A Proactive Approach to Navigating Student Accommodations

Abstract

Under the Ontario Human Rights Code, all higher education institutions in Ontario, Canada have a duty to accommodate students with disabilities to ensure that they “can access and benefit from their environment and face the same duties and requirements as everyone else, with dignity and without impediment.” (Ontario Human Rights Commission, Policy on accessible education for students with disabilities 58 (2018)). In practice, the accommodation process can vary greatly by institution, department, course, and circumstance. The ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic, for example, has had a significant impact on student accommodations by requiring rapid adjustments as in‐person courses were shifted online, adding to students’ overall levels of stress and increasing the need for short‐term considerations of students who are sick or isolating.