Accommodation process

Register with Accessibility Services

Complete the Verification of Accommodation Form, which is an online form securely stored in our accommodation management system, Accommodate.

• The VOA is a self-assessment which identifies the impacts you have experienced in the past and anticipated needs while you study at AU.

Registration with Accessibility Services requires uploading medical verification outlining the impact of the disability in academic activities. The Medical Verification Form must be completed by a medical practitioner who knows your disability history.

Both are required to register for accommodations and accessibility services.

Once fully registered with Accessibility Services, you will receive an email notification from Accommodate that your Confirmation of Accommodation letter is ready to view and sign, acknowledging that you understand your accommodation plan. Do this in the Accommodate platform found in your MyAU portal under Support Resources.

A registration letter is emailed to you that includes the Accessibility Services Handbook, or you can log into Accommodate to view the handbook in your Resources Library. This handbook provides instructions and valuable information for students on accessing accommodations and services, including accommodated exams, funding opportunities, and more. The handbook is important because some university processes are tailored for students who use accommodations.

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Use your accommodations

It is your responsibility to notify Accessibility Services when you need assistance in courses. Accommodation plans are effective when there is collaboration, preparation, and action.

You can log into Accommodate using your AU email address to view, request, and check the status of requests. A link to Accommodate is found in your MyAU portal under Resources > Support Resources.

Here is a suggested plan of action to ensure you have the accommodations and items you need in place as you need them during your AU journey.

Step 1 - Register in course(s)

Funded students must apply for funding and complete the Student Financial Aid Course Registration Plan at least 2 months in advance of their start date.

Step 2 - Review your course syllabus and identify the accommodations and services needed

Please note: some accommodations may require additional time to arrange. Please provide the most notice possible.

Additional accommodations and services

If you have a disability-related need for an accommodation or service that is not listed in your Confirmation of Accommodation letter in Accommodate, please complete the Additional Accommodations and Services Form, available in your Accommodate dashboard under the Accommodations menu.

Submit the Additional Accommodation and Services Form when you need:

• assistance with a disability related equipment and services grant application (CSG-D, CSG-DSE, BSWD-SE, other bursaries/grants)
• to request a course extension related to your Course Management accommodation listed in your Confirmation of Accommodation letter in Accommodate
• to revise the accommodation plan with an Accessibility Advisor. This often includes you providing additional medical documentation to verify the disability-related impact and a recommended accommodation from a registered medical professional

You do not need to submit an Additional Accommodation and Services Form for every course. Accommodate works in conjunction with the Registrar system to indicate new course registrations.

Alternative format material

The standard material and format that the university provides all students are listed in the syllabus. AU is an online educational institution that uses the VitalSource eTextbook platform, which offers a variety of robust features.

If you have confirmed accommodation for an alternative format of course material, you may request our assistance in acquiring or creating the necessary accessible versions of textbooks.

It is your responsibility to request material in an alternative format for each course where you will need it.

To request alternative format material as confirmed in your Confirmation of Accommodation letter in Accommodate, complete the Alternative Format Request Form in Accommodate under the Accommodations menu.

This must be done for each course and each item.

Some formats and materials may not be available even if you do have the accommodation in your Confirmation of Accommodation letter. We collaborate with you, production units, and publishers to acquire or create accessible material in accordance with the Copyright Act.

You are encouraged to submit your Additional Accommodation and Service Form and Alternative Format Request Form 4-6 weeks in advance of your course start date. This provides us with adequate time to work on each request.

Accommodated exams and quizzes

Accommodated exam and quiz processes remain the same as indicated in the Accessibility Services handbook emailed to you in the Accessibility Services Registration letter.

To request an accommodated exam using your confirmed exam accommodations:

• At least 20 days before your intended write date, choose and make arrangements with an invigilator.
• Submit the online Examination Request form: Accessibility Services
• You will receive an email when your exam is ready to write at your chosen invigilator (online with Proctor U or AU’s Invigilation Network).

Step 3 (optional) – Share Confirmation of Accommodation letter with course instructors

Should you need to provide your Confirmation of Accommodation letter to someone, it is found in the Accessibility Letters tab of the Accommodations menu in Accommodate. It is not required for you to provide it to your instructors.

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Developing the accommodation plan

Collaboration

At any time during your journey with AU and the accommodation provision process, an Accessibility Services team member may request a follow-up conversation by email or phone to clarify your need, the impact on learning you are experiencing, request further medical verification of the disability-related need, or provide a referral to a different service provider.

Developing your accommodation plan is a collaborative effort between you and our Accessibility Advisors. Accessibility Services considers many aspects, including your lived experience, medical verification, and the uniqueness of AU’s educational offerings.

First, please complete the Verification of Accommodation (VOA) Form to introduce yourself. The VOA is a self-assessment which identifies the impacts you have experienced in the past and anticipated needs while you study at AU.

You must also provide a Medical Verification Form completed by a medical practitioner who knows your disability history.

Both the VOA and Medical Verification are required to register for accommodations and accessibility services.

We will review the VOA and any other relevant documents you upload to build an individualized accommodation plan. We may ask for more information or have a conversation for clarification. Further medical or more recent documentation may be requested to understand and support the need for an accommodation. Accommodations and services are assessed on an individualized basis.

Once an accessibility advisor has developed the accommodation plan, you will receive emails letting you know to log in to Accommodate for your Confirmation of Accommodation (COA) letter and the Accessibility Services Handbook.