Disability Services

We understand that students may feel hesitant to ask for help related to their disability, even when struggling in their courses. However, seeking assistance can greatly benefit your success in a post-secondary program.

Our Disability Services Manager is here to provide the necessary accommodations and resources for students with disabilities to achieve their academic goals. 

Remember, seeking help does not mean that you are not capable of success. We encourage you to overcome any hesitation and reach out to us for support. We are here to help you make the most of your experience at JIBC.

You can meet with the Disability Services Manager to talk about creating a personalized Academic Accommodation Agreement, applying for, and accessing disability-related supports and funding, and accessing assistive technology and alternative format texts. They can also help you navigate disability-related supports and resources in the community and connect with your instructors to help advocate for your specific needs.

If you have a disability or think you may have a disability that affects your learning, please reach out to studentresources@jibc.ca.

We support students with a wide range of disabilities, including (but not limited to) ADHD, Blindness or low vision, chronic/systemic health impairments, Deaf, deafened or hard of hearing, learning disabilities, mental health disabilities, mobility/functional impairments, and neurological disabilities.

It's best to contact Disability Services before starting your studies, however you can always reach out any time during your time at JIBC.

In order to register with disability services, you will need to complete the Intake Form.

The next step is to gather medical documentation that confirms the diagnosis of a disability and list the functional impacts (such as a doctor's report or a psychoeducational assessment). Please refer to the Documentation Guidelines for more information.

If you don't have any documentation, please take the Verification of Disability (VOD) form to your doctor or specialist to be completed. Please note that you must be present, either in-person or over the phone/video when your doctor completes the VOD form. 

Once completed, submit the intake form and documentation to studentresources@jibc.ca. The Disability Services Manager will then review the documentation and connect with you to schedule an appointment to discuss your accommodation needs and develop a personalized academic accommodation plan to support your education. Please note that any medical documentation submitted is completely confidential.

All information and documentation shared with Disability Resources is kept strictly confidential. Your diagnosis is not shared with any other students, staff, or faculty unless you would like it to be. Your instructors receive a copy of your academic accommodation agreement, which speaks only to the academic accommodations that you have been approved for - it does not mention your diagnosis or the 'reasons' for your accommodations.

Further, your disability information will never be shared with recruiters or prospective employers unless you have given explicit written consent to do so. Your connection to disability resources is not mentioned anywhere on your transcript or certification.

Academic Accommodations are supports within the classroom and testing environment that work with your strengths. They are designed to help you be able to do your best work.  

Some examples of Academic Accommodations include extra time during a test  or taking a test in a separate quiet room.    

In addition to Academic Accommodations in the classroom, there are other supports and resources that you might be able to access. These resources include alternative format text and assistive technology. You might even qualify for funding for this equipment as well as for tutoring, interpretation services, etc.

The Disability Services Manager is also able to help advocate and communicate with your instructors.

Supports are determined on an individual basis so, as an individual with a disability, your voice and knowledge of what works for you are integral to the process of setting up your accommodations.  

We’ve supported students with many disabilities including learning disabilities, ADHD, visual impairments, chronic health conditions, mental health conditions, autism, brain injuries, etc.

The Justice Institute of British Columbia, like other post-secondary institutions in Canada, has a legal “duty to accommodate” students with disabilities.

This means that JIBC is dedicated to ensuring that students with disabilities have access to academic accommodations that make their coursework more accessible provided that the accommodations do not cause “undue hardship” on the Institute.