Canadian colleges seek students with disabilities
December 2nd, 2008From the Ottawa Citizen:
Canadian colleges are increasingly wooing students with learning disabilities, and see them as a potential growth market amid a general enrollment decline. Among the factors contributing to the trend are assistive technology, greater curriculum flexibility, and a growing resolve among parents to help their children avoid low-paying jobs.
Carleton University has one of the highest proportions of students with disabilities in Ontario at about 5.5 percent, but that’s still far below the potential market. One in ten Canadians has a disability.
“We’re not even up to the national average. There’s still room to grow, and that’s a good thing. We’re competing for students,” said Larry McCloskey, director of Carleton’s Paul Menton Centre, which helps find supports for students with disabilities.
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December 2nd, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Students with learning disabilities who struggled through high school without the small accommodations and supports that would have made all the difference often find that college offers just the opportunities they needed all along.
High school counselors should encourage rather than discourage students with disabilities to plan for college – maybe having colleges compete for students with learning challenges will lead to students discovering options they and their families thought were out of reach.