Funding

Funding Resources in Ontario

Assistive Devices Program (Ministry of Heath and Long Term Care)
The objective of the Assistive Devices Program (ADP) is to provide consumer centered support and funding to Ontario residents who have long-term physical disabilities and to provide access to personalized assistive devices appropriate for the individual’s basic needs

Devices covered by the program are intended to enable people with physical disabilities to increase their independence through access to assistive devices responsive to their individual needs.

For more information: 
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/program/adp/adp_mn.html

Eligibility
Eligibility includes any Ontario resident who has a valid Ontario Health card issued in their name and has a physical disability of six months or longer. Equipment cannot be required exclusively for sports, work or school.  ADP does not pay for equipment available under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board or to Group “A” veterans for their pensioned benefits.. There are specific eligibility criteria which apply to each device category.

An individual who has a chronic illness or dysfunction that requires long-term oxygen therapy may be eligible for home oxygen funding.

Accessing ADP
Initial access is often through a medical specialist or general practitioner who provides a diagnosis. In most device categories, an authorizer assesses the specific needs of the person and prescribes appropriate equipment or supplies. Finally, a vendor sells the equipment or supplies to the client.

In some device categories, such as adult hearing aids or prosthetic devices, the assessor is also the vendor.

Authorizer
Most devices must be authorized by a qualified health care professional registered with the program. Registered authorizers work in hospitals, home care agencies or private practice.

Vendor
The program will only help pay for equipment that is purchased from vendors registered with the Assistive Devices Program.

Funding for Disabled students in College or Unversity
For more information
http://osap.gov.on.ca/eng/NOT_SECURE/Plan_Grants_full_sepapp_BSWD_12345.htm

Purpose
Ontario’s Bursary for Students with Disabilities (BSWD) and the Canada Study Grant for the Accommodation of Students with Permanent Disabilities provide non-repayable financial assistance to full- and part-time students for disability-related services and equipment that they need to participate in postsecondary education.

Value
Eligible students receive up to $2,000 from the BSWD and up to $8,000 from the Canada Study Grant for the Accommodation of Students with Permanent Disabilities. These funds are non-repayable and taxable.

Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible to apply for assistance through these programs, you must:

    • be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or a Protected Person, and a Ontario resident;
    • have applied and be eligible for a Canada-Ontario Integrated Student Loan if you are a full-time student;
    • have applied and be eligible for a Part-Time Canada Student Loan or an Ontario Special Bursary if you are a part-time student;
    • have a permanent disability (students with a temporary disability may be eligible for BSWD funding only); and
    • have additional education-related expenses that result from your disability and are not covered by another agency.

Eligible Disability-Related Educational Expenses
The following disability-related educational expenses may be funded under BSWD and/or the Canada Study Grant for the Accommodation of Students with Permanent Disabilities. This list is not exhaustive:

    • tutoring services
    • readers
    • note takers
    • interpreters (oral and sign)
    • attendant care for studies
    • talking calculators
    • tape recorder
    • vision/learning aids
    • hearing amplifiers
    • learning disability assessments
    • computers and software
    • special needs accessories for computers
    • counseling
    • specialized chairs
    • Expenses not eligible for funding include:
    • Expenses for services and/or accommodations that are provided by the institution as part of the institutional obligation to accommodate persons with disabilities under the Ontario Human Rights Code.
    • Expenses that are provided for under the Accessibility Fund for Students with Disabilities.
    • Expenses that are already factored in the loan need assessment calculation, such as tuition and compulsory fees, books, and supplies, and living expenses.

BSWD and Canada Study Grant funding cannot be provided to students in cases where an institution requires all students in a particular program to have a personal computer. BSWD and Canada Study Grants funding can only be provided for computer hardware or software purchase or lease in cases where the student requires the computer because of a disability, not solely as a result of a program requirement.

Expenses already covered by another agency, such as Income Support from the Ontario Disability Support Program, Workers' Safety Insurance Board, OHIP, or the Assistive Devices Program.

Expenses that are not related to a student's participation in postsecondary education.
Expenses incurred during time periods that the student is not enrolled in postsecondary studies

How to Apply
Print and complete an application form or obtain a copy of the application from the office for students with disabilities at the school you plan to attend or from the Student Support Branch of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

Every provincially-assisted university and college of applied arts and technology in Ontario has an office for students with disabilities that will help you if you have a special need related to your disability. Contact this office to find out what services, facilities, and equipment your school provides. Your special needs coordinator can help with arrangements that may be required during your school year.

Deadlines
If you are taking a one-term program, the deadline for applying is within the first 30 days of your study period. If you are taking a two- or three-term program, the deadline for applying is 90 days before the end of your study period.

Receipt of Funding
The grant and/or bursary is paid by cheque and distributed through the financial aid office at your postsecondary institution.

SEA Funding
The Ontario Ministry of Education also provides funding under its SEA or Special Equipment Allowance. The program assists school boards in the purchase of assistive devices, software and hardware for students within their school board. The school board is required to cover the first $800.00 of the purchase, with remainder being covered by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Eligibility is determined by the school board, appropriate medical professionals, educators and school principals. From a parent’s perspective, advocacy for a disabled child begins with classroom teacher, the school’s principal and the assigned special education teacher.  In almost every case, and individualized Education Plan or IEP is required, which in turn may require supporting documentation from appropriate medical professionals. The process can take some time, so parents are advised to seek support from the school system at the earliest possible date.

The kind of support provided under SEA can vary depending on the child’s age, the nature of their disability, and the school board’s policies. The purpose is universal, in that SEA accommodations are intended to help the student access the curriculum. Typical accommodations might include a computer configured with specialized software such as a screen reader, screen magnifier, word prediction, a voice recognition program, augmentative communication software and hardware, or a scan & read software, however, the configurations are as individual as the child. 

For more information, please follow this link
www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/funding/0708/speced.pdf

Microcomputer Science Centre Inc.
Serving the Canadian Special Needs Community since 1980, providing Adaptive technology, Consulting, Training, Service and Support.
Microcomputer Science Centre Inc
#26-5155 Spectrum Way Mississauga, Ontario L4W 5A1
Toll Free: (800) 290-6563 Local: (905) 629-1654
info@microscience.on.ca