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Roles and responsibilities for faculty, staff, accessibility advisors

Everyone at U of T has a role to play in supporting students with disabilities.

Individual faculty members and academic departments

  • Encourage students to register with Accessibility Services if an accommodation request is unaccompanied by a Letter of Accommodation from Accessibility Services.
  • Provide clear information in course syllabi about course policies regarding accommodations.
  • Provide accommodations, as outlined in the Letter of Accommodations.
  • Work together with students and/or accessibility advisors to find solutions if issues arise.

Accessibility Services

  • Review the student’s medical documentation and verify that there is a functional limitation that requires accommodation within a particular environment e.g. classroom, lab, practicum setting.
  • Use best practices, input from the student and the documentation provided i.e. healthcare documentation to create an accommodation.
  • Support the facilitation of the accommodation process with the student, faculty and staff.

Registrars

  • Assist students in accessing non-disability-related accommodations arising from exceptional circumstances.
  • Provide students with academic and financial advising.
  • Help students to understand petition guidelines and processes.
  • Liaise with staff at Accessibility Services and the student.

Students

  • Register with Accessibility Services once the need for academic accommodation has been determined.
  • Provide appropriate and timely medical documentation to Accessibility Services verifying the need for disability-related accommodation and outlining the restrictions and limitations of functioning within an academic environment.
  • Inform instructors about the need for accommodation by providing a Letter of Accommodation for each course for which accommodation is being requested or ask Accessibility Services to provide the letter on their behalf.
  • Fulfill agreed-upon procedures to implement their accommodations (e.g. request extensions, inform their instructor and Accessibility Advisor of difficulties in meeting deadlines, register to write test and exams).

Keeping confidentiality

We are all responsible for maintaining confidentiality regarding the student’s registration with Accessibility Services. If you have questions about any of the following, contact the student’s accessibility advisor at 416-978-8060.

  • Supporting a student’s learning.
  • A request a student has made.
  • A student’s accommodations in relation to your course requirements.