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Instructor responsibilites

As an instructor, you are integral to the implementation of disability supports. Your support helps to ensure equal access to education and maximizes student success.

As an instructor of a student with a disability in your class, you are required to:

  1. Sign into Accommodate and review the training materials and reference documents related to specific accommodations. It is suggested that you complete Privacy and Access Training as the information you receive regarding students is confidential in nature. Any concerns with accessing Accommodate, please contact: accommodate@saskpolytech.ca.
  2. Review and acknowledge accommodation letters. If you have concerns or questions, review the resources or contact your program head to discuss.
  3. Support the accommodations recommended for the student in their accommodation letter.
  4. Work collaboratively with the student to develop appropriate supports. Not all accommodations may be appropriate for every class or setting, it is therefore important to discuss accommodations with your student. For example, students in programs with universal design will not be granted additional time for assignments or exams. If you have concerns about an accommodation in your course, contact your program head to discuss.
  5. Maintain ongoing communication with the student so you are aware of whether the student will be writing exams with the class or through the Test Centre.
  6. Discuss arrangements that would need to be made through the Test Centre if the student has exam accommodations as part of the accommodation letter. These are now facilitated through Accommodate
    1. Familiarize yourself with the documentation that accessibility students have received in regard to booking exams. These will be available in the Resource Library in Accommodate
    2. If the student is writing exams through the Test Centre, please review the training documents in the Resource Library in Accommodate.
  7. If a student is not registered with Accessibility Services, but has documentation of a disability please encourage them to fill out the electronic registration form for Accommodate and meet with an accessibility consultant.
  8. If you suspect a student has a disability, but does not have documentation, you may refer them to fill out the electronic registration form for Accommodate and meet with an accessibility consultant.
  9. It is suggested that you familiarize yourself with the related policies and procedures:
  10. For any questions or concerns with implementing authorized accommodations, please contact your program head. Your program head is encouraged to contact the accessibility consultant referenced in the accommodation letter if further clarification is needed.

Program head responsibilities

As program head, you are integral to the planning and communication process regarding disability supports. Your support helps to ensure equal access to education and maximizes student success.

As a program head with a student with a disability in your program, it is required that you:

  1. If a student requires a reduced course load/extended program plan option, it is your responsibility to meet with the student prior to program start-up to discuss.
  2. If a student requires accommodations related to physical requirements of training/work in the classroom, lab/ shop and their specific field, attendance guidelines, etc. the accessibility consultant will contact you to discuss.
  3. Ensure the instructors are listed in Banner at minimum three weeks in advance of the start date of the program. All listed instructors will see accommodation letters and can see accommodations in the enrolled students tab.
  4. If you are unable to have instructors listed in banner you are responsible to ensure the appropriate instructors receive accommodation letters for students in the courses listed on the accommodation letter authorized by Accessibility Services. It is suggested that you complete Privacy and Access Training as the information you receive regarding students is confidential in nature.
  5. If you make changes to instructors on any course you will need to update in Banner and forward the accommodation letter. A list of students with accommodations can also be seen in the enrolled students tab in accommodate. Instructors must be listed on a course in order to manage exam accommodations in Accommodate. More detailed instructions can be found on the Accommodate Help webpage, or in the Accommodate Resource Library
  6. Meet with a student prior to practicum/clinical placement experiences to discuss possible accommodations and student needs upon request. Students are aware that field placements/clinical experiences may be arranged at least six months in advance of the actual experience. Therefore, students have been informed that if they anticipate they will require accommodations during field experiences they need to request them early in the academic year.
  7. You may need to complete forms regarding student program course load.
  8. Ensure your instructors understand his/her responsibilities when facilitating exam or other accommodations.
  9. Monitor student progress and meet with the student on an on-going basis revising his/her academic plan as required.
  10. Maintain contact with instructors and the accessibility consultant for the program with respect to student progress, interventions and referrals as required.
  11. You must familiarize yourself with the related policies and procedures:

  12. For any questions or concerns with authorized accommodations, you are encouraged to contact the accessibility consultant referenced in the accommodation letter. Not all accommodations may be appropriate for every class or setting. For concerns regarding an approved accommodation that restricts the student’s ability to meet Bona Fide Educational Requirements, the program head will identify and provide the essential skills, knowledge, course objectives, learning outcomes and, if applicable, professional licensing requirements that may not be met to the accessibility consultant for their program. For example, a required competency for Canadian pharmacy technicians is the ability to transcribe verbal orders and ensure their accuracy, an accommodation for a scribe in a lab setting may not be appropriate in this instance.

  13. Please note that accommodations are supported by the reasonable accommodation policy, the Saskatchewan Human Rights Code (pdf) and the duty to accommodate. Authorized accommodations are determined by accessibility consultants with appropriate training and experience with the capacity to diagnose and provide appropriate interventions based on unique disability needs.

Continuing education consultant responsibilities

As a Continuing Education consultant, you are integral to the communication process regarding disability supports. Your support helps to ensure equal access to education and maximizes student success.

  1. You must forward accommodation letters to contract instructors, as they do not have single-sign-on to Accommodate through Banner.
  2. You will be informed of students with disabilities in your portfolio so you can work to ensure students’ authorized accommodations are met. It is suggested that you complete Privacy and Access Training as the information you receive regarding students is confidential in nature.
  3. You must forward accommodation letters to all relevant instructors, including contract instructors, as they do not have single-sign-on to Accommodate through Banner.
  4. Communicate with program heads as required and support instructors as necessary.
  5. You must familiarize yourself with the related policies and procedures:
  6. For any questions or concerns with authorized accommodations, you are encouraged to contact the accessibility consultant referenced in the accommodation letter.

Accessibility Services consultant responsibilities

Accessibility services consultants are responsible for the following:

  1. Assist prospective students in verifying disability status in support of the admission process.
  2. Meet with prospective students to assist with accessing accommodations for special admission requirements.
  3. Obtain and review disability documentation to verify disability.
  4. Meet with the student to review his/ her particular disability documentation and indicated functional limitations.
  5. Conduct a needs assessment of student disability related support requirements and establish an accommodation letter outlining required accommodations.
  6. Communicate with student regarding additional documentation and evaluation if required.
  7. Assist in communicating with instructors, program head and other service providers.
  8. Assist the student in applying for appropriate funding and/or refer them to a community agency that may help them.
  9. Coordinate and send referrals for educational support services and accommodations.
  10. Contact the program head if a student requires accommodations related to physical requirements of training/work in the classroom, lab/ shop and their specific field, etc.
  11. Assist in the development of contingency plans for students with disabilities when required.
  12. Other responsibilities as listed in Reasonable Accommodation (pdf).