Accommodating Disabled College Students - Opinion Handed Down by the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits pour la jeunesse

Abstract

This article discusses the highlights of an opinion handed down recently by the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse on the adaptation of educational services for college students with handicaps, social maladjustments or learning disabilities (EHDAA). The Commission noted that a new funding and service model for disabled students is needed for subsidized private and public colleges alike, in order to allow them to discharge their responsibilities toward these students. The article examines the legal foundations of recognition for disabled students’ needs before examining various dimensions affecting the access of these individuals to higher education. In the aforementioned opinion, which was published in the spring of 2012, the Commission established recommendations for the various authorities involved, in an effort to optimize colleges’ accommodation practices and put an end to the discriminatory treatment now faced by students with “emerging” disabilities.