Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

McMaster University is committed to creating accessible teaching and learning environments where students, teaching assistants, faculty, and staff can access all university classes, resources, and experiences at the time that they are needed and without encountering unnecessary barriers. All teaching staff are encouraged to apply the principles of universal design for learning to curriculum development, instruction, and assessment. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) centres on providing:

• Multiple means of representation (present information in different ways),
• Multiple means of engagement (engage students in learning in a variety of ways), and
• Multiple means of action and expression (give students options as to how they can express what they know).

For more information on universal design and accessible education, you may wish to consult the FLEX Forward Teaching and Learning Resource or CAST’s Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines.

Academic Accommodations

Regardless of your best intentions to design fully accessible learning experiences, it is likely that you will receive at least a few formal accommodation requests through Student Accessibility Services (SAS) as not all barriers to access can be predicted or prevented. Instructors are required to provide academic accommodations upon official request from students registered with SAS. These requests from students are typically shared very early on in the term. Discussions regarding accommodations should centre on the accommodations themselves, never the reason for the accommodations. The SAS Instructors page is a great resource with an FAQ that addresses common questions like:

• How do I know if students in my course are registered to receive accommodations?
• What action is required from students to activate their accommodations?
• When is the deadline for instructors to submit test details and copies to SAS?
• Who administers accommodations for tests and midterms? Exams?
• I have questions about a student’s accommodations. Who should I talk to?

On the SAS Instructors page there is also helpful information in the Instructors dropdown menu, including:

• Common accommodations and general best practices to follow
• How to log in to the Instructor Portal, ClockWork (students must first activate their accommodations in the Student Portal)
• How to review and confirm accommodation requests to meet students’ needs
• How to make course accommodations to help students with disabilities experience full participation during and outside of class
• The different options and processes involved in making accommodations for tests and exams

Please remember to review the Academic Accommodations of Students with Disabilities policy should you need clarity regarding your roles and responsibilities as an instructor. The SAS Information for Instructional Support booklet is also a very helpful resource to support instructors with implementing academic accommodations for tests and exams.

It is also important to note that if you require an accommodation yourself, you can reach out to Employee-Labour Relations or CUPE 3906, depending on your employee group.

Students may also approach you about accommodations independently of Student Accessibility Services. For example, a student may indicate that a significant personal issue is preventing them from completing their assignments on time. For one-time academic accommodations you are encouraged to use your discretion. It might be that the student (if an undergraduate) would benefit from using their once per term McMaster Student Absence Form if they have not already used it.

Professor Hippo-on-Campus Mental Health Education Program

With the various roles that students often play (student, employee, caregiver, etc.), it is perhaps no surprise that many students can at times feel stressed and/or distressed. McMaster offers an excellent online asynchronous Professor Hippo-on-Campus mental health education program to help educators learn about common sources of stress and distress, how to recognize warning signs of stress and difficulty, how to communicate with students in distress or difficulty, and how to create a mental health positive learning environment. Please visit the Refer to the Professor Hippo-on-Campus website to learn more about the program and how to register and gain access.