Learners with disabilities may encounter different barriers from the classroom to Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) environment. This requires the need to consider specific accommodations to address these barriers. As a result, the WIL ALS Accommodation Letters developed for placement look different than standard Accommodation Letters issued by Accessible Learning Services (ALS).
Here is some key information regarding WIL ALS Accommodation Letters:
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Accessibility Consultants work with learners to determine if they experience functional limitations that may impact their ability to meet the required learning outcomes for WIL courses.
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A standard ALS Accommodation Letter may indicate the following: "Placement accommodation planning may be required". A WIL Accommodation Letter will then be developed if appropriate, once more information can be obtained regarding placement requirements.
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To determine the type of placement environment the student may be working in, Accessibility Consultants may reach out to the program for information in advance of determining what accommodations to recommend.
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WIL Accommodation Letters are not available on the ALS Faculty Web Portal. In most cases, the letters will be sent from the Accessibility Consultant to the appropriate contact within the program.
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One key difference between the letters is that learners sign the WIL Accommodation Letter to confirm the letter can be shared with the placement site.
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Learners who have not previously registered with ALS may encounter disability-related barriers when they are doing a WIL course and require accommodations only for WIL courses.
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Learners with a standard Accommodation Letter often do not need placement accommodations. If a learner requests placement accommodations, direct them to contact their Accessibility Consultant if they are already registered with ALS or our front desk to schedule an initial appointment if they are not.
Accessibility Consultants are available to facilitate presentations on WIL accommodations to faculty and staff.
Visit our Accessible Learning Services faculty site to learn more about accommodating students with disabilities.
Please email us at accessible-learning@humber.ca with suggestions for key accessibility-related topics that you would like us to address through the Communiqué.
