FREDERICTON (GNB) – The provincial government has collaborated with New Brunswick's publically funded anglophone post-secondary institutions to develop an on online tool to increase participation and success in post-secondary education for persons with disabilities.

The website, Supporting Students with Disabilities, is an online resource and training program for instructors and those working with students.

"Our government is committed to helping under-represented groups access and succeed in post-secondary studies," said Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Jody Carr. "Today's launch is a great example of how we are implementing new strategies and fostering a positive shift for both students and educators. This tool is helping connect educators with the information they need to better support students with disabilities."

The new website is based on a similar product that was previously developed by and for the Université de Moncton's instructors and students. The anglophone equivalent now being launched includes a series of training modules for instructors. In addition, the site identifies various types of learning difficulties and disabilities as well as services offered by the institutions.

The provincial government provided $44,000 towards the initiative and played a coordinating role. Each institution provided the expertise and support-in-kind to provide content for the website.

"This project represents a great deal of hard work and commitment on behalf of all the partners," said Carr. "We are working together to ensure more opportunities for persons with disabilities in education as well as in the workplace as outlined in the Employment Action Plan for Persons with a Disability."

Developing and implementing an education and professional development program for post-secondary administrators and instructors was identified in the province's Employment Action Plan for Persons with a Disability in New Brunswick 2012-2017.

"It is timely to launch this resource during Disability Awareness Week," said Carr. "This initiative joins the many others our government is working on to improve services to persons with a disability including new adaptive work stations in all libraries, direct access to the CNIB collection for those with print disabilities and a renewed agreement with the federal government for the Labour Market Agreement for Persons with Disabilities."

The Supporting Students with Disabilities website is available to the public and partnering institutions have provided a direct link to their instructors and students to raise awareness of the importance of supporting persons with diabilities.


03-06-14