Mentorship
CommunAbility provides post-secondary students with disabilities access to mentorship opportunities through our e-mentorship program.
Developed by the PSDnet project, CommunAbility is a virtual space that harnesses the power of online and social media technology to enable students with disabilities, and others in post-secondary education, to connect in ways seldom experienced in the current environment.
The name CommunAbility combines terms that reflects our focus on community, communication, ability, and disability.
Have a Question or Concern?
Feel free to get in touch with our team by using our contact form. You can also visit our FAQs page for more helpful information.
FAQs Contact UsInterested in Providing us with Feedback?
We value your feedback! You can let us know what you like about our website, and what we could do better, by using our contact form. You can also provide us with formal feedback by participating in research that evaluates the CommunAbility website. Find out more about by visiting our Website Evaluation Information page.
Learn MoreCommunAbility focuses on three main areas:
Education
CommunAbility offers educational information and resources through our webinar and podcast series, learning modules, and a resource library.
Community
CommunAbility promotes positive and empowered identities for students with disabilities through our digital narratives and profile series, peer-to-peer support forums.
About the PSDNet Project
The Post-secondary Students with Disabilities Network (PSDNet) Project is an applied research project initiated in 2015 and supported by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
The project envisions diverse and vibrant communities in which all members have the opportunities for personal and social development needed to fully participate, socially and economically, in Canadian society.
Our aim is to further the work underway in post-secondary education to remove barriers and create opportunities that promote the success of students with disabilities.
Learn MoreABOUT THE TEAM
Project Partners
This project is designed and developed by a diverse group of researchers, web development experts, and community partners. The project, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, is led by George Brown College in partnership with Nipissing University, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, York University, and the National Educational Association for Disabled Students (NEADS).
- Project Manager: Ana C. Gigli, George Brown College
The Website Development Team
George Brown College is home to one of the premier educational and innovative centres for gaming and web development in Canada. The website development team for the CommunAbility project is made up of experts in the areas of accessible website development, social media and gaming.
- Current Team
- Vishvajit Kher - Lead development
- Son Claire Hye-eun - User Experience Designer
- Prototype Development Team
- Leonardo Marineau-Quinta - Lead development
- Wahid Shafique - Front-end development
- David Friesen - UI development, Interaction design
- Tabish Shaikh - AWS server management
- Jen Masters - User experience, graphic design
- Jeremy Walker - User experience
- Faculty Advisors:
- Robert Sgrignoli
- Rocco Panacci
The Research Team
Brought together by a passion for creating and supporting truly accessible post-secondary education, The CommunAbility Team is made up of researchers, educators, and community partners with broad-ranging experience in this area. By creating a virtual space supporting communication, connection, learning, and mentorship for post-secondary students with disabilities our goal is to promote positive approaches to help you attain your educational goals while optimizing your opportunities for support and community building.
- Principal Investigator: Charles Anyinam, RN, PhD, Assistant Professor, Nipissing University
- Co-Principal Investigator: Sue Coffey, RN, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT)
- Co-Investigators:
- Rick Vanderlee, RN, EdD, Professor, Nipissing University
- Hilde Zitzelsberger RN, PhD, Associate Professor, UOIT
- Celina Da Silva, RN, PhD, Assistant Professor, York University
- Frank Smith, National Coordinator, National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS)
- Francine Odette, Professor, George Brown College
- Chelsea Mohler, Research Consultant, NEADS
- Jason Thompson, Web Developer and Technical Support Analyst, NEADS