The University will be closed for the winter break from December 24, 2024 to January 3, 2025 inclusive. Happy Holidays!
THE STUDENT LIFE ESCALATION PROCESS
If you have a concern about a student service located on the St. George Campus, your first step is to talk to the Director of the service.
If your concern has not been resolved after taking this step, your second step should be to contact the Executive/Senior Director of the service.
Our team assists in navigating disability-related barriers to your academic success at U of T for your on-going or temporary disability. We provide services and supports for learning, problem solving and inclusion.
Program, practicum, course & lab accommodations.
Supports including learning strategists, adaptive technologists, peer advisors & learning skills workshops.
5 KEY things to get you started & updated student handbooks.
REGISTERING WITH ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES
Got a question about registering with accessibility services? You might find your answer here. If you don’t see the information you’re looking for, drop by our office (fastest way to reach us) or contact us via phone or email (wait times on our phone lines and response time for emails may be delayed).
See the contacts section on this page for ways to contact us. Returning students are encouraged to attend their accessibility advisor’s drop-ins posted under the contacts section.
You may get the process started by completing the Online Student Intake Form (Step 2) and upload any supporting documentation that you currently have available, even if outdated. Depending on the quality of the documentation, we may be able to proceed on an interim basis while you are gathering current documentation. Indicate within the student intake form that you are in the process of gathering current documentation.
Examples of supporting disability-related documentation may include but is not limited to: most recent Individual Education Plan (IEP, or 504 Plan), Emergency Room (ER) Record, Letter from your family doctor or specialist outlining current functional impacts, prior assessment report (psycho-educational, psychological or neuropsychological), consultation notes, discharge summary, etc.
Once your student intake form is received and reviewed, we will contact you with further updates. Please note, your application is deemed complete upon receipt of your current disability-related documentation.
We strongly encourage students to register with Accessibility Services as early as possible to avoid a delay in service.
Note: When making accommodation requests, students need to give the university (Accessibility Services, Faculty, Staff) ample time to ensure that accommodations will be available when needed. Requests to Register after the deadline will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. (This includes the completion of the Online Student Intake Form and supporting disability-related documentation)
Registering at the end of a term e.g. November/December may result in the service referring students to the petitions process via their Registrar/Faculty as the service may not have enough time to meet with a student before the end of the term to determine eligibility, assess their disability-related needs, create an accommodation plan and implement an accommodation plan.
We encourage students to submit any documentation that they have on hand currently that speaks to the existence of a confirmed disability. Depending on the quality of the documentation provided, we may be able to proceed on an interim basis. Where this is not possible, we can work with you to suggest alternatives for locating a healthcare practitioner to obtain disability-related documentation (e.g., Certificate of Disability).
If you have not previously been diagnosed with ADHD, contact your family doctor or specialist such as a psychologist or psychiatrist to complete a screening for ADHD (not an assessment). They may complete our Certificate of Disability to indicate current functional limitations and provide a rationale if further assessment might be warranted.
Once your completed student intake package is received and reviewed, we will contact you with further updates.
*Please note that we cannot provide reimbursements for psycho-educational or other assessments that have not been approved in advance through our office.
To avoid duplication, please choose only ONE of the options below for submitting your documentation.
We try to respond to all registration inquiries within a reasonable time frame (5 business days). During periods of higher volume, it may take longer to process registration packages.
We triage packages for completeness and nature of disability in the order in which they are received. Students are advised to monitor their utoronto email and voicemail on a regular basis for important updates from our office.
If you have a time-sensitive inquiry, you may reach us:
Once your student intake package is reviewed and an accessibility advisor is assigned, the reception team will contact you at their earliest opportunity offer an intake appointment with your accessibility advisor. Appointments are offered virtually on MS Teams audio or video conferencing or in-person.
Our priority is to offer students the first available appointment date/time with their assigned advisor to facilitate timely accommodations.
Students are advised to explore supports below:
Academic Supports:
Accessibility Services Programming:
Visit our CLNx calendar for our complete list of programming and stay up to date! Contact as.learning@utoronto.ca for inquiries about our programming.
Mental Health Supports:
Returning or registered students must review topics below:
Accessibility Services is committed to supporting a culture of respect and well-being.
Review our guidelines on interacting respectfully with our staff.
Drop-in sessions designed for students registered with Accessibility Services to chat with their peers and learn more about using accommodations
Learn more about Peer Advisor Drop-in SessionsAttend sessions about Accessibility Services, accommodations, documentation requirements and preparing for university.
Learn more about Accessibility Services Information Sessions & Orientation EventsChoose from a lineup of workshops led by an Accessibility Services Learning Strategist, and designed to empower you with practical tools and strategies for a successful learning experience.
Learn more about Learning Strategies and SkillsPair with an Access Us peer mentor and be part of a supportive community.
Learn more about Access Us Peer Mentorship ProgramMeet up with other students regularly to play games, enjoy light snacks, and discuss mutual interests and topics in a supportive, relaxed and interactive manner.
Learn more about Social GroupsJoin the Accessibility Grad Writing Group and Accessibility Grad Productivity Group to work with other grad students with accessibility needs, or an ADHD Study Hub to connect with other students with ADHD and practice better study habits.
Learn more about Study GroupsThe ADHD Skills Group is a five-session facilitated learning community for students with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) registered with Accessibility Services.
Learn more about ADHD Skills GroupExplore career-related programming and events for students who self-identify as living with a disability.
Learn more about Navigating Accessibility in CareersA joint effort between students and Accessibility Services staff to advise and inform matters relating to the Accessibility Services office on the St. George campus.
Learn more about Accessibility Services Student Advisory CommitteeThese online modules provide education for staff and faculty who may be working with a student or colleague who has seizures/epilepsy.
Learn more about FACULTY & STAFF: Seizure Education ModulesThis is an annual, free virtual conference to explore the enhancement of equity, accessibility and inclusion within professional programs, specifically in practicums and experiential learning settings.
Learn more about Strengthening Accessibility & Inclusion within Professional Programs
The staff at Accessibility Services can help you navigate U of T and get you the support you need.
Once you submit a complete registration package, you will be scheduled for an intake appointment with an accessibility advisor. You may be referred to an additional resource in our office, such as a learning strategist or adaptive technologist. You might also be interested in attending a group or participating in our peer programming.
Our staff are located both in our central office and on location in faculties and colleges across campus. Contact information for accessibility professionals is listed below.
A reminder that our front desk is open for in-person visits. Feel free to drop by if you need assistance in registering with our office or have questions about the services and programs offered to new and returning students.
In-person appointments with your Accessibility Advisor, Learning Strategist or Adaptive Technologist are available and are subject to availability at the point of booking. Virtual appointments continue to be available over the phone or Microsoft Teams audio or video conferencing.
Read When to connect with Accessibility Services staff if you need help deciding when to reach out and who to connect with.
Occasionally, based on caseload numbers, staffing, or the personal circumstances of your advisor (e.g. maternity leave, promotion to a new role in another office, retirement), your accessibility advisor may change throughout the year or the duration of your degree. We aim to provide you with as much communication and transparency as possible when this happens.
Health Screening
Individuals can monitor their health using the provincial health screening tool. Completing a health screening before coming to campus is highly recommended, and we continue to ask members of our community to remain at home if they are ill.
Please follow the procedures for individuals experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
Read the University’s case management process.
For questions related to university-wide or procedural concerns, email the Director, Michael Nicholson at michael.nicholson@utoronto.ca.
If you are a staff or faculty member who would like to request Accessibility Services’ participation in a workshop or event, email accessibility.services@utoronto.ca.
455 Spadina Avenue, 4th floor, Suite 400, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2G8. We're experiencing an exceptionally high volume of emails, phone calls and voicemails at this time. Messages are triaged for urgency, however, we urge students to visit the reception desk in person, if possible. Please note email and voicemail responses may take an extended period of time. Please come into our office if you have an urgent disability-related concern.
416-978-8060
accessibility.services@utoronto.ca
Fax: 416-978-5729
Monday through Friday from
9 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Phone lines close at 4:30 p.m.
Upcoming office closures
Accessibility Services will be closed:
On Location Accessibility Team Lead, FAS.
Accessibility Advisor
Accessibility Advisor Medicine, SLP/OT/PT, Radiation Science
Accessibility Advisor
(416) 978-8060 (main line)
accessibility.services@utoronto.ca
Accommodations Specialist for Practicums/Placements/Laboratories
Accessibility Advisor and Team Lead
On Location Team Lead, Graduate and Professional Programs.
Accessibility Advisor
Accessible and Inclusive Learning Strategies Team Lead
Experiential Learning Accommodations Coordinator
Director, Accessibility Services
416-946-7928
michael.nicholson@utoronto.ca
455 Spadina Avenue, Suite 400
Assistant Director, Accessibility Services
416-978-1534
adina.burden@utoronto.ca
455 Spadina Avenue, Suite 400
Assistant Director, Accessibility Services
416-978-1534
sarah.kloke@utoronto.ca
455 Spadina Avenue, Suite 400
Intake Coordinator & Team Lead, Accessibility Services
Indigenous Liaison & Administrative Assistant
Intern - Mental Health and Learning Support Program
Intern - Mental Health and Learning Support Program
Intern - Program Evaluation and Learning Support
Have a question?
Peer Advisor Drop-ins take place every Monday – Friday, 12– 4 p.m. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Peer Advisors are also available in person at 455 Spadina Avenue, Accessibility Services main office. Registration is not required.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Student Support Coordinator chat hours: Wednesdays, 9 – 10 a.m. and Fridays, 4 – 4:30 p.m.
In order to chat, you must be a student at the University of Toronto and will need to log in using your UTORID. This chat is available to students who are registered with Accessibility Services as well as to students who are interested in learning more about our office.
Please note Peer Advisors can’t advise you on your specific accommodations or inform you of possible outcomes of your requests. For these inquiries, please connect with your Accessibility Advisor.
Here are some examples of questions you can ask:
We strive to provide equitable access to education for University of Toronto students with disabilities, health conditions, and diverse ways of learning. We collaborate with the University community to identify and remove barriers for students, and foster inclusion within learning environments.
Our office provides a range of programs for students to build academic skills, cultivate community, and feel empowered to design their university experience.
Through a collaborative, individualized, and affirming accommodations process, we support students to:
We envision a campus environment where disability is understood and embraced as a characteristic of human diversity.
We aspire to create stigma-free learning environments where students are comfortable requesting and accessing timely, individualized, and dignified accommodations. We believe that are critical to incorporate across the university to ensure equitable access to education for all students.
We believe that Universal Design for Learning principles are critical to incorporate across the university to ensure equitable access to education for all students.
We strive to facilitate equitable access to education for students that honours their lived experiences. We are committed to principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, access, and intersectionality in the services and programs we provide to the campus community.
We provide a transparent accommodation process that upholds the principles of the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and the University of Toronto’s Statement of Commitment to Persons with Disabilities. As interdisciplinary professionals, we strive to uphold this Commitment in ways that provide equitable access to education while maintaining student privacy and academic integrity.
To ensure the accommodations process is individualized and dignified, we work creatively with students, faculty, and staff to implement accommodations across varying academic and professional learning environments. As a team with diverse life and professional experiences, we employ novel approaches when exploring alternate ways to accommodate and support our students.
Our office engages with students, faculty, and staff to build sustainable communities of learning and support while providing academic accommodations and resources. We recognize students with disabilities contribute significantly and critically to our campus. Our programming is informed by students and adapted to meet diverse learning needs, and develop peer connections that foster a sense of belonging.
We believe in sharing our work. Explore our reports and publications to better understand our progress and commitments, and how we engage in the U of T community.
© 2024 All rights reserved.
The Division of Student Life
– University of Toronto