Accessibility Advisor in London

Fanshawe College thrives because of its people. We foster a culture of excellence and see opportunities to turn potential into impact. Leading with empathy, belonging, unity, learning and courage, we guide the learning journey of our students, ensuring they are ready for work and life, today and tomorrow.

Fanshawe College is committed to the principles of hybrid work and may offer this option to employees whose work can be performed in an alternate location, without adverse impact to the operations of the College, inclusive of our Student and Staff experience. Successful candidates will be required to perform work within Ontario and must be available to work on campus, as required.

Why this Role is Important

Fanshawe College’s Accessibility Services team works to ensure every student has equitable access to education and the supports they need to succeed. In this role, you will partner with students, faculty, and community stakeholders to develop accommodation plans, promote inclusive learning environments, and advance accessibility across the college. If you are passionate about advocacy, inclusion, and making a lasting impact on student success, this is an opportunity to build a rewarding career while helping create a more accessible campus community.

Reporting to the Director, Counselling and Accessibility Services, the incumbent is responsible for informing and guiding students on accessibility services and academic accommodations; and coordinating services to remove educational barriers for students with disabilities. The incumbent works with students at any point during their academic career, from pre-enrolment to graduation, to understand student academic accommodation needs and coordinate access to physical and other resources, technologies, counselling and formal assessments.

The incumbent also serves as an institutional resource, providing guidance on accessibility policies, legislative compliance and the social model of accessibility, including Universal Design to ensure an inclusive learning environment. The Advisor has a coordinating role in planning accessibility services events and workshops, creating and maintaining accessibility resources for faculty and staff, and orientation and outreach events. The incumbent represents the College in collaboration with community partners and external accessibility committees, advocating for best practices in educational accessibility and inclusion.

Accessibility Student Support

• Provides individualized academic accessibility information and guidance through one-on-one meetings with students to support disability-specific accommodation(s), encourage self-advocacy and the development of skills for academic success.
• Coordinates and facilitates discussion with faculty, counsellors, multi-disciplinary teams and students to address academic accommodation logistics and ensure appropriate implementation across post-secondary learning environments.
• Meets with students to review disability related documentation and develop academic accommodation strategies and accessibility service plans based on functional limitations.
• Guides students in understanding and articulating the impacts of documented functional limitations related to academic accommodation, strategies and services.
• Coordinates the creation and implementation of individualized accessibility service plans based on review of medical documentation and identifying functional impacts in collaboration with students and other internal partners.
• Shares accessibility service plans with faculty and assists them in understanding how to apply the directives in classroom, laboratory, and placement settings.
• Consults with and facilitates referrals to counsellors and external partners for assessment and documentation as needed to ensure accommodation needs are understood.
• Serves a student population with diverse needs, abilities, and experiences, including apprentices, students supported by WSIB and Second Career programs.
• Works collaboratively with colleagues to support student success and facilitates referral to other support services such as tutoring, academic strategies, counselling, assistive technology training, financial aid, etc.
• Works with students and Financial Aid staff to identify and access funds to support the purchase of eligible assistive devices and services, including preparation of bursary applications, gathering related documents, and completion of consent and agreement forms for the Bursary for Student with Disabilities and other eligible funding.
• Adhering to confidentiality legislation and protocols, consults with psychologists, physicians, psychiatrists, and other medical professionals to obtain and understand critical functional information enabling the design of an effective accessibility service plan and appropriate academic accommodations.
• Liaises with colleagues and students to identify and procure assistive technology solutions.
• Provides guidance to students, faculty and staff on accommodation procedures, rights and responsibilities under human rights legislation and college policy.
• Documents student appointments and interactions in an online case management system.
• Provides a welcoming and accessible environment that supports students in understanding and implementing academic accommodation, ensuring confidentiality and respect for diverse academic accommodation needs.

Research and External Relations

• Continuously develops disability related knowledge in order to correctly interpret the recommendations of professional diagnosticians including maintaining current knowledge of relevant medical, psychological and educational documentation standards and privacy best practices.
• Maintains and shares current knowledge regarding best practices on supporting students with disabilities, accessibility and privacy legislation and assistive technologies in post-secondary education.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of appropriate bursaries and grant opportunities for students and institutions.
• Under the direction of the Manager, supports collaboration with colleagues and internal partners in advancing principles of the social model of disability to promote inclusive design and barrier-free access across campus; developing proactive, inclusive learning environments that minimize the need for individual accommodations.
• Collaborates with local school board educators, vendors, community agencies, and accessibility professionals in the community as needed.
• Represents the College at provincial and national accessibility associations as needed.

Marketing/Communications

• Supports the planning of events offered by Accessibility Services, such as information sessions and workshops.
• Participates in orientation activities, recruitment events, and other institutional activities.
• Meets with prospective students and their supporters to advise on accessibility services available to students. Facilitates accessible campus tours as needed.
• Communicates to community groups, including secondary schools, about Accessibility Services and accommodations at Fanshawe.
• Develops and facilitates workshops and information sessions pertinent to students with disabilities.
• Develops and maintains faculty guides and reference materials on accessibility practices, accommodation, and Accessibility services and access to college partners.
• Assists the Manager with creation and updating guides and resources for contract vendors.

What You’ll Bring

• Post-secondary 4-year Degree in Education, psychology, social work, disability studies or equivalent.
• Minimum 5 years of Post-secondary training and experience working within a medical model, interpreting medical documentation and applying functional limitation information to inform academic accommodation planning within a non-clinical accessibility advising role.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Experience working with adults with disabilities in a clinical and/or postsecondary educational setting.
• Knowledge of social and medical models of disability support.
• Demonstrated knowledge of psychosocial and academic aspects of disability.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, along with the ability to facilitate teamwork and maintain working relationships with a wide range of students, colleagues, stakeholders, and community members.
• Demonstrated analytical and organizational skills.
• Extensive knowledge of relevant legislation, policies, regulations, and case law related to accessibility and human rights.
• Knowledge of effective learning and compensatory strategies for students with disabilities.

What This Opportunity Offers

• Comprehensive Pension & Benefits: Join a defined-benefit pension plan that delivers predictable lifetime retirement income, plus dental, disability, travel insurance and extended health coverage.
• Vacation: Enjoy paid time off and benefit from a scheduled holiday closure that offers additional rest and time with family during the winter season.
• Tuition & Professional Development: Continue your learning journey — eligible employees and their dependents can take select Fanshawe programs or courses at a reduced cost.
• Inclusive, Meaningful Campus environment: Work alongside passionate colleagues in an inclusive culture that values diversity, drives student success, and connects you to the local community and campus life.

Fanshawe College provides accommodations to job applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process. If a job applicant requires an accommodation during the application process or through the selection process, the hiring manager and the recruiter leading the recruitment will work with the applicant to meet the job applicant’s accommodation needs.

Fanshawe College would like to acknowledge and honour the Anishinaabe, Lotinuhsyuní and Lenape people of southwestern Ontario as the traditional owners and custodians of the lands and waters where Fanshawe College is located.