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Ontario Tech acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.

We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

Learn more about Indigenous Education and Cultural Services

Understanding Accommodations

Academic accommodations are arrangements that are made for a student with a disability, that provide them with an equal opportunity to meet the essential requirements of their courses or programs.

This may include adjustments to the way information is presented in a specific course or the manner in which student knowledge is evaluated. Academic accommodations are recommended to enable students with disabilities the opportunity to learn and demonstrate their knowledge. They are meant to provide an equitable academic experience for students with disabilities and not to provide advantages.

In arranging academic accommodations, a collaborative relationship between faculty members and Student Accessibility Services (SAS) is critical to ensure that the accommodations are consistent with—and supportive of—the essential requirements of the course and provided in a way that respects the dignity of the student with a disability.

SAS is responsible for assessing medical or psychological documentation concerning the student's disability, and recommending accommodation measures that would give students an equal opportunity to meet course requirements.

Instructors are made aware of approved accommodations for each student when a Notice of Accommodation is provided to them by SAS. Accommodations are specific to each student and may include:

  • Assistance obtaining class notes

  • Books and handouts in an accessible format

  • Classroom assistants

  • Disability counselling and support

  • Extra time, or the use of technical supports for tests and exams

  • Sign language interpreters

  • Specialized software, such as text-to-speech or speech-to-text

  • Support from a Learning Strategist

  • Support from an Assistive Technologist

Services for students with disabilities are identified on an individual basis, and are based on the review of the medical or psycho-educational documentation which has been completed by the appropriate health-care professional. The student is responsible for self-identifying and submitting documentation to the SAS office.

The student works collaboratively with their Accessibility Advisor or Counsellor to develop an individualized accommodation plan and with the student's permission, each faculty member will receive a Notice of Accommodation letter. This lets the instructor(s) know that the noted accommodations have been approved based on the documentation provided. The contact information of the advisor or counsellor are on the letter.

It is a legal requirement that each student is accommodated as specified in the Notice of Accommodation. If you are not sure how to best meet the accommodation plan for your student, please discuss it with their accessibility counsellor or advisor.

Students may require note-takers for a number of reasons, such as:

  • Anxiety

  • Chronic physical pain

  • Deficit in fine motor skills

  • Inability to listen, write and comprehend material simultaneously

  • Slow processing speed

  • Visual or auditory impairment

While every effort is made to fill all requests for note-takers, we cannot guarantee that a volunteer will come forward for every class. Please communicate this to your students if they approach you.   

Students who use the services of a note-taker are expected to attend all lectures, tutorials and labs.

Your assistance in finding a note-taker may be requested in 1 of 2 ways:

  1. Post the request for note-takers on Canvas, for all your classes.

    • Usually, there is at least one person, per class, who requires this accommodation. Should the issue of finding a note-taker become critical, SAS will send you an email with suggested text that you can copy into a course announcement. Review the volunteer note-takers web page for the benefits of this accommodation and more information. 

  2. You may be asked to provide your notes to a student in need. We appreciate your co-operation.

For more information or support, contact studentaccessibility@ontariotechu.ca.

SAS expects students who require an accommodation to:

  • Adhere to the university’s code of conduct as outlined in the undergraduate and graduate academic calendars.

  • Allow sufficient time to put accommodations in place.

  • Be an integral part of developing an appropriate accommodation plan.

  • Fulfill the academic requirements for their degree.

  • Meet with their instructors as needed to discuss their accommodations.

  • Provide recent psychological or medical documentation from a regulated health-care professional, which specifies how the disability impedes academic success.

  • Register with Student Accessibility Services to discuss their need for accommodations with their assigned advisor or counsellor.

  • Use their secure university email account for written communication with university faculty and staff.

Confidentiality

All information about a student’s disability remains strictly confidential within the Student Accessibility Services office. Students must consent in writing before Student Accessibility Services will discuss their individual needs with faculty, administration, other professionals or even their family.

It is important to note that if you speak to the student directly about their individual requirements, you cannot probe the student about their disability, only about the accommodations required. This conversation should take place in a confidential location. The student has the right to keep the nature of their disability private. If you have any questions about a student's accommodation needs, ask their assigned counsellor or advisor.

Do not make any announcements in class or online that would in any way identify a student with a disability to the rest of the class.

Student Accessibility Services Faculty Portal