Steps to Access Services
As an equal partner in your education, you are responsible for meeting deadlines and following the procedures prescribed by Accessibility Services in order to access the accommodations and services you will require.
1
Meet with an Advisor
Three months before start of classes
Use the Student Services Portal to fill out the pre-registration online intake form. You will also need to schedule an appointment with an Accessibility Services Advisor to discuss your needs. Email studentservices@tru.ca or call 250-828-5023 to book an appointment. Contact us at as@tru.ca with any questions about academic accommodations.
2
Get Necessary Documentation
Three months before start of classes
Acquire the documentation necessary for accessing the accommodations and/or funding that you discussed with your advisor.
3
Send Accommodation Letter(s)
First week of classes
Send out your accommodation letter(s) by logging on to the Student Services Portal. Here is an instructional video that clearly explains the process.
Open Learning Students: Contact exams@tru.ca with a copy of your accomodation letter(s) to access your quiz, midterm, and exam accomodations. You can download the accomodation letter from the Portal after sending it to your OLFM.
Law students: Contact an accessibility services advisor to send out your accommodation letters. Do not use the Student Services Portal.
4
Access your Approved Exam Accomodations
On-campus Students: Book your midterms and tests with the Accessibility Services Test Centre. For a detailed introduction on how to schedule your own exam(s), please watch this instructional video.
Open Learning Students: Book your final exam accommodations with the Open Learning Exams Department at least two weeks in advance. When you book your exam, download a copy of your accommodation letter from the Student Services Portal and email it to Open Learning Exams Department for each course.
5
Access Accommodations
During
Make use of the accommodations for which you have been approved. Connect with the learning specialist or assistive technology specialist.
6
Continue Accessing
Remember to send out your accommodation letter(s) using the Student Services Portal.
Temporary disabilities
Students with a temporary disability (e.g. a broken arm, concussion, etc.) should first contact instructors to discuss temporary and reasonable accommodations and whether the instructors can provide them. If instructors are unable to provide the accommodations or if the prognosis for the temporary disability proves to be longer than expected (more than one semester), the student should contact Accessibility Services.
Transition to university: information for parents and high school students
There are differences between services and accommodations provided at high school compared to services and accommodations provided at university for students with disabilities/health conditions. Please see the table below as well as the frequently asked questions that follow.
What are the main differences between services and accommodations for students in university compared to services and accommodations for students in high school?
| High School | College/University | |
|---|---|---|
| Access to education for students with disabilities/health conditions is regulated by... | The School Act in BC | BC Human Right’s Code, University Policy BRD 10-0, Academic Accommodation |
| To show that a student has a disability/health condition, they must... | Have an IEP that is based on a formal diagnosis | Have recent documentation of their disability/health condition. For students with a learning disability, a psycho-educational assessment completed in the last five years or with adult measures required |
| The decision to disclose the nature of one’s disability/health condition is made by… | A parent or guardian | The student |
| Communication regarding planning and accommodations/adaptations is... | With parent(s) or guardian | With the student |
| If students don't tell their teachers/professors directly that they require academic accommodations/adaptations.... | Teachers will find out anyways, from students' LART or parent | The instructors/professors won’t know |
| To inform teachers/professors of accommodations/adaptations…. | The LART provides each classroom teacher with IEPs for all designated students | Students must register with Accessibility Services. Once registered, students must request that an accommodation letter is emailed to their professor(s) each semester |
| Teachers/professors may know students’ specific disability/diagnosis… | In each class - students’ identification/diagnosis is written right on their IEP beside their list of adaptations | Only if students specifically tell them—otherwise they will only know which accommodations students receive, but not why (diagnosis) |
| The cost of assessments and assistive technology is provided by… | The school district | The student (unless the student qualifies for provincial grants for technology or learning disability assessments) |
Documentation
If you wish to access services and/or academic accommodations you are required to provide Accessibility Services with current documentation (within the last five years)
Documentation must be obtained from a certified health care professional who has specific training, appropriate professional designation, and expertise in the diagnosis of the conditions for which the accommodation is being requested. Examples of appropriate health care professionals include the following:
- Physician or medical specialist
- Ophthalmologist
- Certified audiologist
- Psychiatrist
- Registered clinical psychologist
- Certified school psychologist (BCASP registered if in BC)
- Neurologist
- Neuro-psychologist
The documentation we require for a learning disability must include a psychological-educational assessment from a registered clinical psychologist or certified school psychologist. The psychological-educational assessment must have been completed in the last five years, or the assessment must have been made after age 18.
