Mala Naraine

On the other hand, people with special needs are usually forced to complete their degree programs part-time because undertaking a regular course load entails having access to adequate support facilities which are seldom available on campus. The needs and concerns of such students should no longer be left to services within the community; rather, it should be the mandate of educational institutions to ensure these needs are being met.

There ought also to be provisions for special funding for women with disabilities. Although Vocational Rehabilitation Services provides some assistance, this program is directed at employment and therefore does not help with tuition and other education- related expenses. Persons with disabilities usually have low incomes; they also have expenses the non-disabled population does not face such as medication, assistive devices, and special transportation. The range and availability of support services varies from province to province and, frequently, the education and training for persons with disabilities must be acquired in alternative settings.

There should be consideration in policy with respect to foreign students. Since their eligibility for scholarships and bursaries is limited, they ought to be granted an extension on the deadline for applying for an Assistantship. Many third world countries have legal restrictions regarding the amount of money a student is allowed to have each year and this is often not sufficient for the actual cost of living in an expensive Canadian city such as Toronto. Emergency funds ought to be provided through bursaries or special grants for those students who are in need.

Since women are members of one or more of the above groups, the barriers they face are compounded because of their gender. A mere acknowledgment of this fact is not sufficient. Universities need to respond actively to the needs of female students. More courses should encompass women's interests; program content ought to include their preferred learning styles; admissions policies should make provisions for recognition and acceptance of the life experiences of women. These suggestions, elucidated and confirmed by the testimonies of the women I interviewed, are only some of the measures necessary to removing the obstacles to women's access to higher education.

Mala Naraine is a student in the Master's program of Adult Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.

REFERENCES:

Bray, Cathy & Thomson, Aisla. Women and Post Secondary Education in Canada. Brief to the Standing Committee on the Secretary of State. (No. 88.1). Toronto: CCLOW, 1988.

Buckland, Lin. Education and Training: Equal Opportunities or Barriers to Employment? Ottawa: Supply and Services Canada, 1985.

Wismer, Susan. Women's Education and Training in Canada: A policy analysis. Toronto: CCLOW, 1988.