Post-Secondary Accessibility Services for Students with Red Blood Cell Disorders

Photo by Good Faces on Unsplash

September is the time of year that many college and university students return to school. This can be a stressful time for people living with a chronic medical condition or disability. Students with Sickle Cell Disease, Thalassemia, and other red blood cell disorders can connect with their school’s Accessibility Office to explore support options.

What is a College/University Accessibility Office?

Every college and university in Ontario has an Accessibility Office that helps students with disabilities succeed, and supports them during their studies. Some commonly offered supports include:

• Services – for example, note takers for if you are absent from class

• Accommodations – reduced course load if needed due to health reasons, extension on assignments due to health reasons, extra time on exams, access to recordings of lectures, and more

• Funding – information about bursaries, scholarships, and grants

• Connection - to other school services like counselling and peer support

How do I register with the Accessibility Office?

1. Locate your school’s “accessibility” webpage to find registration forms. You can also call the Accessibility Office to ask about their process to register and set up an intake meeting
   
   

2. Complete the student information and consent pages of the registration forms

3. Reach out to your care team. They can help complete the medical sections of these forms. You can also ask your care team for a medical letter explaining your health condition and accommodations.

   
   TIP: If you are a UHN RBCD patient, you can request this through myUHN

   
   TIP: Be sure to provide these to your doctor as soon as possible as it can take time to complete
   
   

4. Submit the completed registration forms and letter to your school’s Accessibility Office. Many schools do this by email, using a student portal, or by attending an intake meeting.
   
   

5. Review your school’s website to determine how to set up an intake meeting with the Accessibility Office. Often, this means phoning or emailing the Accessibility coordinator directly, dropping in to the Accessibility Office, or connecting to a virtual visit.
   
   

6. Once the intake meeting is scheduled, talk with your Accessibility Coordinator about your health condition. Consider the impact on your daily life and the kind of supports you feel you would be helpful. Consider things like
   
   How have I handled stressful situations in the past and what was helpful during these times
   What do I need to achieve wellbeing while attending school?
   What supports do I need to be successful?
   
   

7. Stay in touch with your Accessibility Coordinator throughout the school year. Update them if your needs change or a health issue occurs. Consider making appointments with your accessibility coordinator even when things are going well! It is good to make this connection so you know who can help when it is needed.

Photo by AMIT RANJAN on Unsplash

How much you share about your health condition is up to you. You have the option to tell your school your diagnosis, or you can choose to just explain how your condition impacts your daily life. Sharing your specific health condition / diagnosis is not a requirement to receive services.

Learn More

• Browse the Transition Resource Guide’s webpage on Accessibility Services!

• Check out the blog post, Navigating Post-Secondary Education: Getting Registered with Accessibility Offices!

• Read the blog post, Reflections from an Accessibility Counsellor living with Thalassemia

About the Author

James Bradley is the Transition Navigator with the Hemoglobinopathy program working between the Hospital for Sick Children and Toronto General Hospital.

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