Accessibility Services

Recommended classroom accommodations and services may include, but not necessarily be limited to:

• Preferential seating
• Accessible and/or ergonomic furniture
• Sign language interpreter
• Assistive listening device
• Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART) reporting
• Lecture recording (find the Lecture Recording Agreement below)
• Access to PowerPoint slides and/or instructor notes
• Access to notes when absenteeism is disability-related
• Laptop to take notes
• Access to assistive technology (e.g. enlargement hardware)
• Handouts in an accessible format (e.g. e-text, enlarged, Braille)

Exam accommodations are alterations to exam conditions to ensure that eligible students have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of the material tested by an exam. Exam accommodations may be required by students whose disabilities or chronic health conditions impact processing and comprehending printed material, written expression, learning, concentration, or who require rest periods or specific furniture during test and exams.

Examples of exam accommodations include:

• Extended time for exams
• Distraction-reduced environments
• Breaks during an exam (e.g., washroom, nutrition)
• Use of adaptive technology or software (e.g. spell checkers, calculators, computers, JAWS, ZoomText, Kurzweil, TextHelp)

Exam accommodations are a shared responsibility and require collaboration between the student, instructor, Testing Services, and Accessibility Services. Students are responsible for booking accommodated exams within the given time frame indicated to allow time for the appropriate arrangements to be made.

For more information, contact Testing Services:

• Testing Services website
• Phone 403.342.3292
• Email test.centre@rdpolytech.ca

Exam Accommodations for Online Exams

There are some exam accommodations that students can facilitate directly themselves for an online exam. These may include:

• Alone Space, Alone Space Preferred, Study Carrel, Hydraulic Table, and Wheelchair Access
• Dimmable Lights and Screen-Masking
• Headphones With/Without Access to Music or White Noise
• Use of Calculator, Dictionary, Thesaurus, Manipulatives, or Colored Overlays
• Tests Provided in Larger Font (By increasing the font size on your personal computer)
• Sign Language Interpreter 
• Access to Nutrition or Stretch/Re-position Breaks

There are some accommodations that your instructor will need to facilitate such as extended time, a printed copy of the exam etc. Please contact your instructor to confirm your exam accommodations.

Assistive technology is any high-tech or low-tech tool, product or system that helps you improve your ability to do something. It could be, for example, a pen that records audio or a computer program that reads out written words.

• The Accessibility Technology Strategist can introduce you to recommended technology during your Assistive Technology Assessment or upon referral from an Accessibility Coordinator.
• Training and demonstration of assistive technology software is provided on the technology you currently own.
• We will troubleshoot technology operation problems.
• Assistive technology software and specialized equipment can be borrowed through Accessibility Services.

To book an appointment with an Accessibility Technology Strategist, click here.

Students with print disabilities, such as visual impairments and learning disabilities, may benefit from textbooks and material in an alternate format text (AFT). The main type of AFT accessed is electronic text, which, when used with assistive software, will either enlarge the text or convert the text to audio.

To be eligible for access to AFT, documentation from an appropriate medical professional must include this recommendation. This documentation must be presented to an Accessibility Coordinator, who will refer the student for training on ordering the AFT and using assistive software.

Please note: to fulfill copyright regulations, the textbook must be purchased before Alternate Format Text is ordered.

Order your Alternate Format textbooks through your Access+ account.