Student AffairsQueen’s Student Accessibility Services (QSAS) operates in accordance with the and the plus relevant institutional policies and procedures including ˴Ƭ Accessibility Policy and Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Policy (see Student Policies).
QSAS works in partnership with instructors and faculties to make sure students with disabilities have equitable access to their academic programs and to an environment that facilitates learning.
All educators have the responsibility to “work collaboratively with students with disabilities, Queen’s Student Accessibility Services (QSAS) staff, School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs (SGSPA) or Faculty/School colleagues and administration, and other university employees, to implement academic accommodations in a manner that meets essential academic requirements and standards, and protects the dignity and privacy of students” (see full list of educator responsibilities in Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Policy Section E).
Syllabus Statement
Instructors are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Disability Accommodation Statement below and to include it in all course syllabi:
˴Ƭ is committed to achieving full accessibility for persons with disabilities. Part of this commitment includes arranging academic accommodations for students with disabilities to ensure they have an equitable opportunity to participate in all of their academic activities. If you are a student with a disability and think you may need accommodations, you are strongly encouraged to contact Accessibility Services (QSAS) and register as early as possible. For more information, including important deadlines, please visit Accessibility Services (QSAS) at the Student Wellness website.
Accommodation Process
The following information provides guidance on instructor-focused parts of the accommodation process.
Instructors who receive information about student accommodations must keep it confidential from other class members and not reveal personally-identifiable details to other instructors.
Students registered with QSAS are not required to share information about their disability in order to have their accommodations implemented in class.
Instructors can connect with the student how to implement academic accommodations in the classroom to effectively remove academic barriers related to their disability. This discussion can be with the student only or include their Accessibility Advisor.
A student who self-discloses a disability to instructors and requests academic accommodations should have a plan in Ventus, the accommodation management portal. If they do not, the instructor should refer the student to QSAS to determine if academic accommodations are appropriate.
This secure accommodation management portal connects students, instructors, QSAS, the Exams Office, and support services. The accommodation process is started when students upload documentation and connect with an Accessibility Advisor (see for more details). Once students are registered with QSAS, their accommodations are entered into and faculty members are notified.
Instructors are encouraged to learn how to view accommodations and submit assessments to the Exams Office through Ventus.
Ventus Resources
- Navigating Ventus, Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL)
- Ventus Instructor Guide
Accommodation plans are based on the student’s documentation, functional impacts of the disability on their academics, and first-person experience.
Faculty members should not deny approved academic accommodations without connecting with the student’s Accessibility Advisor who is listed in Ventus.
Accommodations are not intended to change essential course or program requirements. If an approved accommodation conflicts with an essential requirement, instructors should email qsas.intake@queensu.ca to discuss.
Students may not require the use of any/all approve accommodations in a particular class and they may or may not need coordination with the instructor.
Types of accommodations
Classroom
Accommodations that affect the learning environment within lectures, tutorials, labs and seminars. They may include: physical space, adaptive technology needs, note takers, breaks, alternate material formats, etc.
Assessment
Accommodations needed for quizzes, tests, or exams which may include: extra time, private writing space, scribe, etc.
Placement
Accommodations that support students for integrated learning experiences such as practicums, clinical placements, or field work.
QSAS encourages Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to create more inclusive and accessible learning environments for all students. UDL addresses accessibility at the course design stage and can minimize (but may not eliminate) the need for some individual academic accommodations. Instructors should expect to implement academic accommodations with their UDL-informed practices.
Accommodating Assessments
The Exams Office coordinates and schedules accommodated assessments to make sure students with approved assessment accommodations receive consistent, timely, and equitable support.
Paper-based quizzes, tests, and midterms are administered by the Exams Office. Instructors must submit a request in the Delivered by Exams Office section in Ventus.
Online or independently administered assessments are scheduled (but not administered) by the Exams Office. Instructors must submit a request in the Scheduled by Exams Office section in Ventus even if they are administering all student accommodations for a quiz, test or midterm within the classroom.
If instructors administer student accommodations in the classroom, the Exams Office will create a schedule based on the main sitting date, the student’s accommodations, and their class schedule. The instructor and/or teaching team is responsible for implementing the assessment according to the schedule provided in Ventus.
If instructors choose to self-administer assessments without Exams Office support or miss the Ventus submission deadline, they are responsible for making sure all accommodations are met. Individual student accommodation requirements can be viewed in Ventus.
If assessments occur during the official exam periods in December and April, the Exams Office will manage all paper-based exam accommodations requests through the web form.
To ensure appropriate support and implementation, visit the Exams Office Faculty website for more detailed information.
Most accommodated assessments are held in Mitchell Hall and Gordon Hall (see more here). Instructors may request to book accommodated spaces in Gordon Hall 10 business days before the scheduled assessment date. Instructors are responsible for proctoring assessments in this location. This space is not available for booking during the final exam period.