Accommodation Processes and Responsibilities

Updated: January 4, 2022

All members of the University community contribute to accessible work and study environments. In learning environments, this work requires the coordinated efforts of the Academic Success Centre, students, and instructors. For remote and blended delivery courses, exams, and assessments, in particular, these roles are detailed below. 

Students
  • contact the Academic Success Centre before their program of study begins, or upon any change in accommodation needs, in order to ensure appropriate documentation is acquired.
  • provide Letters of Accommodation at the beginning of each term to notify instructors of their approved accommodations. When it is not possible to do so for valid reasons (e.g. newly identified accommodation needs), students notify their instructors and provide updated Letters of Accommodation as soon as possible.
  • communicate with instructors and the Academic Success Centre about accommodation needs.
  • book accommodated exams by published deadlines.
  • for remote delivery courses and exams,
    • are responsible for their own physical space, nutritional, and environmental accommodations, as well as the coordination of certain adaptive technologies and alternate format needs.
Instructors
  • contact dosproctoring@ualberta.ca if proctoring support is needed.
  • ensure that course outlines include all assessment dates, times, and durations, following Calendar Evaluation Procedures and Grading System regulations.
  • work with students and the Academic Success Centre to coordinate accommodations required for assignments and class participation to address learning barriers in relation to the functional impacts of students’ conditions.   
  • submit exams through ClockWork's Instructor Services portal three business days in advance when alternate format conversions or proctoring services are required. 
  • if possible, consider including universal design for learning components in assessments (visit the Centre for Teaching and Learning for details).
  • for remote delivery courses and exams, 
    • enter additional exam time and exam breaks for time-limited remote exams by setting the time allotments for these exams (depending on the exam and proctoring systems utilized).
The Academic Success Centre
  • coordinates and provides communication-related accommodations, adaptive technologies, and alternate formats, such as devices, software, physical format modifications, e-text accessibility, etc., to the student.
  • works with the instructor and student to coordinate accommodations that address the functional limitation needs as well as pedagogical objectives of the course.
  • answers student and instructor questions about accommodations.
  • releases only the information required to facilitate accommodations to instructors unless the student consents to further disclosure, in accordance with all provincial privacy and health protection regulations.
  • provides the number of minutes accommodated students require for each exam to instructors.  
It is important to recognize that all of us have a role in supporting adherence to the Duty to Accommodate policy. Ensuring that accommodations processes are followed requires individual, departmental, faculty, and administrative collaboration.