Building a support network of friends, family, and classmates is critical to your success and personal well-being.

• Engage with other Deaf, hard of hearing, and Deafblind students, either locally or online. Share your remote learning successes and challenges with those who have similar communication needs. Ask the AS center to connect you with another student from your institution. Online message boards, Facebook groups, or YouTube channels can also be valuable resources. Check out potential groups promoted on NEADS.
• Be proactive in connecting with classmates to discuss course content or study together.
• Share your experiences of attending post-secondary school with others.
• The CHHA Peer Support Program may be useful for hard of hearing students, while Deaf students can connect with Deaf Youth Canada or their Facebook page.

• Ensure your internet connection is strong; hardwired connections are best. Plan for what to do if you lose connection and discuss this plan with your instructors.
• Set up a defined learning space, ideally a quiet room with proper lighting and minimal distractions.
• Download and test all necessary software and applications for your classes in advance. Familiarize yourself with your online learning platform.
• Test your assistive listening devices to ensure they connect effectively to your devices.
• Keep your devices charged by plugging them in each night.
• Utilize individual office hours with instructors for one-on-one time to ask questions or address concerns. Book in advance to ensure accessibility services are available.
• For Deaf students with low vision, consider using a web camera with zoom capabilities for better visibility of interpreters.
• Be aware that some platforms may cause the interpreter to disappear if screen sharing is used. This is especially important for users of JAWS and similar tools.

• Practice self-advocacy: inform your instructor that your service provider will need access to the online learning platform. The AS department can assist with this.
• Ask your instructor about their plan for uploading content and if media materials are captioned. Early access to materials will help you and your service provider.
• Review online tutorials to understand how to access tools used in your courses. For example, Zoom’s general information tutorial can be a good resource.

• Schedule a meeting with your instructor and service provider (interpreter or transcriber) before the course begins and periodically during the semester.
• Introduce yourself and explain your communication accessibility needs. Keep your network informed of what is working and what needs improvement.
• Advocate for your needs and ensure all media is accessible. Confirm that course materials are in accessible formats and that videos are properly captioned.
• Educate others about your communication needs, encouraging proper lighting, slower and louder speech, and the use of video for better speech reading.
• Deaf students who use sign language should communicate the importance of closed captioning and the visibility of interpreters during video calls.
• Encourage the use of on-screen chat boxes to facilitate participation.

• Keep important documents like audiograms, reports, IEPs, loan application printouts, and correspondence organized and accessible.
• Use a calendar to plan coursework, especially if your study schedule is flexible.
• Establish a daily, weekly, and monthly routine to stay on track with deadlines.

• Create a routine that supports your well-being, including time for self-care and staying active.

• Ensure you have your own email account for communication with your coordinator and service providers.
• Adjust email notification settings on your LMS to manage the frequency of emails.
• Learn how to access your school email and consider forwarding it to your personal email.

• Remember that you’re not alone and can be successful! Use challenges as learning opportunities and work with Accessibility Services to promote access in new learning scenarios.

• Ask about the learning management system (LMS) being used and inform the instructor that your service providers will need access.
• Find out if the class is asynchronous or synchronous, as this will impact your accommodation requests.
• Ensure that all media, especially videos, are captioned and accessible.

• Share your experiences, including what accommodations work best and any back-up plans needed in case of technology failures.