Accommodation and Human Rights Policy

1. Our Commitment to Equity and Inclusion

Am-Can Business & Tech Institute is fundamentally committed to providing an equitable, inclusive, and barrier-free learning environment for all students. This policy is strictly governed by the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC), the decisions of the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO), and the overarching principles of the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA). Furthermore, our academic accommodation practices are fully aligned with the Ontario Ministry of Education’s core assessment document, Growing Success, and Policy/Program Memorandum (PPM) 119 regarding equity and inclusive education.

We recognize our legal duty to accommodate students and staff based on all protected grounds, up to the point of undue hardship. Accommodation is not about lowering standards; it is about removing systemic or physical barriers so that every student has an equal opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and achieve academic success.

2. Scope of Accommodations (Protected Grounds)

In accordance with the OHRC, the Institute provides accommodations for needs related to, but not limited to, the following protected grounds:

• Disability: Including physical, cognitive, learning, and mental health disabilities (whether permanent, temporary, or episodic).

• Creed/Religion: Accommodating sincerely held religious beliefs and observances.

• Gender Identity and Expression: Ensuring digital systems, campus facilities, and communications reflect a student's lived gender and chosen name/pronouns.

• Family Status: Accommodating students who face systemic barriers due to primary caregiving responsibilities.

3. Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Because we grant credits toward the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), any academic accommodations must strictly adhere to Ministry of Education guidelines to protect the integrity of the credit.

• Accommodations vs. Modifications: For our senior-level university preparatory courses (4U/4M), the Institute provides Accommodations Only. Accommodations are special teaching and assessment strategies, supports, or individualized equipment that enable a student to learn and demonstrate learning without altering the provincial curriculum expectations.

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• Types of Accommodations Provided:

  • Instructional: Providing digital transcripts of video lectures, offering visual organizers, or utilizing text-to-speech software.

  • Environmental: Allowing flexible seating or quiet spaces for in-person exams at the Vaughan campus.

  • Assessment: Providing extended time (e.g., time-and-a-half) on proctored final exams, allowing the use of assistive technology (AT) tools, or offering alternative formats for culminating projects.

• Individual Education Plans (IEPs): If a student has an existing IEP from a previous Ontario school board, they must submit it to the Principal upon enrollment. The Principal will review the IEP and create a private school equivalent accommodation plan tailored to our specific digital or in-person delivery model.

4. Religious and Creed Accommodations

Am-Can Business & Tech Institute respects the religious diversity of our student body, which includes international learners studying across various time zones.

• Students may request extensions on assignments or alternative scheduling for proctored final exams if a scheduled academic deadline directly conflicts with a significant religious holy day or creed-based observance.

• At our Vaughan physical campus, designated quiet spaces are available for prayer or reflection.

5. The Collaborative Accommodation Process

The HRTO establishes that the accommodation process is a shared responsibility. The process at our Institute is as follows:

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• The Student's Duty to Disclose: Students (or their parents/guardians if under 18) must proactively disclose their need for accommodation and make a formal request to the Administration Office. Accommodations cannot be applied retroactively to past assignments or failed exams.

• Medical Documentation: For disability-related accommodations, the school reserves the right to request reasonable medical documentation (such as a psychoeducational assessment or a physician's letter) that outlines the student's functional limitations. As per HRTO guidelines, we do not require a specific medical diagnosis—only the functional limitations that necessitate the accommodation.

• The School's Duty to Accommodate: Once sufficient documentation is received, the Principal will collaborate with the student and their teachers to implement a reasonable and dignified accommodation plan. The HRTO stipulates that an institution must provide reasonable accommodation, which may not always be the exact accommodation the student prefers, provided the offered accommodation effectively addresses the limitation.

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6. Undue Hardship

The Institute will accommodate students up to the point of undue hardship. Under the OHRC, undue hardship is legally defined and measured using only three criteria:

1. Cost: If the financial cost of the accommodation would fundamentally threaten the financial viability of the Institute.

2. Outside Sources of Funding: Whether grants or government subsidies can offset the cost.

3. Health and Safety Requirements: If an accommodation poses a severe, unmitigable health and safety risk to the student or the broader campus community. Note: Customer preference or administrative inconvenience are never legal grounds for claiming undue hardship.

7. Dispute Resolution and Grievances

If a student or parent believes that a request for accommodation has been unreasonably denied or improperly implemented, they have the right to a formal dispute resolution process.

• Internal Resolution: The student must first submit a written grievance to the Principal, detailing why the proposed accommodation is insufficient based on their documented limitations. The Principal will convene a meeting within 5 business days to review and adjust the plan if necessary.

• External Rights: If an internal resolution cannot be reached, the student retains their absolute statutory right to file a formal application with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) or, if applicable under federal jurisdiction, the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC), to seek an independent legal remedy.