Students call for improved services for deaf and partly deaf learners

Amy Parsons just wants the same access to education as everyone else.

Until recently, the Halifax resident was studying toward a master's degree in education at Acadia University, working toward becoming a counsellor.

But Parsons, who like other deaf and partly deaf students requires services to help with her studies, was forced to pull out of the program due to difficulties getting an interpreter for her practicum.

Parsons and Jax Warner, who recently put his studies at Nova Scotia Community College in Dartmouth on hold, say the problem is with Post-Secondary Disabilities Services, an arm of the province's Labour and Advanced Education Department that provides funding directly or indirectly to students for services they might need to further their education.

"On paper it would appear as though the program was solid," Parsons said during a recent interview along with Warner where an interpreter was present.

But she and Warner both found the reality to be much different.

Students face added burdens

They say a lack of communication about who is responsible for what, and what services are available, along with insufficient oversight from the government or collaboration with system users, means the program isn't meeting the needs of students.

As mature students, the two say they worry the experience would be even more difficult for someone just leaving high school. Trying to determine how to book an interpreter and how to access other services is an additional challenge many of their peers don't have to shoulder at what can already be a difficult time of transition, said Parsons.

"That burden has been placed on the students to advocate for themselves to get that access and that is really a basic human right — to have access to education — and it should be more equivalent to hearing peers."

'I was in a nightmare'

For Warner, things came to a head this fall amid confusion about available services and how they should operate, despite meetings with government and school representatives and an interpreter who works with him.

The anxiety and stress became too much, he said, and he's put things on hold until he can meet again with officials in an effort to resolve the matter.

"It was embarrassing and it felt as though I was in a nightmare, that things were at this stage," he said.

"I really want to continue, but we'll see how that goes."

'It's working more smoothly now'

Ava Czapalay, the senior executive director of the higher education branch for Labour and Advanced Education, acknowledged the system has not run smoothly in the past, but said she believes they're on the right track now.

After a review early this year, Czapalay said it was determined it would be more effective for the department to provide funding to schools, with the institutions working directly with students to co-ordinate the hiring of interpreters and all other necessary supports, and then invoicing the province.

"It's working more smoothly now," she said, adding there will be further review in April.

There are five post-secondary students currently using interpreters, and about 10 per cent of the 46,000 post-secondary students in the province access PSDS for another service, said Czapalay.

Questions about quality

Warner and Parsons said they're also frustrated the program review didn't consider the quality of interpreters, but Czapalay said that falls outside the mandate of her department, which is to provide funding support.

She said the province provides interpreters for a variety of departments and education levels, and so any review of those services would need to involve multiple organizations. She said Gerry Post, the province's executive director of accessibility, has offered to look at the issue.

Despite initial challenges related to the recent changes, Czapalay said she believes things are improving.

Any student still having problems should start with their school contact. University and college officials are "very aware we would like this to go smoothly," said Czapalay.

But if that doesn't resolve the matter, she encouraged students to notify her department. "When we receive notice of an issue that hasn't gone away, then we pick up the phone and we call the institution."

Calling for system overhaul

Parsons said the standard should be for deaf and partly deaf students to feel like they have an equal opportunity to complete their education. For that to happen, she said, there must be collaboration.

"We want what is best for deaf and hard of hearing students across the province and we know what it is that we need to be successful in our education," she said.

"I want them to work with us and do their best to do an overhaul of the current system and framework that's in place."