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Accessibility Services Dispute Resolution

About Accessibility Services Policies, practices, procedures and reports

Dispute Resolution

The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) defines accommodations as appropriate when they provide students with disabilities meaningful access to education.

Accommodation planning begins with an identification of relevant disability related barriers to learning specific to the student. This then allows the student and advisor to work together in identifying and considering a range of accommodation options that could address these challenges. While student preference for certain accommodations is always strongly considered, it may not always be the deciding factor, especially when multiple accommodation options are available. The goal of accommodation is reasonableness, not perfection.

Occasionally, there may be situations where no accommodation can be identified that will effectively or fully mitigate a disability related barrier, particularly where an accommodation is in conflict with an academic standard/essential competency or the accommodation gives rise to safety concerns.

The University of Toronto provides students with a dispute resolution process which encompasses conflicts that may arise in the accommodations process. Questions, concerns, and issues should first be managed at the local, divisional, faculty, and college level as appropriate to the situation. For more information about policies, guidelines, publications, and resources that relate to your work and conduct as a student at the University of Toronto can be found through the Office of the Vice, Provost, Students.

Concerns About Prohibited Discrimination

If you believe an act of discrimination has taken place in violation of The University of Toronto’s Statement on Prohibited Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment, these steps will assist you in reporting your concerns and finding a resolution. Please find more information about Complaints & Concerns about Discrimination & Harassment.

Step 1:

  • Raise your concern or complaint with the individual(s) who you believe engaged in discrimination/harassment (if possible).
  • An informal resolution may be achieved here.

Step 2:

  • If a resolution is not achieved, discuss your concern with administrative officers responsible for the department or division. (e.g. Chair/Dean of Faculty/Department, Dean of Students)
  • An informal resolution may be achieved here.

Step 3:

  • If the issue remains unresolved, you have the option to file a formal complaint. Set your complaint in writing and deliver it to an equity office.
  • An equity officer will speak with you about available options and resources that may best be suited to your concerns.
  • If an investigation is determined to be warranted, you will proceed to Step 4.

Step 4:

  • An equity officer, in consultation with senior administration, will decide whether to conduct an investigation, and in the case that an investigation proceeds, the scope of the investigation will be set out.
  • The decision will be advised by the Governing Council Statement on Prohibited Discrimination and Discriminatory Harassment.

Step 5:

  • The investigation will commence. The complainant will be advised if the concern/complaint is found to be substantiated. If it is found to be unsubstantiated, it will be dismissed. If a concern/complaint is found to be substantiated, steps will be taken to address the conduct that has occurred and to prevent reoccurrence.
  • Resolution: The complaint will be addressed or dismissed.

Step 6:

  • Potential to appeal: If you are not satisfied with the outcome of a complaint that has been investigated through the process, you may request a review by writing to the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students within twenty (20) days of being notified of the result.

Disputes Within Accessibility Services Regarding Accommodations

  • If you have a concern about your accommodations, the first step is to discuss this with your Accessibility Advisor. If you still have concerns after this meeting, you may discuss further with the Advisor’s Team Lead (if concern is with a Team Lead, please bring concerns forward to an Assistant Director or Director of Accessibility Services for further discussion.
  • If the matter is not resolved at this point, the second step is to contact the Executive Director, Student Life Programs & Services. Find an updated list of St. George Student Life contacts.
  • If the matter is still not resolved, the third step should be to contact the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students at vp.students@utoronto.ca.

Accommodation Disputes in Relation to Academic Standards

Core competencies, essential requirements, and critical learning outcomes are pedagogical in nature and are established by academic programs and departments. They define the fundamental objectives and expectations a student must meet to receive credit for a course or program. Accommodations cannot be implemented if they compromise a student’s ability to demonstrate these competencies or limit the academic unit’s ability to assess learning in relation to these standards.

Professional standards are set by external regulatory bodies (e.g., the Ontario College of Social Workers, the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons). In some cases—particularly in clinical or experiential learning settings—these standards may limit the types of accommodations that can be implemented.

These standards are pedagogical in nature and Accessibility Services does not have authority to determine what constitutes an essential competency or requirement.

The following process is put in place to help navigate accommodation and academic standard conflicts when they arise:

When a proposed accommodation appears to conflict with program standards, Accessibility Services and the academic unit will discuss the concern and explore creative, collaborative solutions in a good-faith effort to resolve the situation. The goal in this step of the process is to understand if the standard is *bona fide and, if so, identify an alternative accommodation that removes or reduces the barrier to learning/assessment without compromising essential competencies or learning outcomes. In most cases, an appropriate alternative can be found that both addresses disability related barriers and maintains required standards. Outright denial of any accommodation option that addresses a disability related need of a student due to an academic standard is fortunately quite rare.

*a bona fide requirement is one that is rationally connected to the course/program objectives, adopted in good faith, and necessary such that accommodation cannot be provided without fundamentally altering it.

If no satisfactory resolution is reached in Step 1, and the student wishes to better understand the competency or requirement preventing a specific accommodation from being implemented, they may speak directly with the instructor (if it is a specific course requirement) or with the Department Chair (if it is a program requirement). The department will explain in greater detail how the accommodation conflicts with the stated standard and address any questions or concerns the student may still have about the decision. This discussion must focus solely on the relationship between the specific accommodation that is proposed and the standard that is being raised as a concern. The purpose of this discussion is not to reassess the student’s disability related barriers or need for accommodation; at no time should these or any disability specific details about the student be discussed by either party.

If the situation still remains unaddressed in the view of the student, then they may request further review by the Department Chair and, when appropriate, senior academic leadership such as an Associate Dean, Vice Dean, or the Dean. Accessibility Services can help students identify the correct contact for this stage.

Office of the Ombudsperson

  • The University of Toronto Office of the Ombudsperson offers confidential advice and assistance to students, faculty, and staff on all three campuses of the University of Toronto.
  • You may reach out to the office to discuss your concerns/problems at any point to get information about relevant policies and procedures and to help identify options. However, please note that the Ombudsperson cannot start an investigation until all other University avenues have been exhausted.
  • For more information about their services and how to contact the office, visit the U of T Ombudsperson webpage.

Connect with our team

Need time-sensitive disability-related support?

We experience a high volume of inquiries coinciding with key dates, particularly registration deadlines, exam accommodations, and other critical registrarial dates.

Please visit us in person if you have a time-sensitive need. We are located at:
455 Spadina Ave, 4th floor, Suite 400 and open Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
(except during scheduled closures)

Learn more about when to connect with Accessibility Services staff >

Accessibility Services Portal

Use the Accessibility Services Portal to submit requests, track your inquiries and get answers faster. You’ll find everything you need to get support in one place, including forms, FAQs and a place to connect with the reception team.

Access the portal

Learn more about the programs, services and supports we offer on the Accessibility Services homepage >