Student Accessibility Services


We've moved! Visit Student Accessibility Services in our new location at W128 Bennett Centre for Student Services.

Student Accessibility Services

In accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s (OHRC) Policy on accessible education for students with disabilities and York University Senate policy on Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities, we provide individualized academic accommodation planning to students with temporary and permanent disabilities.

This could be:

  • a Learning Disability/Disorder;
  • a chronic health or mental health condition;
  • a physical disability or impairment; 
  • an Acquired Brain Injury, post-concussive syndrome;
  • a sensory disability or impairment such as blindness or deafness;
  • a neurodiversity, ADD, ADHD or autism.

We use the term “disability” when we talk about registration with our office to be consistent with the language in the OHRC and York Senate policies. We offer expertise in disability related supports and what academic accommodations are appropriate, necessary and reasonable.

How can we help?

What are Academic Accommodations?

Academic accommodations are put in place by our office to provide equitable access to education for students with disabilities.  Academic accommodations address disability related barriers that prohibit accessing materials in a course and the demonstration of knowledge and skills.

Academic accommodations help to mitigate specific learning barriers that may occur in:

  • lectures, labs, tutorials and placements
  • quizzes, tests, exams and other assessments
  • assignments and other course work

Accommodation Requests for Remote Learning

Most courses are intentionally designed for in-person learning and engagement. Students are expected to participate in courses as they are designed and accommodations related to alterations to the course design are extremely rare. Requests for remote participation often require significant changes to course delivery or assessment methods, which may not always be feasible. Students should work with their academic advisor to find courses that best fit their learning needs. For more information, refer to the Frequently Asked Questions about Remote Accommodations at York University.

Register

To explore your eligibility for academic accommodations at York and/or the Bursary for Students with Disabilities, you must register with us as soon as you accept your admissions offer and set up your Passport York account.

Visit the New to our Office page to learn how to register with us.

You can register with us throughout an academic term, however, access to academic accommodations (such as accommodated tests and exams) might be limited and/or unavailable. 

You will then need to request your letter of accommodation (the document that lists the accommodations you require in a course).  

To receive exam or test accommodations, find out the deadline by which you must make your request.

Services


Exam or Test Accommodations

To receive exam or test accommodations, you must submit the request form three weeks before your exam or test date.


Assistive Technology Lab

The Assistive Technology (AT Lab) is a quiet workspace with internet and printing. You have access to word processing and various kinds of assistive technology, on which AT Lab specialists can train and support you.


Van GO

Your accommodation plan may include access to a wheelchair-accessible van and priority to help you get around campus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Students should expect to attend all classes in-person unless otherwise specified in the lecture/tutorial schedule. Remote learning options are extremely limited and not available for most courses.  

Students with disabilities taking courses that are fully in-person, or include in-person components, are expected to fulfill these requirements in-person. 

In rare and/or exceptional situations, remote learning may be recommended on a temporary basis to support access to some in-person learning components. An example is when a student faces substantial disability-related barrier(s) and health-related risks that make in-person attendance unsafe or unfeasible and when they have only one or a few courses remaining to complete their program. 

Students are encouraged to consult with an academic advisor to explore opportunities for enrolling in online courses whenever possible. 

Remote learning options are extremely limited and not available for most courses. Remote options are typically only approved for short-term and exceptional circumstances.

Students should expect to attend all classes in-person unless otherwise specified in the lecture/tutorial schedule. Remote learning options are extremely limited and not available for most courses.  

Remote learning accommodations are typically only approved for exceptional, short-term or temporary circumstances.

On-campus learning provides valuable opportunities for engagement, collaboration and experience that are difficult to replicate remotely. There is a difference between creating a fully online course for all students versus modifying an in-person course for partial virtual access. Some of the key challenges are: 

  • Meeting Learning Objectives: Certain courses are designed with in-class learning activities that are essential to meeting learning outcomes. 
  • Course Design Limitations: In-person courses are not built for remote delivery. Modifying them for partial virtual access can be complex and may affect the quality of learning. 
  • Accreditation Standards: Some programs have strict in-person requirements to meet professional or regulatory accreditation. 
  • Course Variability: While one course may be adaptable to remote access, others within the same program may not. 
  • Hybrid Teaching Challenges: Instructors must balance in-person and remote learners, which can make it harder to ensure equal participation and access. 
  • Engagement and Participation: Remote access can reduce opportunities for real-time discussion, peer interaction and active learning. 
  • Academic Integrity: Ensuring the integrity of evaluations such as tests and exams in a remote format. 
  • Technology Access and Support: Students must be able to reliably access and use the required technology, often without dedicated IT support. 
  • Faculty Workload: Instructors may have limited time and resources to redesign courses for hybrid or remote delivery. 

We love hearing from you!

Contact us

416-736-5755

Weekdays 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.*

Keele Campus: W128 Bennett Centre for Student Services
Glendon Campus: Student Success Centre, York Hall B108
Markham Campus: Student Success Centre, 2nd floor, Room 2010

Our office is closed on statutory holidays and all other times when York is not open. We do not monitor emails outside our office hours.

*We're also closed at 3 p.m. on Fridays from Victoria Day weekend in May until the start of classes in September.