-time course load. This more flexible full-time status would be based on a systemic assessment of a student and their personal needs in order to determine their full course capacity. This assessment would recognize the uniqueness of each student s experience, allowing for tailored approaches to their academic needs should studies be missed or disrupted as a result of a change in a student s condition. Extending full-time status to students with disabilities taking a reduced course load would grant them access to an increased number of institutional scholarships, thereby providing the same funding opportunities as all other full-time students, while helping to lower the level of debt these students must adopt to afford their education. There are two suitable approaches that universities could take to implement this idea. One option, with regard to increasing eligibility for entrance scholarships, is to match OSAP s full-time status policy of 40 percent course load for students with disabilities. In an effort to expand eligibility for returningstudents to scholarships, universities could follow the same 40 percent course-load threshold while prorating the award to the number of credits in which the student enrols. 15