Students registered with the SAAC and their accommodations
Accommodations are typically provided to students with a diagnosis of hearing, visual, motor or organic impairments, learning disabilities, neurological and/or mental health disorders. They may also be offered to students who, due to an accident or illness, require temporary support. In some cases, this same support may be available to students who are in the process of being assessed or who are awaiting a medical appointment.
Accommodations can include but are not limited to a quiet space to write tests/exams, extended or stop time for tests/exams, use of a computer, alternate formats of documents, specialized equipment or software, peer note-takers, interpreters and student attendants.
Students with accommodations must still meet curriculum competencies as well as the Standing and Advancement requirements of their program.
As an example, to help understand what an accommodation can do for a student, many of us wear eyeglasses or contact lenses to accommodate for less-than-perfect vision. For students with significant and persistant limitations, the accommodations provided in the learning environment (classroom, exam room, lab or studio, or even at home) have the same effect of wearing prescription eyeglasses for the nearsighted.
How are faculty informed?
Once a student has met with an Adapted Services Counsellor and accommodations have been approved, they will be sent their IEP (Individual Education Plan) that they must confirmed. Once confirmed, the SAAC will send and accommodation letter to each of their teachers.
What is an accommodation letter
An accommodation letter outlines a list of the student’s accommodations in the classroom and during evaluations. Most often, classroom accommodations include the use of laptop for note taking, or the need for a peer note-taker in class. It is important to remember that these are necessary tools for this individual to access course material and in-class instruction; it is the student’s right to have access to these accommodations. You might also see a note about specific accommodations that an individual student may need, such as alternate arrangements for class presentations, or in the case of students suffering with a chronic illness, there may be a reference to occasional absences from class.
You can expect to receive accommodation letters via email for each student that is registered with our service. We do try and have them sent out as early in the semester as possible but as student continue to meet with us, you can expect to receive letters throughout the semester. You may also view the accommodation letter via the AccessAbility Online Module once they have been updated and issued for the semester.
Student diagnosis
In order to respect students’ confidentiality we cannot specify the nature of a condition, or diagnosis in the accommodation letters. In the case of students with chronic medical conditions that result in absences from class, please be assured that SAAC has evaluate the need and students should not be made to submit proof of their condition to teachers following such absences. We do, however, encourage students to discuss these absences with their teachers. In the case of a missed exam, we ask that the teacher allow for a make-up date.
Additional support
Occasionally, we may need to advise you that a sign language interpreter, or student assistant will accompany a student in class, or that a student has a major functional disability. You will see a note on the accommodation letter, and should this be the case, we will make every effort to let you know you as soon as possible and before classes start, in order to best prepare ahead of time.
