Academic Accommodations for Students With Disabilities

Academic accommodation refers to educational practices, systems and support mechanisms designed to accommodate functional challenges posed by an individual's disability. The purpose of accommodation is to allow students to perform the essential requirements of their courses or programs. At no time does academic accommodation undermine or compromise the learning objectives that are established by the academic authorities of the University.

Principles

1. The University of Windsor is committed to providing access to the educational experience and accommodation to the point of undue hardship in order to promote academic accessibility for individuals with identified and duly assessed disabilities. The University encourages applications from students with those disabilities within the meaning of the Ontario Human Rights Code, including visual, hearing, communication and mobility impairments and learning and other non-visible disabilities.

2. The University of Windsor affirms its commitment to the physical accessibility of the campus, and to the assessment of academic accommodation for students with disabilities in order to meet its responsibility among the province's educational institutions in implementing accessibility.

3. Student Disability Services (SDS) is the designated unit at the University of Windsor for assisting the campus community in integrating persons with disabilities into all aspects of the University’s academic and community life. SDS provides assessment of academic accommodation, advises students on strategies to open a dialogue with instructors, and acts as consultant, facilitator, coordinator and advocate in this area for all members of the University community.

4. The University promotes efforts to accommodate students with disabilities so that they can meet the learning objectives of courses they are taking and be fairly evaluated in their performance.

Policies

5. In order to secure appropriate academic accommodation, students with disabilities are responsible for identifying their individual needs to Student Disability Services in such a manner as to facilitate an appropriate response from the University.

6. Academic accommodation is assessed and provided on an individual basis. Limitations that are traditionally attributed to a particular disabling condition cannot, and should not, be generalized. The University is committed to maintaining confidentiality to the greatest extent possible when providing academic accommodation and related support services to students.

7. Students with disabilities who request academic accommodation must provide Student Disability Services with relevant professional supporting documentation as determined by the University, generally from a regulated health professional practitioner (e.g., a physician, psychiatrist, clinical psychologist). The documentation must include a statement that the individual has an ongoing, recognized disability that requires academic accommodation. Students with learning disabilities must provide a summary of the results of a complete psycho-educational assessment conducted by an appropriate registered psychologist. All documentation must be current.

8. Once students with disabilities identify their individual needs for academic accommodation, SDS staff members assess the appropriateness of the student's requests, and then formally recommend appropriate means of academic accommodation by means of a "Letter of Accommodation".

9. A student with a "Letter of Accommodation" should meet with each of their instructors as soon as possible to discuss the academic accommodations recommended and to reach an agreement on an appropriate accommodation for that course. The instructor may contact Student Disability Services for further consultation as needed.

Implementation

10. Members of faculty and instructional staff, supported by administrative staff, share the University's responsibility under the Ontario Human Rights Code for academic accommodation of students with disabilities. This policy encourages dialogue between instructors and students as to how the needs of individuals can be accommodated within the terms of legislation and current University guidelines in the area. All such dealings require mutual understanding and respect from the parties involved in the accommodation process.

11. Student Disability Services is responsible for coordinating the provision of comprehensive and professional services necessary to respond to the needs of students with disabilities. It is responsible for assessing the needs for academic accommodation of students with disabilities through assessments that are carried out on an individual basis, in accordance with related legislation, and on the basis of relevant professional/medical documentation, information gathered from the student, and evaluation by SDS staff.

The Role of Student Disability Services

Student Disability Services (SDS) is responsible for the coordination of academic accommodations and support services for students with disabilities registered at the University of Windsor. Some of our functions include:

• Evaluating the appropriateness of student documentation provided by qualified health practitioners
• Evaluating accommodation requests or needs on an individual basis while maintaining academic standards
• Liaising with faculty, departments, and other student services to ensure that students' needs are met
• Facilitating the resolution of problems or misunderstandings as they arise between students and faculty/departments
• Providing information about disabilities, policies and procedures pertaining to students with disabilities to faculty and the University community
• Providing a variety of support services for students with disabilities such as one-on-one learning support, note taking, adaptive equipment loans, sign language interpretation, screening and referral for LD/ADHD assessment, referral for counselling, etc.

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