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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

Incoming Students

Student Accessibility Services (SAS) welcomes all new and incoming Ontario Tech University students with disabilities.  We look forward to connecting with and supporting you on your academic journey.

Please use the instructions on this page to register for accommodations through Student Accessibility Services. Here you can also access important documents and information to help you get the support you need.

Download the Student Life Agenda for help keeping organized. 

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

  1. 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. 
  1. 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.
  1. 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. 

 

If you require assistance from Student Accessibility Services, please contact us at 905.721.3266 or email studentaccessibility@ontariotechu.ca. 

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.

Intake form

 

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.

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.

Severe Allergies

Students with severe allergies (food, environmental, insect, etc.) 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. Please contact us at 905.721.3266 or email studentaccessibility@ontariotechu.ca to book an appointment.

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 require assistance from Student Accessibility Services on a temporary basis, please contact us at 905-721-3266 or email studentaccessibility@ontariotechu.ca to book an appointment.

If you have any questions, please contact the Student Accessibility Centre at 905.721.3266 or studentaccessibility@ontariotechu.ca.

Student Accessibility Services Portal