Contact us
In-person: Needles Hall North, Room 1401
Phone: 519-888-4567, ext. 35082
Fax: 519-746-2401
Email: access@uwaterloo.ca
Course instructors/faculty members are legally required to accommodate students with disabilities. AccessAbility Services (AAS) is here to help you understand your obligations, and to offer services and resources to help you facilitate these accommodations. For more information on roles and responsibilities in the accommodation process, please read the University’s Student Academic Accommodation Guidelines.
When a student requests an approved accommodation for your course, the instructor(s) listed in Quest will be notified of the accommodation(s) by email in the Faculty Notification Letter (FNL). The FNL also includes a description of the accommodation, so you are aware of the roles and responsibilities in facilitating that accommodation. Please ensure any teaching assistants or co-instructors leading course, labs or tutorials are aware of these accommodations as well. An FNL may be generated at any point in the term as students may experience a disability, and/or a change in their condition, at any time in the year.
It is expected that you will accept that the student requires an accommodation, and that you will follow the direction in the FNL accommodation descriptions. If an accommodation interferes with the essential components or objectives of your course, or, if you have concerns or questions about the accommodation, contact AccessAbility Services at access@uwaterloo.ca to be directed to the student's Accommodation Consultant. You may also refer to the University’s Dispute Resolution Process for student academic accommodations.
AccessAbility Services’ online system is used by students and AAS staff to request and manage accommodations. Course instructors can use this same system to manage their course accommodations, through the Faculty Module. This module enables you to:
Watch this quick video on how to use the Faculty Module!
If a student discloses a disability or medical condition to you:
If a student is struggling academically and you suspect they may require academic accommodations or support:
For additional information and examples about referring a student to AAS, refer to Appendix C: Referring to AccessAbility Services of the Student Academic Accommodation Guidelines.
The Ontario Human Rights Commission has directed all post-secondary intuitions to NOT require students to reveal their private medical information to, or seek accommodation directly from, their professors, course instructors, teaching assistants, etc. This is a measure to protect a student’s personal and private medical health information.
The best approach is for course instructors/faculty members, and academic support staff to not view or accept medical documentation or private health information. It is appropriate for a course instructor, faculty member, and academic support staff to view a UW Verification of Illness Form, provided it does not contain any additional information on the form that includes personal health information.
If you already have collected private medical information from a student, it is important to safely dispose of, or store it:
For additional information on storing and retaining personal health information, please contact the Secretariat.
If it is essential that you impose a restriction within the academic setting that may be a barrier to a student with a disability (e.g., banning technology or devices)…
If there are health and safety concerns that students need to consider prior to participating in the academic setting (e.g., presence of hazardous elements or duties in the environment, protection of safety through experiential learning, etc.)…
If a student requests a retroactive accommodation on the grounds that the delay/failure/omission was disability-related, and you are unsure if the request should be granted…
Important note: If a student was not already registered with our office, we will ask them to supply our office with appropriate documentation, or support them in obtaining it. We will then review and vet their documentation and speak with them about the situation. After doing this, we can provide you, or the department, with our recommendations. Factors that are taken into consideration would include the knowledge of disability prior to request (of both student and instructor), the timing of the request, and the quality of documentation. You can then use the information from our office to make an informed decision on whether the student should be accommodated after the fact.
For additional information about Retroactive Accommodations, refer to the Student Academic Accommodation Guidelines.
Timeline requirements to facilitate accommodations
Completing the Testing Agreement: At least 2 weeks to the scheduled test.
Submitting tests and exam: At least 2 business days prior to the start of the test.
For additional information about timeline requirements, refer to Appendix D: Course Instructor Timeline Requirements to Facilitate Accommodations of the Student Academic Accommodation Guidelines.
Timeline requirements to facilitate accommodations
Submitting a copy of the syllabus (including a list of all textbooks, course readings, and audio-visual content): Upon request. Note: This can be as early as 4 weeks in advance of the course to arrange alternate production of text books.
Submitting PowerPoint presentations, including alternative text and long descriptions (when appropriate): At least 1 business day prior to class.
Submitting materials that will be handed out in class: At least 3 business day prior to class.
For additional information about timeline requirements, refer to Appendix D: Course Instructor Timeline Requirements to Facilitate Accommodations of the Student Academic Accommodation Guidelines.
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Centre for Teaching Excellence: Accessibility in Teaching
Student Academic Accommodation Guidelines
LEARN Help: Special Access in Quiz
Accessible Campus - Resource for Educators
In-person: Needles Hall North, Room 1401
Phone: 519-888-4567, ext. 35082
Fax: 519-746-2401
Email: access@uwaterloo.ca
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.