ASSISTING DISABLED STUDENTS BECOME ABLE STUDENTS

The Access Learning Resource Centre O
(ALRC)

Douglas College has a philosophy that "educational
opportunities must be accessible to all" and, as a result, has
established a policy stating that "students with specific
disabilities should be assured of equal access to Douglas
College courses, programs and services..." The College has
tried to implement this philosophy by creating an accessible
environment physically, attitudinally, and in terms of the
curriculum,

This philosophy has proved to be successful with the
disabled community. Five years ago we had approximately twenty
students with disabilities; last year (1985-1986) we had about
250 students with mental handicaps enrolled in special classes
and 150 students attending regular courses/programs who were
physically, sensory, emotionally, or learning disabled.

The range of disabling conditions varies greatly. Specific
disabilities include head injury, spinal cord injury, amputation,
epilepsy, stroke, polio, birth defects, spina bifida, muscular
dystrophy, and psychiatric problems. Many of these students
require very little assistance to access an education; others
require unique support in order to function on an equal basis
as their non-disabled peers.

Through continuing support from the Ministry of Education, OQ
many support services for disabled students at Douglas College
are provided through the Access Learning Resource Centre(ALRC),
The major function of the ALRC is to provide assistance for students
with special needs in accessing regular college courses and
programs.

Depending on the nature of the disability, specific
supoort services may include formal and informal assessments to
identify learning needs and to facilitate program planning,
provision of corrective programs designed to help students
meet their course requirements , and liaison with instructors
to establish adaptations in the instructional delivery system.
As well, under the direction of the ALRC instructor, student
access aides provide specific kinds of assistance, @.ge,
research assistance, transcription/translation of instructional
materials into accessible formats, recopying assignments,
mobility training/assistance, notetaking, etc.

One student who has benefitted from the varied services
provided by the ALRC is Bruce Mesman, a student in the
Therapeutic Recreation Technician Program. Bruce was involved
in an auto accident in 1983, when he sustained a severe head
injury. As Bruce explains:

"Myo months after entering the program I was experiencing
much anxiety with my courses. I was put into contact with the
ALRC instructor. The one most important skill she has re-taught