Chapter 1: A New Scene
6
Academic accommodations are for students with a documented disability that interferes with their ability to access their education. Students may have learning disabilities, physical disabilities, psychiatric disabilities or mental health conditions, chronic illness, sensory impairments and other health conditions resulting in physical, psychological or cognitive impairment. There is a large range of academic accommodations available. They are always tailored to match specific functional impairments due to a student’s disability and outlined in their accompanying documentation.
Accommodations can include things such as:
- adaptive technology software (text-to-speech, speech-to-text, etc.)
- extra time on exams
- note-takers
- reduced course load
Accessing Accommodations
To access accommodations, you must register with Seneca’s Accessible Learning Services department. You are encouraged to do so as soon as you have accepted your offer of admission and have been assigned a student number and email. Once you have submitted your documentation, you will receive an email response outlining the next steps.
Please keep in mind the following considerations:
- Registering with the Accessible Learning Services is voluntary and it’s up to you to register and identify as a student with a disability
- If you require accommodation, it’s your responsibility to present the appropriate documentation
- Depending on your choice of program and course selections, your accommodations in postsecondary may not be the same as those you received in high school
- Your accommodation plan is the result of a discussion between yourself and your accessibility advisor
- Your accommodations do not assure academic success, but they do ensure the same equitable access to postsecondary education as your peers
First Meeting with Accessibility Services Checklist:
- documentation of disability
- medical reports
- psycho-educational assessments
- individualized education plan
- course outlines for all classes (they can be found by Googling Seneca +Course code. For example, Seneca COM101)
- agenda / calendar/ daytimer
- note-taking materials
Transition Support
Another transition resource for students with disabilities is the Transition Resource Guide. It provides a wealth of information about students’ rights and responsibilities, how to access Accessibility Services and other supports and how to navigate postsecondary school with a disability.
Additionally, Seneca’s Accessible Learning Services department offers offers a transition program for new students with disabilities through a workshop called Ready…Set…Success! (RSS). It is made up of a series of interactive sessions designed to help students with disabilities or accessibility needs develop and refine successful learning skills and habits. RSS takes place just before the start of the fall and winter terms each academic year.
Please visit the RSS website for more information.
