Students in a handicap situation

The transition to post-secondary studies is a challenge for all students in that it calls for more autonomy and initiative. You have to plan your academic path, set your priorities and organize your activities yourself.

If you are in a handicap situation, it is even more important for you to be well informed about the means available to help you meet this challenge. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with the student services staff at your university; they can tell you about the services offered or the means that can be put in place to support you during your studies.

The Ministère bases itself on the Act to secure handicapped persons in the exercise of their rights with a view to achieving social, school and workplace integration , which defines a “handicapped person” as a  “person with a deficiency causing a significant and persistent disability, who is liable to encounter barriers in performing everyday activities.”

The policy, Equals in Every Respect: Because Rights Are Meant to Be Exercised, states that a disability may be motor, intellectual, speech- or language-related, visual, auditory or associated with other senses. It may also relate to organic disorders or other problems, such as autism spectrum disorders, mental disorders, learning disorders or attention-deficit disorder, with or without hyperactivity.

In the area of equal rights, section 10 of the Québec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms requires that all institutions provide support for students in a handicap situation. As you are entitled to support throughout your post-secondary studies, knowing the services available to you right from the start can help you to successfully complete your education.