Students of York University (including Teacher Candidates) with any of the following conditions may access support through the Counseling and Disability Services (CDS) Office:
- Learning Disability
- Physical, Sensory and Medical Disability
- Mental Health Disability
In order to receive accommodations to their program, students must self-disclose their condition to CDS staff, including submission of medical reports, psychological testing results and doctors’ referrals.
CDS staff review the student’s needs and work with individuals to develop appropriate accommodations. In order to request that these supports be implemented, Teacher Candidates must be willing to share the results of this consultation with Course Directors, Mentor Teachers and Site Coordinators as appropriate.
Accommodations are not meant to provide an advantage to students but to put them on an equal level with other students. Treating students equitably is different from treating them equally. All accommodations must be reasonable and take into account the nature and severity of disability, course objectives, and academic integrity. It is important that accommodations be neither too harsh nor too lenient.
A York University Resource Guide for Teaching Students with Disabilities is available at http://www.yorku.ca/facultyawareness/
(Note that some of the names of offices at York may have changed, however the suggestions for accommodating students remains relevant.)