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Student Success: Accommodations & Disability Services

This guide provides information on Student Success services, including accommodations for students with specific learning needs and/or disabilities.

Accommodations and Disability Services

Please see below for information on how to access accommodations, as well as what Prairie College can provide. The information below is taken from our Duty to Accommodate document, which is drawn from Section 4 of the Alberta Human Rights Act. As a small institution, Prairie College does not have a separate Disability Services office or specialist, but we are committed to working with you to help you access the services and tools you need to succeed. 

 

Disability

For the purpose of Prairie College's accommodation policy, disability includes any documented physical or mental disability, including mental illness, developmental disabilities, and learning disabilities. These can be permanent or temporary. Documentation may include psychoeducational assessments, or a letter from a doctor, registered therapist (counsellor or psychologist).

Student's Responsibility

Here are the steps to access accommodations. 

  1. Obtain information from Student Success and initiate request for accommodation by filling out the Accommodation Request Form (See below).
  2. Inform your instructor that you are seeking accommodation.
  3. Meet with LaRae Schmidt and provide documentation to support your request. 
  4. Work with Student Success to develop a set of options for accommodating your specific disability. Options may include examples of accommodations that you or others have used in the past.
  5. Have research and resources available to help put the accommodation in place.
  6. Keep written records.
  7. Review and revise accommodation plans as necessary.

Accommodation Requests

Click the button below to fill out an accommodation request form. LaRae Schmidt will contact you once received.

Government Grants/Aid

If you have a documented disability you may be eligible for the following grants. 

If this is you first time applying for a grant and you live in Alberta, then click on this link for more information on how to apply. This link also provides a Summary of Disability Documentation Required.

Questions?

If you have ANY questions about accommodations or the information on this page please contact LaRae Schmidt and we are more than happy to help.

Prairie College's Responsibility

As per the document, Duty to Accomodate Students with Disabilities, we will support students in preparing grant applications in order to access accomodations such as assistive technology, note takers in class or course materials in alternate formats. We will consider providing a variety of accommodations depending on documented student needs. The following are examples.

For Coursework

  • Course materials in alternate formats, including large print, audio, electronic text
  • Instructor’s notes on the Internet (Populi)
  • Power Point presentations or notes made available in print or on Populi
  • Flexible attendance policies for students whose disability causes them to be absent more than regular policy allows

For Exams

  • Distraction-free test areas
  • Extended time
  • Exams in alternate formats
  • Computers and adaptive software
  • Scribes and/or readers (not provided by the College, but allowed)
  • Medical accommodations (for example, stretch breaks, food breaks)

Accommodations during testing would cause undue hardship to the institution when the testing no longer reasonably assesses the student’s ability to meet essential requirements of the course or program.

In cooperation with the student, we will keep written records.

Other Government Resources