Student AffairsAcademic accommodations are designed to remove barriers to higher education while upholding essential requirements. Accommodations are provided by considering students first-person experience, medical documentation and academic programming.
Students registered with Accessibility Services may receive permanent or interim accommodations.
Duration
Interim accommodations are provided to students who have documentation demonstrating a need to remove barriers to education but do not yet have paperwork that meets documentation criteria.
Interim accommodation expiration dates vary depending on the reason they are provided. Accessibility advisors will provide more information during the intake appointment.
Students who require permanent accommodations need to provide documentation before interim accommodations have expired.
Permanent accommodations expire on August 31 following the students' anticipated graduation date.
Students are not required to meet with their Accessibility Advisor to discuss accommodations each semester however, they are encouraged to book a meeting if there have been changes to medical information and/or program of study.
There may be a time in which retroactive accommodations must be considered due to a disability related experience. In accordance with section 8.3.4 of the (accommodation after a deadline, test or course has been completed), Retroactive accommodations are considered on a case-by-case basis.
These accommodations will be considered based on the following:
- Student discovers after the fact that their academic performance had been impacted by a condition they were unaware of at the time
- Student was aware of their accommodation needs but they were unable to participate in the university accommodation process at the time due to their condition
- Student did not have prior warning of an accommodation need
Temporary accommodations are provided to students who experience short-term barriers in the academic setting due to a temporary injury or other short-term disability.
Expiry dates for this type of accommodation vary depending on the duration of impact. Additional supporting documentation is needed if students require accommodations beyond the initial expiry date. Accessibility advisors will provide more information during the intake appointment.
Types
Classroom Accommodations
Classroom accommodations remove barriers to support students with disabilities in gaining access to content and completing assigned tasks. Once accommodations are applied, instructors can see the approved accommodations in Ventus.
Some accommodations require students to communicate directly with their instructor for implementation. See Accommodation Guide for specific information.
Assessment Accommodations
Assessment accommodations remove barriers to support students with disabilities during quizzes, tests, and exams. Instructors submit assessments through Ventus and students are notified when an assessment has been added.
Requests or changes to assessment accommodations must be in place 10-days prior to a quiz, test, or midterm.
The deadline to request or change final exam accommodations is:
- Fall Term: Friday, November 27, 2026.
- Winter Term: Friday, March 26, 2027.
All assessments are schedule by the Exam's Office. Visit their website for more information on the process for accommodated assessments.
Not all assessments are listed in Ventus. Communicate directly with your instructor for any assessments not listed in Ventus to confirm how accommodations will be met.
If students choose not to write a quiz, test, or exam in the Exams Office (e.g., dropped the course, made alternate arrangements, etc.), they must withdraw in Ventus as soon as possible.
Students who are unable to write an assessment for disability related reasons (e.g., a flare or exacerbation in symptoms) should refer to the exam deferral process and withdrwaw from the assessment in Ventus at least 24 hours in advance.
Practicum Accommodations
Practicum Accommodations remove barriers when there are functional impacts in the practicum/placement/clinical settings. Once accommodations are applied, students can see the approved accommodations in Ventus.
Letters of Accommodation may need to be shared with practicum supervisors and require students to communicate directly with their supervisor for implementation. As processes may vary, students should check with their faculty to ensure accommodations are implemented appropriately.