Student AffairsWe work 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.
We operate in accordance with the and the plus relevant institutional policies and procedures including Queen's University Accessibility Policy and Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Policy (see Student Policies).
All educators have the responsibility to 鈥渨ork collaboratively with students with disabilities, Accessibility Services 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鈥 (see full list of educator responsibilities in Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Policy Section E).
Accommodation statement for course syllabi
Instructors are encouraged to familiarize themselves with and include the following in all course syllabi:
Queen's Disability Statement
Queen's University 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 Student Accessibility Services and register as early as possible. Find important dates.
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 Accessibility Services 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 Accessibility Services to determine if academic accommodations are appropriate.
This secure accommodation management portal connects students, instructors, Student Accessibility Services, 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, 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)
Accommodation plans are based on the student鈥檚 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鈥檚 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. Learn more about types of accommodations.
We encourage 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鈥檚 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 Faculty Exams information for details.
Most accommodated assessments are held accommodated facilities in Mitchell Hall and Gordon Hall. 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.
Educator Rights and Responsibilities:
Faculty and staff who are teaching students with disabilities at Queen's have the right to:
- Determine course content and general methods of teaching.
- Ensure that the standards of the course are not lowered or compromised.
- Ensure that a student has demonstrated mastery of the鈥痚ssential requirements鈥痮f a course in order to obtain an appropriate grade.
- Fail鈥痑ny鈥痵tudent if they do not demonstrate mastery of essential course requirements.
- Seek clarification from an Accessibility Advisor or Student Accessibility Services representative regarding specific accommodations.
- Be treated with respect by all students in the course.
Faculty and staff who are teaching students with disabilities at Queen's have a responsibility to:
- Familiarize themselves with the Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Policy and Academic Accommodation for Students with Disability Procedure.
- Recognize the requirement to support the academic accommodation process.
- Include the 黑料吃瓜资源 Disability Statement in all鈥痗ourse syllabi.
- Familiarize themselves of Queen's services for supporting students with disabilities such as , , or other faculty specific supports.
- Consult and collaborate with Student Accessibility Services and students as required to ensure that accommodations are provided to remove barriers while the essential requirements of the course is also upheld.
- Support the successful implementation of academic accommodations in the classroom and during tests, quizzes, and exams.