Learner Support Specialist (Assistive Technology)

McGill University•Sherbrooke, QC

10d•CA$71,890 - CA$107,830•Onsite

About The Position

Student Accessibility and Achievement provides an array of learner support services to McGill students of all levels of study, including reasonable academic accommodations for those with documented disabilities of either a permanent, temporary, or episodic nature. They foster an accessible and inclusive university experience for McGill’s diverse student population in collaboration with other Student Services and the wider McGill community through resources and services. Evening/weekend hours may be required during peak periods. This position is fully supported by soft funds. Vacation restrictions apply during peak periods. Under the supervision of the Learner Support Specialist - Team Lead, the Learner Support Specialist develops and administers a suite of support programs and services, designed with the needs of McGill’s diverse student populations in mind. With a particular focus on Assistive Technology, the incumbent supports Student Accessibility and Achievement operations, maintaining all aspects of Assistive Technology for Student Accessibility and Achievement, addressing and troubleshooting student issues on various instructional uses of different assistive technologies and supporting in the conversion of complex adaptive materials. The Learner Support Specialist works cross-university to ensure students are connected to and accessing opportunities to develop skills and networks to improve their academic outcomes, maximize their educational potential, and increase their sense of academic wellbeing.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree
3 Years Related Experience
High degree of technical literacy with a proven ease and familiarity with adaptive technology and assistive technological applications, particularly within an educational setting.
Demonstrated ability to take initiative, problem-solve and organize work within area of responsibility.
Demonstrated ease with technological applications with a proven ability to work in a PC and Mac environments using MS Word, Excel and Outlook.
Must be self-directed and able to work autonomously and as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a fast paced, high volume service area.
Tact, diplomacy, excellent interpersonal, organizational and communication skills are essential.
Experience and comfort designing, developing and delivering technology trainings across a variety of groups (faculty, staff, students).
Experience working on a one-to-one basis with a potentially high stress, constantly changing clientele.
Proven discretion in dealing with confidential information
English communication both verbally and in writing (level 4 fluent on a scale of 0-4).

Nice To Haves

Master’s Degree in Education/Inclusive Education strongly preferred.
Experience working in a service provider role, in a university environment, with people with disabilities is strongly preferred.
Experience in the disability field with a particular emphasis on current trends in post-secondary disability service provision, technological supports for academic achievement.
Strong ability to work / research a variety of applications is a very strong asset.
Experience in project management, an asset.

Responsibilities

Work as part of an intradisciplinary team dedicated to supporting learners facing barriers and academic challenges.
Assess learner barriers / needs and propose targeted interventions, including technology-related learning interventions.
Provide assistive technology services to students, including lending, training and troubleshooting in the use of specialized software and/or systems (i.e., WordQ, Dragon, Antidote, C-Pen, FM systems, SmartPen, Clockwork, etc.).
Meet with students during one-on-one appointment to help determine student technology requirements based on their accessibility needs for exam writing and other academic uses.
Designs, suggests and/or implements accessible technological solutions to meet their needs.
Manage end‑to‑end conversions for students requiring alternative‑format materials, ensuring accuracy, accessibility, and timely delivery in alignment with accommodation plans.
Coordinate the production and quality assurance of alt‑format materials for both course materials and exams (e.g., braille, enlarged print, digital formats, screen‑reader–compatible files) to support equitable experiences.
Liaise with faculty, library services, and exam operations teams to confirm requirements and oversee the secure, compliant preparation of alternative‑format assessments.
Maintain tracking systems and documentation to monitor conversion requests, turnaround times, and completion status for all alt‑format materials.
Research new developments in the adaptive technology / disability fields; liaising with other assistive technology and learning support specialists internal and external to McGill to ensure continuity of operations between sites and the implementation of best practices based on current trends.
Develop and implement new initiatives that advance the strategic direction of the Learner Supports team.
Support digital material exam security which includes, developing and refining protocols for digital exam material receipt, storage and transmission.
Manage and maintain technology inventory for staff and students, including tracking equipment, managing software needs, and liaising with IT Services as needed.
Develop materials / training materials, train and prepare students to use assistive technology in an academic setting, including during examinations.
Develop processes with Faculties using exam proctoring software in order to implement accommodations for exams.
Liaise with faculty members/course instructors who are administering exams/quizzes on myCourses or other digital platforms in order to support the application of student’s disability-related accommodations.