Jennifer Keeping Centre for Accessible Learning

University, Your Way

At Cape Breton University, we believe that each and every student should receive the same high-quality education. If you’re a student with a disability, you’ll find all the services you need to get the most out of your classes at the Jennifer Keeping Centre.

At the Jennifer Keeping Centre, you’ll find a variety of accommodations based on your disability.

To request accommodations and/or assistive technology from the Jennifer Keeping Centre, students must register using the Accommodate online portal.

Accommodate Online Portal

CBU now uses the Symplicity Accommodate online portal to quickly provide access to the tools and resources students need. With the Accommodate portal, students can:

• Register with the JKC for accommodations and submit requests
• Connect with note-takers and receive notes online
• Have assistive devices checked out electronically
• Schedule test and exam accommodations
• And more!

Am I eligible?

If you have a medically documented disability, you could be eligible for services related to your disability. Eligible disabilities include:

• learning disabilities
• visual disabilities
• hearing disabilities
• speech disabilities
• neurological disabilities
• mobility disabilities
• mental health conditions
• chronic illnesses

Please note: you must provide documentation from a qualified health practitioner to receive these services. Please see Student Responsibilities for more information.

Need Help?

Please make an appointment by calling 902-563-1208 or emailing jkc@cbu.ca.

CBU Multi-Year Accessibility Action Plan 2022-2025

CBU is committed to becoming a fully accessible institution. CBU’s Accessibility Action Plan affects everyone on campus including staff, faculty, students and community members visiting CBU. It requires an entire campus commitment and the work does not lie solely with the Jennifer Keeping Centre (JKC). While this plan contains action items moving toward becoming a fully accessible campus, this is a living plan and areas of commitment may be adapted and adjusted to better reflect the campus needs as progress continues.

Who was Jennifer Keeping?

Jennifer Keeping began her academic career in 1995 at Cape Breton University as one of only a handful of visually impaired students. Jennifer is still remembered as an exceptional individual with a gift for blending two critical elements: outstanding people skills and a sophisticated appreciation for the flexibility and innovation needed to be successful in a post-secondary learning environment.

Despite her visual impairment, Jennifer’s determination and drive in the face of great challenges has been a source of inspiration to all who knew her. It was through Jennifer that we recognized we needed to do more for students with disabilities. Unfortunately, Jennifer passed away before graduating, but her degree was awarded posthumously.