Queen’s University and St. Lawrence College have joined forces to form a unique program for students with learning disabilities.
On-Line to Success aims to help students gain a firm understanding of their disability as well as the technologies available to assist them in an academic setting, before they arrive on campus in the fall. The program also provides an opportunity for re-assessment before the school year.
Dr. Allyson Harrison, clinical director of Queen’s Regional Assessment and Resource Centre, runs the program with the help of Queen’s Learning Strategies Outreach Coordinator Elspeth Christie, and co-moderators Shannon Currie and Kyla Bondy.
On-Line to Success is open to all students enrolled in, or on a waiting list for any Ontario university or college.
The program begins July 9 with a weekend of seminars at Queen’s. Over a period of six weeks, participants will complete four Internet modules. The program concludes with another weekend of seminars Aug. 20-22.
The seminars and modules inform students of obstacles they might encounter as well as learning strategies and technologies available to help overcome them.
“Developing self-advocacy is a key component of the program,” Currie said.
Bondy said the pilot project held last summer garnered positive feedback from participants. A student from last summer’s program is returning this year to run an adaptive technology seminar.
While other programs with similar goals as On-Line to Success exist in Ontario, none are offered online.
Further, On-Line to Success’ Internet component does not hinder summer employment, a benefit to most working students. The program costs $200, but includes a $150 refund for students who attend all seminars and complete the four Internet modules. The fee includes materials, meals and accommodations for the two weekends at the University. Travel bursaries are available.
Though enrollment is set at 30 and most of this summer’s participants come from the Kingston area, there is hope for expansion in the coming years.
Currie and Bondy have considered introducing the program to secondary school students in September.
Harrison is working toward integrating the program into secondary school curricula, so that students across Ontario can have access to the program well in advance of the summer.
These changes may also make the program more accessible to students outside Ontario, Currie said.
“If we were to adapt it to [the] high school curriculum,” she said, “it would eliminate weekends at Queen’s and it might be more accessible to people outside Ontario and overseas.”
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