Academic Accommodation Summaries
Academic accommodations are intended to provide students with equitable access to education, including learning and assessment opportunities. Academic accommodations should not fundamentally alter essential requirements or learning outcomes for courses or programs. They are intended to provide opportunities for students with disabilities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills and reduce barriers to education.
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Please Note:
To receive accommodations at Acadia University, Students must complete the intake process with Accessible Learning Services and provide appropriate documentation. Accessible Learning Services, on behalf of Acadia University, is responsible for administering Acadia’s Duty to Accommodate, as outlined by Nova Scotia’s Accessibility Act and Human Rights Legislation.
Classroom Accomodations
These accommodations are specific to the classroom, including assignments and other assessments that are not considered “tests”.
General Items:
- Absense due to medial reasons
- Closed Cpationing/Sub-titles
- Flexible Deadlines
- FM System
- Recorded Lectures
- Sign Language Interpretation
- Copy of Lecture Notes
- Notetaker
- Movement Breaks/Breaks During Class
- Extra travel time between class
Testing Accommodations
These accommodations are specific to tests, midterms, exams, and other timed assessments. Students are responsible for following all testing procedures. Unless otherwise specified, Students must write in an alternative location managed by Accessible Learning Services to implement their other testing accommodations.
Accessible Learning Services requires reasonable notice to coordinate Test Requests. Unless otherwise noted in this document, the required minimum notice is:
- Tests, Midterms, & Quizzes must be submitted at least 7 days in advance
- Final Exams must be submitted at least 4 weeks in advance
We recommend that Students submit all of their Test Requests at the beginning of the course to reduce the opportunity of passing this deadline.
The Student must ensure that every accommodation they wish to apply to a specific test is included in their Test Request. If the Student does not include an accommodation in a Test Request, it cannot be provided. Unless due to unforeseen circumstances, Accessible Learning Services is unable to schedule late Test Requests. If a Student believes that their situation qualifies, they should contact Accessible Learning Services to review options.
General Items
Unless otherwise specified, Accessible Learning Services is responsible for coordinating all testing logistics including room bookings, Proctor services, and any additional steps required to maintain academic integrity during accommodated tests.
- Clarification on Questions
- Decreased Lighting
- Extra Time
- Private Testing Room
- Small Group Testing Room
- Reader
- Writer/Scribe
Scheduling Consideration
Students have provided information/documentation to support accommodations regarding scheduling changes. Students will use the Alternative date/time scheduling conflict form to confirm alternative date(s) with their Instructor’s before submitting their test requests to Accessible Learning Services.
Memory Aid
A double-sided piece of letter sized (8.5"x11") paper developed by the Student in advance to provide prompts during testing where notes would not otherwise be permitted. This accommodation is not a substitute for studying and differs from a "cheat sheet" as it won't help if the Student has not learned or understood the course material.
If a Student has multiple types of Memory Aids, they may not exceed the parameters of a single sheet of paper noted above. All Memory Aids are individual to the Student and test and may not provide answers.
For more information on Memory Aids, please see Developing Memory Aids and Procedures.
Alternative Assessments
Alternative assessments provide the Student opportunity to articulate their comprehension of the course material in method(s) other than originally outlined by the Instructor. Any alternatives are expected to allow equivalent assessment of the Student’s learning. Given the variation between course design, Faculty instruction methods, and Student needs, implementing alterative assessments is considered a collaborative process that involves the Student, Instructor, and Accessible Learning Services.
Instructors who believe that their course meets the threshold for exclusion from one of these accommodations should contact Accessible Learning Services directly to review.
General Items
Alternative Testing Format
Students may also require that tests be completed in alternative formats, such as braille, blue paper etc., that enables them to complete the same assessment while addressing the barrier represented by the standard format. In addition to the standard Testing Accommodation timelines, Students must follow any additional timelines indicated in the relevant accommodations. This will ensure that all arrangements are completed in advance of any testing dates.
Assistive Technology
Software or hardware that supports the Student's learning needs, and may be used during all types of assessments. Assistive Technology (AT) software programs being used during closed book tests and other timed assessments must be explicitly approved by Accessible Learning Services in advance. Different types of AT may require different steps to verify appropriate use during tests, all of which are managed by Accessible Learning Services and the Proctor. Unless otherwise specified, the Student is responsible for providing their own devices and software.
Each Test Request the Student submits to Accessible Learning Services must include all Assistive Technology they wish to use for that test.
Other Accomodations
These accommodations are not specific to the classroom or testing situations.
| Terms of Reference | |
| Accessible Learning Services | Accessible Learning Services staff member(s) and/or designate(s). |
| Instructor | Any professor, faculty member, Instructor, teaching assistant, and/or tutor marker responsible for administering classes and/or assessing Student’s academics. |
| Proctor | A Proctor is responsible for invigilating accommodated tests on behalf of Accessible Learning Services. This is typically part-time Student employee who is attending (or recently having attended) Acadia as a Master’s Student; but may occasionally be an Undergraduate Student completing the final year of an Honours program or a member of Acadia’s Student Experience Department other than Accessible Learning Services. |
| Student |
Any individual registered with Accessible Learning Services who is currently enrolled or eligible to enroll in classes at Acadia. |
| Test Request |
In order to receive accommodations on an in person test, the Student must submit a Test Requests through the Accommodate Portal. |
Contact Us
(During Academic Year)
Rhodes Hall, Rooms 111 - 115
21 University Avenue
Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6
accessible.learning@acadiau.ca 902-585-1823 or 902-585-1291
Testing InquiriesFountain Commons, Room 139examsal@acadiau.ca 902-585-1605
Grant Inquiries accessible.learning@acadiau.ca 902-585-1823
Workshops & Academic Support kate.johnstone@acadiau.ca 902-585-1520
