Academic Accommodations

What are Academic Accommodations?

Who can access Academic Accommodations?

How are my academic accommodations determined?

STEP 1: Student books an appointment with a Counsellor for an Accessibility Intake.

Students can book an appointment in the following ways:

Online: https://centennialcollege.inputhealth.com/ebooking
CALCS Telephone: 416-289-5000 ext. 53850
CALCS Email: calcs@centennialcollege.ca

STEP 2:

We want to hear your story. We invite you to discuss your unique needs with our team to co-create an individualized accommodation plan to maximize your success during your time at Centennial. If you have accessed accommodations before, we would love to hear about the specific accommodations that were helpful and review any documentation you have available. Examples of disability documentation may include a copy of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), Psychoeducational/ Psychological assessment, CALCS Medical form, a medical letter from a health care professional, Audiology report, etc.

If you have not had accommodations before, let us work with you to explore what services and supports would help you achieve your goals. We will support students with permanent and ongoing conditions, and those who may be experiencing difficulty for the first time and may be in the process of being assessed by a healthcare provider.

During the intake meeting, a counsellor will meet with you to discuss your strengths, needs, and review any documentation you have available supporting the need for accommodations. This information is used to create an Individualized Student Profile (ISP), which summarizes the accommodations you are eligible to receive.

STEP 3:

Once the counsellor has gathered all relevant information (narrative, screeners, documentation), they will co-create the Individual Student Profile (ISP) letter with you.

Upon meeting with a Counsellor, they will proceed with the following steps:

Gather narrative from the student (What has helped in the past, what are the student's strengths and needs, what is the functional impact on their learning)
Review Supporting documentation (If available)
Review CALCS supports (Counselling, Accommodations, Learning Strategies, Adaptive Technology, Peer Listeners, Testing Supports, Wellness Supports)
Review policies and procedures (Consent, Confidentiality, Student Rights & Responsibilities, Accommodation Agreement)
Complete relevant psychometrically valid screening tools to further assess the functional impact if needed
Create Individual Student Profile (ISP)
Student provides ISP letter to faculty to access accommodations

Common Accommodations

Extended Time on Course Assessments and in-class assignments

Extensions on Assignments

Text-to-Speech

Speech to Text

Word Processor

Reduced Course load

Accessible Media Format (Enlarged Print Digital Textbook)

Academic Aids (Calculator, Dictionary, Scrap Paper)

Note taking supports

Additional Considerations

Retroactive Accommodation

Duty to Accommodate

Accommodation	Students may require extra time for course assessments beyond the original time set by Faculty. The amount of extra time a student receives, e.g., 50% extra time is determined by disability documentation and individual learning needs
Common Functional Limitations	Specific Learning Disabilities such as Reading or information processing disabilities, need for additional time to read, process, understand course assessment questions Specific Learning Disabilities such as Written expression disabilities, who require more time to formulate, organize, and convey their written responses Mental health disabilities who need additional time to use strategies for symptom management, such as calming or breathing techniques Chronic pain, concussions, or other physical disabilities where pain may slow cognition and focus Attention deficits, ABI, or Autism which may interfere with concentration and focus Vision loss requiring the use of adaptive technology or individualized support (e.g., reader or scribe) to access exam content and/or communicate their responses Medical needs requiring monitoring such as blood sugar levels or pain Temporary injuries, such as hand or arm injuries, where the student has limited or slowed use of their body.
Additional Resources	Faculty may include additional time for all students for course assessments (quizzes/tests) Faculty may use open-book/take home assessments without a time limit May also explore alternate forms of assessments: Creating Inclusive Assessments: Practical Strategies, Tips and Tricks or provide choices of assessments

Accommodation	This accommodation helps students compensate for time they lose due to their disability while completing scheduled academic assignments
Common Functional Limitations	Students with compromised reading abilities (e.g., slow processing speed, reading comprehension difficulties) arising from a learning disability Students with episodic conditions who can experience frequent and unpredictable medical flare up (e.g., mental health disabilities or chronic medical conditions) Students with attention impairments, making it difficult to focus and concentrate for sustained periods of time Students who need frequent rest periods or who can work only for short periods of time, such as those with Acquired Brain Injury or Concussion Students with reduced or limited stamina with difficulties sitting, reading, writing/typing for extended periods due to physical disabilities or injuries Students who rely on adaptive technology (e.g., screen readers or speech-to-text software) to read and/or write
Additional Resources

Accommodation	Text to Speech reads aloud text on a page when highlighted by users using a mouse.
Common Functional Limitations	Reading Comprehension Written Language Mechanics Reading Rate Essay Writing
Additional Resources	Kurzweil 3000 - Available on student-facing computers in the College. Kurzweil 3000 is a powerful text to speech reading tool Read&Write - Available as a Google extension for use with Google Docs. Read&Write is a literacy support tool NaturalReader - Available free in Windows and Mac OS versions. NaturalReader is a text to speech application WordQ Microsoft Immersive Reader

Accommodation	Speech to Text converts spoken words to electronic written text. Dictation software can be used across a variety of devices.
Common Functional Limitations	Organization of written output Written language mechanics Note taking challenges Learning conditions/symptoms that limit written expression
Additional Resources	Dictation for Windows Dictation for MAC OS X Android OS Apple iOS

Accommodation	Use of word processing software (e.g., Notepad, Wordpad) for course assessments and in-class assignments
Common Functional Limitations	Limited word processing Limited dexterity Poor fine motor (handwriting) Chronic Pain Learning Disabilities
Additional Resources

Accommodation	A student with a disability may benefit from taking fewer classes per semester by reducing their course load.
Common Functional Limitations	Students with conditions that limit their ability to manage multiple courses and deadlines at the same time Students with limited time management and organization skills Students who have slower processing speed and need course work significantly broken down into smaller units for comprehension Students with difficulty with long term and short- term working memory Students with episodic mental health or medical conditions where attendance may be impacted Attention deficits, ABI, or Autism which may interfere with concentration and focus
Additional Resources	Domestic students with disabilities who take a reduced course load may still be eligible for full-time OSAP funding. Please speak with Student Financial Services and your Success Advisor for more information and implications of a reduced course load on OSAP and Academic route.

Accommodation	All required or supplemental academic text for a course needs to be accessible to users with a wide range of abilities. Alternative Media includes print and technology-based solutions that are designed and/or converted to meet the needs of a variety of users. A hard copy must be purchased by the student to request alternative format.
Common Functional Limitations	Information Processing Reading Comprehension Reading Rate Test Taking Carrying, lifting items, turning pages (physical, mobility, chronic medical)
Additional Resources	AODA: Accessible Formats

Accommodation	Students are permitted to use the academic aids as specified in their accommodation during course assessments. This includes the use of a dictionary, calculator (basic 5-function), or a blank piece of paper.
Common Functional Limitations	Specific learning disorders limiting information processing, focusing, attending to the information, reading comprehension, slower processing speed Neurocognitive conditions, slowed processing speed, memory challenges (recall/retention of material, cognitive functioning)
Additional Resources	Faculty may choose to allow academic aids for their course assessments for all students such as: Basic 5 function calculator Formula sheet Single page reference sheet Blank paper for rough work/ brain dump Computer with spell check Paper dictionary

Accommodation	Taking notes helps students better understand main concepts and study more efficiently. However, many students struggle to take clear, concise, and effective notes. Note-taking supports are among the most common accommodations for students with disabilities. Proactively providing note-taking support can support all students to have complete and comprehensive notes about course lessons. Computerized notetakers are specialized accommodations for deaf, deafened or hard of hearing.
Common Functional Limitations	Students who have slower processing speed and need course work significantly broken down for comprehension Students with difficulty with long term and short-term working memory Students with anxiety or depression symptoms where attendance may be impacted Students with attention impairments, making it difficult to focus and concentrate for sustained periods of time Students who need frequent rest periods or who can work only for short periods of time, such as those with Acquired Brain Injury or Concussion injuries Students with reduced or limited stamina with difficulties sitting, reading, writing/typing for extended periods due to physical disabilities or injuries
Additional Resources	Other ways faculty may provide note-taking supports Notes that include blank spaces A series of questions about the lecture that students can answer in class or using weekly readings or discussions A detailed outline of the lecture with completed notes to be posted after the class Crowd-sourced notes (students who volunteer to post their notes after lecture each week for the whole class) Lecture recordings with closed captioning Helping to arrange peer note-takers to provide notes for students with note-taking accommodations for supplementary notes Providing lecture summaries (alternative asynchronous recordings that capture main ideas, concepts and examples covered during class)