Accommodation Resources for Supporting Learners
Overview of Accommodations for learner variability*
In an academic environment, accommodations that support learner variability can take many forms. Accommodation for each learner involves a collaboration between the course instructor, the learner and a variety of talented members of the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) team. The central document in the process of accommodation is the Letter of Accommodation.
Faculty Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) around accommodations
How do I provide extended time for online tests/exams?
You can provide extended time for individual learners through Brightspace two different ways. We suggest using the Classlist accommodation feature as it will take effect on all tests, quizzes and exams (using the Quiz tool) automatically – and you only need to set it once.
- Classlist Accommodations: https://www.algonquincollege.com/dlekb/kb-info/quiz-accommodations
- Special Access via the Quiz: https://algonquincollege.my.site.com/myACSupport/s/article/Providing-a-Student-with-Special-Access-to-a-Quiz
How do I extend a deadline for an assignment that is submitted through Brightspace?
- Consider if deadlines should be extended for all learners as a result of becoming accustomed to the change to online learning.
- Set deadlines on Brightspace can be altered: Activities > Assignments > Select assignment of choice > Edit Assignment > Restrictions > Alter the due date and availability > Save and Close
- Deadlines can be altered for individual learners through Brightspace: Activities > Assignments > Select assignment of choice > Add Users to Special Access Update due date > Input learner name(s) > Save and Close
What are some ways that I can help to accommodate note taking for learners during online lectures?
- Consider assigning a few learners to submit notes after the lecture. These notes can be posted to Brightspace so that learners still have access to note-taking accommodations.
- Consider providing notes for an introductory lecture, noting the most salient points.
- Consider providing a general template for note taking that would be helpful for your learners.
- Review some of the options provided in this document from the Learner-driven Plan Flexible learning working group (OptionsToEmbedNotetakingSupportWithinACourseVer1.0.pdf)
What are some alternatives for timed tests/exams?
- If time is not an essential outcome, you may always schedule a final exam to be written in Brightspace with added in extra time.
- Consider giving an open-ended final assessment to be completed over the Final Assessment Week.
- Consider giving an alternative non-test assessment: I.e. Portfolio, Live Presentation, Video, Written Essay, Case Study, Problem, Real World Assignment, Product Development
- Review this Options for Assessments worksheet (OptionsForAssessment.docx)
- Review some of the options provided in this document from the Learner-driven Plan Flexible learning working group (OptionsToSupportAccommodationsForTestsAndExamsVER1.0)
Can CAL provide a list of my learners who are seeking accommodations?
CAL cannot provide a list of learners registered in each course that are seeking accommodations. Professors will have received the Letters of Accommodation identifying the accommodations which that learner may be seeking.
If I have further questions, who can I contact about Academic Accommodations?
The name of the Disability Counsellor is always provided on the Letter of Accommodations and you may contact them directly; alternatively, you may contact the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) cal@alonquincollege.com.
Letter of Accommodation
The Letter of Accommodation (LOA) identifies the accommodations that a learner is requesting for a specific course. Because each letter of accommodation was delivered to each professor throughout the course of the semester, in the online format, the professor is responsible for ensuring the accommodations are met.
Common Accommodations
There are a number of accommodations that are common across groups of learners and so there are some strategies that can be employed by course instructors that can both reduce their workload and ensure the accommodations are met. Those common accommodations include
- Testing Accommodations,
- Presentation Accommodations,
- Accessible Documents.
Testing Accommodations
If a course requires a test to complete the assessment of their Course Learning Requirements, please consider a flexible approach. Unless the course requires an assessment to be completed in a specific amount of time, professors could consider allowing a 24-hour window for the test to be completed. This would ensure that the extra time accommodation is available for those requiring accommodation and would have the added benefit of reducing test-related anxiety for all learners.
If a professor insists that a time constraint is required for an assessment, then the time accommodation must be created in Brightspace by the course instructor.
Presentation Accommodations
If your course requires a presentation, there are several options, from Zoom, Camtasia, iMovie, and so on. Each of these tools has their quirks. One of the downsides of recording yourself is that it is concrete. The anxiety related to presenting becomes much more real because a record of it now exists.
If appropriate, consider other options, such as Graphic Organizer, written presentation or other suitable ideas, as well as any suggestions from your learners.
Accessible Documents
Some learners use Natural Reader (https://www.naturalreaders.com/) or other screen reading tools to access written content. Please ensure that all documents are accessible, and formatting is appropriate.
For information on how to check the accessibility of a document, please use Microsoft’s Accessibility Checker (https://support.office.com/en-us/article/improve-accessibility-with-the-accessibility-checker-a16f6de0-2f39-4a2b-8bd8-5ad801426c7f)
You can also review the ideas in Bonney Hunt’s Start with One! worksheet for Word and PowerPoint. (CourseContentWordAndPowerPoint-BeyondAccessibility.docx)
* With tremendous appreciation to the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) team for their work and support in the preparation of these resources.
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