Today@Dal

What It’s Like is a series launching for Dalhousie Accessibility Week, one that provides members of the Dal community with an opportunity to share their first-person perspective on living with a disability. People are welcome to share with their name or anonymously.

Submitted by Anonymous:

What do you wish people knew about your disability?

Five things I wish you knew about auditory processing delay:

• I hope you try it for yourself: Auditory processing disorder simulation link (Headphones required) 
  
  
• My processing delay disorder does not mean I have an intellectual delay. Referring to me as "delayed" is hurtful.  
  
  
• Asking me to learn traditionally in a lecture-based environment is like asking a fish to climb a tree. 
  
  
• If you learned in a school only set up for non-neurotypical people like me, you would be having problems too. Picture a school with no sound ever at all. That would be perfect for me, but how would you do?
  
  
• Video-formatted lectures with subtitles make lectures accessible. DO THIS! 

What accessibility changes would have the biggest impact on your experience here at Dal?

Get rid of all the hoops. Give accommodations easily, with just proof of disability status and recommendations from a doctor. It's a problem when dal doesn't listen to the Doctor. 

After Dal receives paperwork outlining how your disability affects you from your medical professional and what DAL SHOULD do to help you, THE DISABLED PERSON should not have to further fill out forms indicating how THEIR disability affects THEM or continuously have to seek out access to those recommendations. It is unacceptable. 

Students should not be left with no accommodations if they can't complete the complicated online process. It is not as easy as you think.

Accumulatively, I have spent over 55 plus hours seeking accommodations this year already. 

Make a backup for students who don't have reliable internet. 

All in all, to summarize, Simplify the process DRASTICALLY and FAST. 

Previously in this series:

You can find all entries collected here.

Interested in sharing your own experiences?

We'd love to hear from you. Please take a look at our questions below and how to submit them. Please note that you can choose to remain anonymous if you wish. (Note: names will be visible to individuals receiving submissions by email).

Our questions for you:
 

• Tell us a little about yourself and your role here at Dal. (Note: If remaining anonymous, this prompt can be skipped — or, simply share as much detail as you feel comfortable doing).
  
  
• What do you wish people knew about your disability?
  
  
• What accessibility changes would have the biggest impact on your experience here at Dal?

If you’re interested in sharing your experiences navigating university life with a visible or invisible disability, please contact us at today@dal.ca with answers to the above questions or to set up a short interview.