Designing Effective Accommodation Plans in Clinical Placement & Internship Settings www.usask.ca

History & Background Early 2000 case law in Canada and the United States had established that professional colleges had an obligation to provide appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities in their programs. The challenge for us was how to maximize the opportunity for student success while maintaining the integrity of our programs and ensuring the safety and well-being of clients and patients. In an effort to provide better understanding of issues related to accommodating students with disabilities in practical and clinical settings a series of workshops were held at the University of Saskatchewan in May 2009 facilitated by Dr. Barbara Roberts.

History & Background We had worked with Dr. Roberts in her position as Coordinator of the Post-Secondary Accessibility Consulting Team (PACT) Comprised of accommodation experts, including psychologists, psychiatrists, and medical practitioners, PACT worked together to review documentation, provide consultation and recommendations on accommodations in clinical and practical settings. During her week with us, Dr. Roberts hosted workshops with Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Nutrition, Physical Therapy, Law and worked with my office on how to move forward with the development of Accommodation Plans for clinical placements and internships.

Policy & Procedures October 2010, University of Saskatchewan’s School of Physical Therapy adopts their Disability Accommodation Policy, Procedures and Competency Standards Agreement. The first program to do so on our campus. Their procedures state that all students who have a documented disability and who wish to seek accommodation must initiate the development of an accommodation plan. Once the student with disabilities has requested the development of an accommodation plan, the request will be submitted to the Academic and Clinical Disability Accommodation Team. Since 2010, the Faculties of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Nutrition and Veterinary Medicine have all adopted similar policies and procedures.

Accommodation Planning Committees An accommodation team should be created at the academic unit. Such a team may include, but is not limited to, representation from Disability Services, Associate Dean (academic), individuals involved in the academic/curriculum program (Program Director, faculty responsible for clinical placement), Mentor, if one is assigned, professional representation so as to reflect the reality of the clinical setting, the student themselves, and if required, professional(s) who assess the disability. Faculty and professional representation should not be in a position to grade the student. Each academic unit is obliged to ensure that the accommodation team has appropriate resources to fulfill the stated mandate in a timely fashion.

Accommodation Planning Committees The mandate of the Accommodation Planning Committee (APC) is as follows: To ensure that each student upon entry into, or currently in the program, who has identified the need for accommodation, has those needs assessed by Disability Services. An accommodation plan is developed following an assessment that is consistent with the academic unit’s Essential Skills policy . To ensure that appropriate individualized accommodation is implemented proactively as the student moves through the program.

Accommodation Planning Committees To keep a record of all information regarding the request for accommodation. This includes: the nature of the accommodation granted, the dates of implementation, as well as any subsequent modification to the original accommodation. To monitor the effectiveness of the accommodation at all stages of the practicum/ clinical experience. To determine whether further accommodation is reasonable in the case of a student who does not progress as expected.

Student Responsibilities It is the student’s responsibility to self-identify in a timely fashion to the disability service provider in order to receive appropriate accommodation. An accommodation plan is designed to allow the student to meet program requirements, however, it is does not guarantee successful completion of the program. Efforts will be made to ensure that student accommodation needs are met as they progress through their program. However, it should be recognized that students must also take an active role in the accommodation process. This mutual responsibility will help ensure that the students’ accommodation needs are being addressed during the diverse educational activities both on and off campus, and throughout the varied student evaluations.

Documentation Documentation of student accommodation requests, and those that are implemented, is paramount for ensuring that the appropriate and necessary steps have been taken in a timely manner to assist a student who has identified the need for accommodation. Any supporting documentation that provides evidence for the required accommodation, including medical documentation, will be kept in confidence, by Disability Services. The final Accommodation Plan will be included in the student’s file in the academic unit with the student’s consent.

Clinical Accommodation Plan See Nursing Clinical Accommodation Plan

Assistive Technology in Placements When assistive technologies are required and agreed upon for Clinical Accommodation Plans, students must sign a Conditions for Use of Assistive Technology with the health region they will be studying in. “I, ___________, agree to the above conditions of use and understand that any violation of this policy is subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including revocation of privileges. These conditions will remain in effect for as long as I am a student fulfilling my practicum with the XX Health Region.”

Conditions are as follows -

Issues of Performance Accommodation Plans are living documents and should be reviewed by reconvening the Accommodation Planning Committee on a regular basis for all students with plans. Reviews should be done at each new year of study as accommodations may change based on health of the student or essential requirements of the program. Committees should be called together immediately if issues of performance or failed rotations occur. Accommodation Plans do not guarantee success however the institution must ensure that all reasonable accommodation attempts were made to allow for success.

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