• At university, accommodations are available only to students with disabilities, including those that are temporary, permanent, episodic, evident, or non-evident.
• To receive support, students must register with Student Accessibility Services and provide documentation from a registered medical professional confirming the disability and functional impacts

For more information on what is considered an accommodation versus a consideration, use the link below.

Universities require formal documentation from a qualified healthcare provider. This documentation must clearly describe:

• The functional impacts the student experiences in academic environments.
• The presence of a disability that indicates the need for accommodations or supports.

This information is essential for determining reasonable and appropriate accommodations that ensure equitable access. For more details, please refer to the documentation guidelines linked below.

Highschool

•  Support is delivered through an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), which is designed to ensure student success. IEPs may include accommodations, modifications to curriculum expectations, and alternative skill development. Teachers and parents are actively involved, and supports are automatically shared and implemented.

University

• Support comes through an academic accommodation plan, which focuses on equal access rather than guaranteed success. Accommodations remove barriers but do not change course expectations or the amount of work required. Modifications—like reducing curriculum expectations—are not part of post-secondary accommodations.

Short answer:
An IEP alone is not considered formal documentation at the post-secondary level.

What you should provide:
IEPs may be informed by diagnostic evaluations, such as psychoeducational or medical assessments. When an IEP is grounded in these evaluations, submitting the corresponding reports is recommended when registering for accommodations.

How your IEP can still help:
You are encouraged to share your IEP, as it can help guide conversations about your academic accommodation needs and provide useful context.

If you do not have documentation yet:
Your Accessibility Case Manager can provide interim accommodations where appropriate and support you in obtaining the required documentation.

At university, the student plays an active role in managing their accommodations. This includes:

• • Registering with Student Accessibility Services
  • Meeting with a Case Manager
  • Apply accommodations to courses each term

Student Accessibility Services collaborates with the student to create the plan, but students are expected to advocate for and activate their supports.

Academic accommodation plans focus solely on adjustments that remove barriers while keeping academic standards the same. They may include:

• Changes in how students access material or demonstrate learning
• Use of assistive technology tools to support reading, writing, or organization
• Adjustments to the learning environment, such as extended time or reduced-distraction settings
• Alternative formats of course materials (e.g., digital text, accessible PDFs,
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Student Accessibility Services acknowledges that each disability is unique and shaped by individual lived experiences. We consider all of these factors when determining appropriate accommodations.