By: Jasmine Lee
As one of the GSAN wellbeing Officers, I recently organized an information night with McGill’s Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) to help provide information for graduate students about what support is available at the graduate level, how to seek disability-related accommodations and what those accommodations may look like. I felt this was especially important for graduate students in our program, since our thesis-based degrees are so individualized based on a multitude of factors, from our supervisors (hands-on vs. hands-off) to our lab environment (wet vs. dry lab), our classes (lecture vs. seminar) etc. Naturally, many of the common accommodations that come to mind may be familiar from undergrad and, as such, may have to be adjusted to fit the graduate experience. That’s where the OSD comes in.
The OSD takes a barrier-focused approach, meaning they look first at the barrier you’re experiencing and work from there to get an idea of what kind of accommodation would be appropriate for you. Naturally, these barriers may come from a variety of sources; they could originate from the physical (e.g. vision or hearing impairment, etc.) or mental realms (e.g. anxiety, ADHD, etc.) and may result in either temporary (e.g. recovering from injury, grieving) or permanent impairments. The OSD provides a variety of accommodations and resources for students–everything from exam accommodations to lecture notes, learning resources to assistive technology and even more! So having said that, let’s delve into some of the ways that you can benefit from the OSD.
Those who are not registered with the OSD… can still benefit from FREE online resources!
What I think many people don’t realize is that the OSD has many free, online resources which are available to all students. These resources can be extremely helpful, even for those who are not registered with the office. So why not take advantage of the extra support and free resources? Speaking from my own experience, I am currently in the midst of writing my MSc thesis, and I am not registered with the OSD. I had been looking for a way to keep my productivity and spirits up while writing, and have found that resources such as the SMART goal setting have helped tremendously in my day-to-day writing!
Before implementing these I would often sit down to write and feel so overwhelmed, not always knowing where to begin. Frankly, I was shocked at how much of a difference the SMART goals made, not only increasing my productivity, but also heightening the quality of my work and reducing my writing anxiety to where I now feel the task is very manageable. I also used the Cornell Note-Taking System (see resources link above) while I was preparing for my Thesis Seminar, which allowed me to keep my notes organized and to quiz myself in preparation for the question portion of the seminar. Again, I found this incredibly helpful in allowing me to practice for the question section which greatly reduced my anxiety for the seminar. There are also complementary webinars on each of these topics, too!
McGill myInvolvement *I can’t recommend them enough!
For those considering registering with the OSD…
If you’re not sure whether you want to register, the only way to find out is to ask an OSD Access Services Advisor! It’s free of charge and it’s easy, so you have nothing to lose. All you need to do is book a 15 minute info-session appointment with an OSD Access Service Advisor (either call 514-398-6009 or see this link). The beauty here is you can even do the appointment over Skype, so if your lab is not downtown you don’t have to commute in! During this appointment, you and the advisor will discuss your current barriers and potential types of resources or support that may work for you. This is just an information session, so if you end up registering, you will still need to have a 45 minute registration appointment, during which you will draft your individual accommodation plan. Notably, for registration you need to have a diagnosis from a licensed medical professional (which is typically not done through the OSD, see question #5 below for details), along with identification etc. Some examples of potential types of accommodation that may be relevant to graduate school are described below:
Accommodations in the lab…
If you are registered with the OSD and feel that you are experiencing barriers in the lab, you can start by speaking one-on-one with your supervisor. Or you can request a letter of registration from the OSD, which you can then provide to your supervisor as a way to help initiate the discussion. If your supervisor has any questions, you can also refer them to your Access Services Advisor at the OSD. Some of these accommodations could look like redistributions of tasks, more flexible deadlines, being able to work in an alternative environment, or more frequent check-ins, etc.
Accommodations for seminars or candidacy exams…
Depending on the situation, the OSD can help to provide students with accommodation through more flexible timing, or requesting an alternate format if there’s barriers to presenting in front of others. Of course, sometimes part of the examination is marking presentation skills, in which case an alternate format may not be possible, so it really depends on the case and on the department. For accommodation around candidacy exams, it is especially important to do your best to contact the OSD and the Faculty as early as possible (ideally by the beginning of the semester) in order to evaluate possible accommodations.
Accommodations for part-time status…
In these cases, students need to reach out to their Faculty first, especially if it’s not directly related to a disability (e.g. pregnancy, family emergency). If it is directly related to a disability, students should also reach out to the OSD.
Other common questions:
#1 Q: Does the OSD provide diagnoses and if so under which circumstances?
A: The OSD offers a limited number of low-cost assessments for ADHD and Learning Disabilities; there are a limited number of spots. In order to get a diagnosis through the OSD, students 1) cannot have any prior diagnoses 2) need to be continuing as a student at McGill for at least a year and 3) be experiencing significant barriers.
If the student meets all three criteria, they meet with an Advisor for an initial screening interivew. Once approved, they register for 4 sessions to undergo the full assessment. Notably, this still requires out-of-pocket costs however it is much less expensive than private assessments ($750), and the cost can be further reduced if the student consents to a financial aid screening and qualifies for a reduction in fee. For further details, please reach out to the OSD and make an appointment.
NB: If you can’t get tested through the OSD, you can get referred to be tested elsewhere and, depending on your insurance, you can still get some reimbursement (potentially up to 80%) in a timely manner.
#2 Q: What kinds of accommodations are available for people with dyslexia, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD or language impairments?
A: There’s a wide variety of options depending on the individual’s experience and need; some common accommodations are:
- Adaptive technology such as digital text or software that reads a text aloud to you. It’s possible to even use these during exams to have the software read the questions to you, if needed.
- Smart pens are also available. These pens have an audio recording function for lectures and they also digitize the written notes into a computer file.
- Lecture notes. The OSD coordinates a peer note-sharing program where volunteers upload their lecture notes to myCourses for students registered with the OSD.
- Exam accommodations, such as those discussed in point #1 above. Students may also be authorized for extra time or be allowed to take breaks during exams. Students who take their exams with the OSD take the same exam but write them at the OSD office rather than with the rest of the class.
- Many, many more! These can be discussed with you during an appointment at the OSD.
#3 Q: Is it possible to be able to complete part of the degree from a distance?
A: It may be. Exploring this would require a discussion with your Faculty and supervisor to determine what options are available to you.
#4 Q: Are there any group support sessions or group discussions for a certain category of disability to discuss or exchange strategies?
A: The OSD does not yet have any, but the Student Wellness Hub does hold these types of events, usually during peak periods. In order to see upcoming events check the MyInvolvement website *
#5 Q: Is there support for individuals with eating disorders?
A: Yes, there is! As always, support is centered around barriers that the individual is facing, but could be, for example, accommodation to have extra breaks or some specific environment, as is required. There are no blanket accommodations, so it really is on a case-by-case basis. The best way to get support would be to get an appointment with the OSD and make an individualized accommodation plan. In terms of on-campus support, there are also nutritionists available in the Student Wellness Hub and there are MyInvolvement events about healthy eating.*
* Please also note that the MyInvolvement website showcases not only OSD events, but all workshops, webinars, and support sessions provided through McGill’s services, from the Wellness Hub to CaPS, Skillsets and more! It’s completely free and incredibly useful!I hope that this article has helped you find the resources you need. If you have any other questions related to the OSD, please direct them to disabilities.students@mcgill.ca or submit this form. If you have any questions or comments about the article, the event or future events of this nature, feel free to contact me at jasmine.lee3@mail.mcgill.ca.
Jasmine Lee
GSAN Wellbeing Officer 2019-2020