Daniel Girard Toronto Star, Feb 01, 2007
College students with disabilities are getting a break.
Queen’s Park announced today that those students who take longer to complete their studies because of their disability will have their tuition fees capped at the same level as their able-bodied counterparts.
It’s a move that’s expected to cost the province about $1 million per year.
“Our government is committed to ensuring that all Ontarians, including students with disabilities, have the opportunity to reach their full potential,” Chris Bentley, minister of training, colleges and universities told a news conference at the Lakeshore campus of Humber College.
There are about 30,000 students with disabilities at post-secondary institutions in Ontario, split almost evenly between colleges and universities.
While universities typically charge tuition by the course, colleges do so by the semester of study, meaning that students who take longer to complete their programs can often pay hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars more. This plan will see them pay $20 per course beyond those completing on time.
The change in the college tuition policy was in addition to $4 million in new money for students with disabilities announced by Bentley, including more for adaptive computer and software learning technology, enhanced interpreters services for the deaf and easing the transition from high school to post-secondary.
