Accommodation Assessment
To be supported for academic accommodations, a student with a disability must provide appropriate documentation from a specialist.
IDENTIFICATION OF A DISABILITY
A student with a disability must self-identify and provide SSD with appropriate documentation from a specialist in the area of the existing disability, ex: general physician, psychiatrist, neurologist, etc.
The documentation should include:
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A statement to the effect that the individual has a permanent or ongoing identified disability.
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A statement that the condition and/or impairment warrants academic accommodation.
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Verification of current nature of documentation (within 3-5 years).
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Students with learning disabilities must provide a complete and current psycho-educational assessment conducted by an appropriate registered psychologist.
Note: Students who seek accommodation for undocumented (suspected) learning disabilities, or students who have documented learning disabilities where the documentation is insufficient, should be referred to a Disability Advisor to discuss the possibility of a further assessment.
ASSESSMENT OF A DISABILITY
Students must work directly with Services for Students with Disabilities to obtain an assessment of disability in order to arrange for academic accommodation for courses in which they are registered.
Each exam and course accommodation provides equal opportunity for academic success for students with a disability.
DETERMINING NEED FOR ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATION
Academic accommodations are essentially a list of accommodation recommendations made by an SSD faculty member based on medical documentation relevant to the student’s existing, permanent disability or condition.
Though some students, who share in common, a particular disability will require the same kind of accommodation (ex: many hearing impaired students will benefit from having a note-taker and from being seated near the front of a class), recommendations are based on the student’s individual needs for a specific course.
Students must bring appropriate and complete documentation to SSD if they require academic accommodations during a program of study at Kwantlen. Documentation must be submitted to SSD prior to the student’s registration and SSD faculty will determine the most appropriate accommodation based on the documentation provided by the student. These accommodations will be conveyed to the student and instructors in writing.
Assessment of a student’s need may be necessary if:
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Any adaptation to course material is required; or
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Academic accommodations are requested, including both course and exam accommodations; or
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Specialized or adaptive equipment is needed, ex: customized laptop, adjustable table or chair, alternate format text, etc.
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Student thinks that formal identification of a disability is important to determine reasonable course adaptations/accommodations.
All students requesting course accommodations must do so through the SSD office. Instructors who have not received written notice of student accommodation from SSD, but who are aware of a student in a class or program who may need accommodation consideration are encouraged to contact a Learning Specialist to discuss how to refer a student.
REQUEST FOR STUDENT ACCOMMODATION
An Instructor Letter is provided to a student with a documented disability who will, as a result of the impact of the disability, require specific academic accommodations. The letter serves to notify the student and his/her instructors of the course modifications that are necessary and recommended by SSD faculty.
The intention of the ‘Instructor Letter' is to allow the best possible interaction between the instructor and the student in working together to achieve academic success, despite any disability. The letter makes clear that the recommended accommodation is designed to ensure that the disability is not a barrier to the achievement of the student’s academic goals, and that with these accommodations in place, the student has access to all course and exam material including input and output.
PROCEDURES AFTER APPROVAL OF ACCOMMODATIONS
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An Instructor Letter is given to each course instructor by the student. The letter is signed by a Disability Advisor who should be used as a point of contact for instructors who may have further questions about the accommodations listed.
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The student is advised to meet with his/her instructor early in the term to discuss the academic accommodations recommended by SSD faculty and staff.
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SSD staff and faculty may be consulted in situations where disagreements arise regarding accommodation appropriateness.
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It is the sole responsibility of the student to initiate discussion with the instructor, giving a reasonable amount of time (at least 2 weeks prior to a test and/or examination) to implement the accommodations needed. The instructor cannot be held responsible for arrangements if the student has not made his or her accommodation needs known in advance.
Note: Not all students with disabilities will require course accommodations or program adaptations; students seeking accommodations from instructors should be referred to SSD. If a student is not requesting accommodations, he/she should be treated as any other student, with or without a disability.
EXAMPLES OF ACCOMMODATIONS
The examples listed below may appear on the Instructor Letter for Student Accommodation form that you receive. They are not meant to be all-inclusive; only accommodations relevant and appropriate to the individual’s needs will be included in the Instructor Letter. Below is a list of some of the more commonly used course accommodations.
Examples:
Due to the nature of his/her disability, (student) requires exams to be provided in an alternate format, i.e. oral or tape-recorded, and it is appropriate that he use a word processor for essay portions of an exam. These arrangements can be made through SSD, unless you wish to handle the accommodations on your own.
(Student) requires an in-class note-taker. Your assistance in identifying a volunteer from the class expedites this process. The student volunteer should take good notes and be willing to make copies. Please refer the volunteer to SSD to discuss photocopy arrangements.
(Student) qualifies for exams to be provided in a distraction-free setting. If you are unable to provide a separate setting for invigilation of the exams, please contact SSD immediately for help with alternate arrangements.
Due to the nature of his/her disability, (student) qualifies for extended time to complete exams. These arrangements can be made through SSD, unless you want to handle the accommodations personally. Please notify SSD one week prior to the exam date.
(Student) qualifies for extended exam time for in-class exams: for example, a physical condition could result in a reduced rate of written output.
(Student) may require some course materials to be provided in enlarged print. She has been advised to discuss her needs with you.
(Student) uses an FM system which amplifies the sound of a speaker’s voice. The system involves a discreet transmitter that clips onto the lapel of a shirt or jacket worn by the instructor through which sound is received and amplified by the attachment worn by the student.
A (student) experiences periodic seizures. Typically, he/she can feel a seizure coming on and will seat himself/herself on the floor and remain there until the seizure passes. In case of an emergency, Kwantlen’s First Aid attendant should be immediately notified to provide medical assistance.
