Incoming Students
Registration
Student Accessibility Services (SAS) welcomes all current Ontario Tech students with disabilities. We look forward to connecting with you and providing support on your academic journey.
Please use the instructions on this page to register for accommodations through SAS. You can also access important documents and information to help you get the support you need.
Steps for Registering with Student Accessibility Services
- Complete the intake form.
Submit the intake form to SAS:
- Download, review, complete, and upload the Intake Form through the SAS portal.
- Go to the SAS Portal and click on “Student Files Upload” to upload and submit the documentation.
- Collect/complete your disability documentation.
- SAS requires current documentation from a registered health care professional, such as a physician, psychologist or psychiatrist, to provide academic accommodations.
- Review the SAS Disability Documentation Requirements.
- Documentation must:
- Confirm the disability is present, whether temporary or permanent.
- Identify functional limitations and disability-related needs.
- Indicate how the disability impacts or impairs academic functioning.
- If you are having difficulty connecting with a healthcare professional to obtain documentation, we will work with you to connect with an appropriate health care professional.
- Email your completed intake form studentaccessibility@ontariotechu.ca.
A staff member will give you access to the Student Accessibility Services portal and you can proceed with the next step. - Upload all your documentation forms to the Student Accessibility Services portal.
- Go to the SAS Portal.
- Click on “Student Files Upload” and log in with your student number and network password.
- Upload and submit your documentation.
Once we have received your intake form and documentation, we will email you and set up your intake appointment with a Learning Strategies Counsellor.
We encourage you to contact our office with any questions about registration or disability documentation by emailing studentaccessibility@ontariotechu.ca.
Temporary and Interim Accommodation Planning
If you suspect you have a disability but are not sure, or if you are in the process of obtaining documentation, a Student Accessibility Services Counsellor will assess the need for interim accommodations that provide support on a case-by-case basis and can guide you towards getting appropriate documentation. Call 905.721.3266 to book an appointment.
Some students registering may have outdated or minimal documentation. These situations may trigger the process of interim accommodation planning. These are approved on a case-by-case and a term-by-term basis using information about the student's disability that is currently available. Interim accommodations are intended to address the student's most immediate access needs while awaiting assessment or new documentation.
Some students who are experiencing functional impairments as a result of a temporary condition are eligible for services with SAS. Some examples of a temporary disability include:
- Acquiring a serious virus or infection
- Breaking your dominant arm or hand
- Experiencing an acute mental health crisis
- Getting a concussion
Severe Allergies
Students with severe allergies (food, environmental, insect, and so on) are encouraged to contact Student Accessibility Services and provide the details and impacts of the allergy. Student Accessibility Services will work with the student to develop a proactive plan to make the campus experience as safe as possible. We can also facilitate communication with staff and faculty who should be aware of the potential for a severe allergic reaction and ensure they are aware of how to respond should it occur.
In order for students to receive academic accommodations their functional impairments need to be verified by an appropriately qualified health care professional. Students can use the OSAP Verification of Disability form or Student Accessibility Services documentation forms as outlined below.
Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and accommodation plans from previous years of study are helpful tools in accommodation planning, however, they are not considered confirmation of disability. Confirmation of disability will be required beyond these documents to receive accommodations at the university.
Previous accommodation plans from other institutions will not automatically transfer to Ontario Tech. You will need to request your documentation from previous schools. Schools do not share this information with one another.
Verification of disability for OSAP
We strongly encourage all students to apply for OSAP disability-related funding. There are additional programs available to students who submit the OSAP Disability Verification form. This form is to be completed by the appropriate health care professional.
Before submitting your documentation to OSAP, please retain a copy to submit to Student Accessibility Services. You can submit the completed OSAP Disability Verification Form to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities by uploading it online through your OSAP account using the "Print/Upload" feature. You can only upload PDF files, you cannot upload a file that is password protected or larger than 2 MB in size.
Documentation forms
Please read the information and instructions on the documentation form carefully and ensure they are completed in full by the appropriate health care professional. If you have multiple disabilities, please have the relevant forms completed by your health care team. Only complete the forms that pertain to your specific situation.
- Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) or Head Injury
- Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Concussion
- Learning disabilities
- Medical (chronic or acute) disabilities
- Mobility disabilities
- Mental health or psychiatric disabilities
- Hearing impairment (deaf or hard of hearing)
- Visual impairment (blind or low vision)
Psychoeducational Assessments
A psychoeducational assessment is used to verify whether a student has a Learning Disability (LD) and support accommodation planning. A psychoeducational assessment must:
- Be completed within the last 5 years and/or as an adult (over the age of 18), or o under the age of 18 using adult-normed measures.
- Be signed by a registered, licensed psychologist or psychological associate experienced in LD assessment.
- Contain a clear diagnostic statement of LD.
- Clearly report and interpret scores from age-appropriate standardized tests of:
- Cognitive ability
- Information processing
- Memory
- Academic achievement
More detailed information is available in the Disability Documentation PDF.
Suspected Disabilities and Pending Documentation
If you suspect you have a disability but are not sure or if you are in the process of obtaining documentation, a Student Accessibility Services Counsellor will assess the need for temporary accommodations and support on a case-by-case basis and can guide you towards getting appropriate documentation. Call 905.721.3266 to book an appointment.
Temporary Disabilities
Some examples of a temporary disability include:
- acquiring a serious virus or infection
- breaking your dominant arm or hand
- experiencing an acute mental health crisis
- getting a concussion
If you have any questions, please contact the Student Accessibility Centre at 905.721.3266 or studentaccessibility@ontariotechu.ca.