Introduction
Ontario’s Human Rights Code, the first in Canada, was enacted in 1962. The Code prohibits actions that discriminate against people based on a protected ground in a protected social area.
Accommodations allow students to fully participate in the programs in which they are registered and remove barriers to education and employment. Adler Graduate Professional School provides students with accommodation, as required by the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Access for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
There are only two limitations on providing accommodations recognized by law in Ontario:
- Undue hardship, as defined by the Ontario Human Rights Code, which has only three considerations:
- Cost,
- outside sources of funding, and
- health and safety requirements
- Bona fide educational requirements
After the accommodations are in place, the student must still be able to achieve the essential components of the program without compromising the academic standards of the program.
In-person attendance is an educational requirement for the Master of Psychology and Doctor of Psychology degree programs and cannot be removed or modified as an accommodation for disability.
Policy
The Accommodation Policy at ADLER follows these principles:
- The School will fulfill the requirements in the Province of Ontario for accommodation based on protected grounds.
- Students should not be discriminated against in an academic environment based on a protected ground or an approved accommodation.
Accommodations are most effective when they are instituted early. Retroactive and interim accommodations are also covered by this policy, but the School encourages students to apply for accommodations as soon as possible. Students should be informed about the Accommodation Policy as part of their orientation.
Students are not required to provide a specific medical diagnosis to receive accommodations for disability or illness but may choose to do so. Medical documentation from an approved practitioner is required, and the School must be able to contact the practitioner to clarify particular accommodation requirements. The School reserves the right to ask for documentation from a specific profession or that the practitioner has treated the student for a minimum length of time. For example, a student requiring accommodations for mental health reasons might be asked to provide documentation from a mental health practitioner.
Documentation from a practitioner should specify the student’s functional limitations and what accommodations would be required.
Accommodations may not lower the educational standards of the program or remove bona fide educational requirements of a program.
Procedures
Requesting an Accommodation
Accommodations should be requested as early as possible. Requests for retroactive accommodations may be considered if the reason for the delay is justified or directly related to the grounds for the accommodation.
Students can also request interim accommodations while they gather the documentation required by the accommodation process. For example, students can submit documentation of accommodation from another institution and receive interim accommodations at ADLER. Still, they must submit original or current assessments and medical certificates to have those accommodations become permanent. The period of time for which students can be provided with interim accommodations will be determined by the circumstances that delay documentation but cannot be extended beyond four months or one trimester.
Please note that virtual attendance in classes is not available as an accommodation as in-person attendance is a requirement for the Master of Psychology and Doctor of Psychology degree programs.
Process
- Obtain the necessary forms from ADLearn or the Registrar.
- Application for Accommodation
- One of the following
- Confirmation of Disability Form – Mental Health or Psychiatric Disability
- Confirmation of Disability Form – Physical Disability
- Have the appropriate forms filled out by an approved medical or an approved professional related to the grounds of your application. The registrar’s office can confirm which professions can fill out the documentation for a particular situation.
- Submit the completed forms to the Registrar at registrar@adler.ca
- Your application will be reviewed by the Office of the Registrar
- The School may ask for additional or more specific information from the provider who filled out your documentation
- If your application is not accepted, you can appeal the decision by submitting a request in writing to the Dean of your Faculty
- Once your application has been approved, the Registrar will contact your instructors to inform them that you have confirmed accommodations and that they will be required to arrange accommodations with you. The Registrar will support you in obtaining these accommodations.
Practitioners must indicate on the certificate whether the conditions that require accommodation are temporary or permanent and the expected durations for accommodations if they are temporary. If they are temporary, students are required to provide updated documentation at the end of the time indicated by the practitioner if they require an extension to the accommodation. All other accommodations will be reviewed once per calendar year, and students may be required to provide updated documentation to maintain or amend the accommodations provided.
Absences for short-term illness
ADLER requires full, in-person attendance for all courses to ensure that our program meets the educational requirements for registration with the College of Psychologists of Ontario and the experiential nature of the Master of Psychology program.
Students who are temporarily ill cannot apply for accommodations and should follow the Attendance Policy in Section (add here).
Students are responsible for informing the instructor in a course as soon as possible about a short-term absence.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should you request accommodations?
- You should apply for accommodations as early as possible, preferably before you start classes. This provides you with the greatest benefit from being accommodated in the program.
How long should it take for the school to respond?
- The school should process your application within one week, and any requests by the Registrar for more information or clarification should come at that time. Once all of the required information has been submitted to the Registrar, a decision regarding your application should be made within ten business days of the submission of all of your supporting information.
How recent does your documentation need to be?
- Depending on the grounds for your accommodation, testing and assessments should be from within a year of the application date. Medical certificates must be submitted within three months of the date on the certificate.
Responsibilities
Student Responsibilities
Students are responsible for providing documentation appropriate to the accommodations they are applying for and to work with the school in good faith to come to solutions that allow for them to participate fully in the program. They must also follow the terms of the accommodations, meet extended deadlines, attend scheduled meetings, and complete alternate work. If they are unable to do so, they are responsible for communicating this to the school as soon as possible.
Failure to comply with the terms of an accommodation can result in a re-evaluation of the accommodations to ensure that the student receives the support they need. A re-evaluation of accommodations can require additional documentation.
School Responsibilities
The school is responsible for fulfilling all obligations to the student under AODA and the Ontario Human Rights Code. The school will also follow the guidance of the Ontario Human Rights Commission on the provision of academic accommodations.
Forms
Submission forms for accommodations are available on ADLearn or from the Registrar and Program Managers.