You’re invited to the AccessAbili-TEA Party Feb. 25
The Student AccessAbility Centre (SAAC) will be hosting a tea party on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 11 AM to 1 PM in the Co-Lab (3F.43). Drop by for a warm cup of tea, light snacks, and great conversations!
Newly renovated space for students with disabilities
Dawson College’s recently renovated room 2H.02 has been thoughtfully redesigned to better serve students with disabilities, with essential upgrades addressing a range of needs beyond mobility.
“Our vision was to create a purposeful space that genuinely meets students’ real needs. With the help of Inhwa Choi and Elias Azar of the Facilities Management team, that vision surpassed our expectations,” said Christine Lister, manager of Dawson’s Student AccessAbility Centre (SAAC).
Inhwa emphasized the design intent: “We wanted students to feel that this room is truly their space—a welcoming, intentional environment, not a storage area or an undefined corner, but a place where every student can relax, focus, and find comfort whenever they need a quiet moment.” Inhwa said the team felt that the College’s standard paint and flooring colours could use a fresh approach in this space. The team chose a soothing green paint palette “to foster warmth and relaxation.”
Visit the link for the homepage news story.
Photo: from left to right: Dawson employees involved in renovating the 2H.02 room Maxwell Jones, Samuel Vallery Saint-Hilaire, Elias Azar, Inhwa Choi, Diane Gauvin, Geoff Kloos and Christine Lister.
Creating inclusive classrooms: Dawson experts featured in Eductive
Dawson’s Cathy Roy (Faculty, Physiotherapy) and Guissou Iravani-Manesh (Pedagogical Counsellor, Student AccessAbility Centre) are featured in Eductive, a publication dedicated to sharing best practices in teaching and learning across Quebec’s college network. Their article, based on their 2025 Intercollegiate Ped Day workshop, explores how accessibility connects to broader inclusion in education. Visit the link to get to the article.
You’re invited to the AccessAbili-TEA on April 15
The Student AccessAbility Centre (SAAC) invites faculty to drop by the Colab (3F.43) on Tuesday, April 15 anytime between 2 PM to 4 PM.
Stop by for tea and great conversation!
Eligibility for accommodations deadline is April 18
We provide a variety of services such as academic accommodations and strategies to meet the needs of students with documented disabilities and for whom the disability has a significant and persistent impact on their learning. In the event of not having the appropriate documentation, students can still complete the process and will either receive a consultation or be referred to other student services.
Students who wish to review their eligibility must do so before the semester deadline. Please visit our "Review Eligibility for Accommodations" webpage for information and complete the Online Pre-Intake form.
DEADLINE: April 18, 5:00 p.m. Requests received after this date will be reviewed for Fall 2025 (few exceptions can apply)
Note: Students who had accommodations at Dawson in the past and wish to renew them, should communicate directly with their counsellor or come to 2E.6 before the same above deadline.
You’re invited to the AccessAbili-TEA!
The Student AccessAbility Centre (SAAC) invites faculty to drop by the Colab (3F.43) on Friday, Feb. 21 anytime between 10 AM and 12 PM.
Stop by for tea, get to know the staff and learn about how we can collaborate to help students.
Inclusion Kits now available for your class
Contents of an Inclusion Kit Sound Blockers: noise cancelling earmuffs that improve students’ focus. Fidget Toys: a small object (preferably one that fits in the student’s hand), that can be squeezed, pulled, or moved around as a student is sitting and listening, or writing a test. Timers: visual or digital timer that helps students to…
Internship: The Bridge from Campus to Career
You have probably never heard of Victoria Christensen. Why would you? She’s not a graduate of Dawson College but of the Washington State University College of Nursing. So why are we mentioning her name? Victoria was the subject of a documentary film that chronicles the experience of a nursing student who entered a baccalaureate program using a wheelchair.
It makes one wonder what her journey would look like if she were a student in the Dawson College Nursing Class of 2026. As researchers from the Adaptech Research Network, we became curious about the internship experiences of students with disabilities enrolled in Dawson College health-related, social service and community recreational leadership programs – how inclusive are they?
Fortunately, we were able to secure funds through Entente Canada-Québec (ECQ) that allowed us to conduct an extensive literature review and interview key stakeholders, including students and faculty internship supervisors from a variety of programs, along with AccessAbility staff.
Visit the link below to read the homepage news story by Alice Havel, Mary Jorgensen and Susie Wileman, Research Associates with the Adaptech Research Network
Support from AccessAbility Centre and caring community leads Anastasia De Sousa recipient to McGill
Kenza Bennani struggled at school since she was a kid. She thought it was because she didn’t like school.
“When I was 13, I was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia,” she said in an interview with Dawson’s Communications Office. “Suddenly, everything made sense and I was able to get better support in school. I had tutors and specialists helping me all throughout high school.”
Click Read More for the homepage news story about this year's recipient of the Anastasia De Sousa Memorial Award.
Record-breaking year for Artists in Bloom thanks to Dawson community
Dawson’s beloved Artists in Bloom event was back for the first time this year since 2019 and thanks to the extraordinary Dawson community of employees and retirees, we broke the art sales record at the conclusion of the 24th edition on April 27. This year’s weeklong online auction of original artwork and art print sales…
Last Modified: February 12, 2026
