FACULTY ACCESSIBILITY AND ACCOMMODATION OFFICER -

Unit/Project Description:

With over 8,000 undergraduate students and 215 faculty members, the Faculty of Science is an integral part of McMaster University. The Faculty offers a wide range of upper-level programs, stemming from seven Level 1 programs. The Office of the Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies is committed to providing excellent service to prospective and current students, staff and faculty members.  

Job Summary:    
Responsible for working with faculty and students to implement academic accommodation supports for students. This role will provide accommodation support and act as a liaison with relevant stakeholders from the Faculty’s academic programs, central academic support units and Student Accessibility Services (SAS). The role will comply with institutional policies, provincial and federal regulatory and statutory requirements and is required to demonstrate and apply principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility. This role also involves proactive policy advocacy targeted at SAS, UTS, and the Faculty Offices.

This role will provide support to stakeholders including, but not limited to, acting as a key resource and liaison for the Faculty for all matters concerning student accommodations (temporary or continuing), high need students, and student placement assistance.

Purpose and Key Functions:    

• Develop, coordinate and implement appropriate individual education plans for students with disabilities.
• Ensure disability related accommodations are arranged for designated students.
• Interview students to determine specific interim accommodation needs.
• Provide ongoing counselling, support, and advocacy for students with disabilities.
• Provide support, information and advice to students and instructors in the implementation of recommended accommodations.
• Implement accommodation strategies and best practices for specific courses.
• Provide assistive technology recommendations for faculty and departments.
• Assess academic, education, and other disability related needs of students.
• Ensure equitable access for students with disabilities to classroom activities, course requirements, programs, services and facilities.
• Develop and design strategies for specific placement opportunities and implement accommodation requirements.
• Organize and establish service delivery models for tests, exams, note taking, and transcription.
• Engage in ongoing problem solving surrounding disability services with various members of the University community.
• Provide seminars and workshops to the University community to facilitate awareness of disability issues on campus.
• Develop and deliver presentations which convey complex disability related issues and attitudes.
• Collaborate with other University departments in the provision of disability and education-related accommodation support for students with disabilities.
• Develop, design and implement academic and non-academic accommodations consistent with University policies and practices, student needs, disability-related documentation and available resources.
• Plan and coordinate the use of tools and resources for accommodation implementation.
• Represent the faculty office and/or department to other university units on matters related to student accommodations.
• Collaborate with SAS on behalf of Instructors, regarding aligning pedagogical design and academic integrity with student accommodations.
• Perform gap analyses where current policies and/or procedures are not sufficient and provide suggestions and/or solutions.
• Facilitate presentations for instructors on the duties and responsibilities of instructors to accommodate students registered with SAS.
• Develop new procedures to proactively track high needs accommodation students throughout their academic career.
• Advocate for students requiring tangible resources for accommodation implementation (i.e. software or hardware resources).
• Provide support to students and instructors submitting a Request for Relief for Missed Academic Term Work Form.
• Provide one-on-one assistance to instructors and students and coordinate assistive technology in courses (e.g., supports for visually- or hearing-impaired students).
• Provide direct support for accommodations for SAS students enrolled in student placements.
• Coordinate with instructors and placement supervisors, as well as incorporate policies from the placement site.
• Recommend the allocation of supports and resources in the provision of accommodations.
• Make recommendations for scholarship awards, internal and external bursaries, and other funding supports.
• Make referrals to internal and external agencies.
• Provide general support to the department to ensure the disability services program within the University runs smoothly.
• Complete analyses and interpretation of evaluation data obtained regarding disability services within the Faculty.
• Write reports that contain statistical information regarding the disability services program, and descriptive information regarding services.
• Use professional judgment to respond to signs of psychological distress, including signs of suicide risk or ideation.
• Arrange, coordinate and schedule the provision of support services including, but not limited to, note takers, interpreters, captioners, and interveners.
• Provide support in creating University policies including, but not limited to, senate policies, admissions, appeal procedures, human rights and equity, academic regulations, and accommodations.
• Create operational manuals which outline service delivery procedures.
• Design forms and records to gather and maintain data to be used when determining appropriate student and departmental needs.
• Design web pages, posters, pamphlets, and other promotional material to provide service information and directions to the University community.
• Design bursary support recommendations.
• Complete various calculations including, but not limited to, travel expense advances, and bursary applications and estimates.
• Complete searches pertaining to specific psychological and psychiatric conditions.
• Complete internet searches for information related to disability, medication, access technology, and other disability related needs.
• Consult with physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, social workers, counselors and health care practitioners regarding students' needs.
• Consult with faculty and staff regarding student needs, policies, programs and procedures.
• Obtain quotes for bursary requests.
• Assess the immediate risk of a student’s likelihood to harm self or others.
• Assign work tasks and provide support to peer helpers, interns and student volunteers.

Supervision:    

• Ongoing responsibility for supervising up to 9 casual employees at any one time.

Requirements:    

• Master’s degree in a relevant field of study.
• Requires 3 years of relevant experience.