Eligibility for Services
Accessibility Services assists students with permanent disabilities and those experiencing temporary medical conditions that require academic accommodations.
Enrolled or prospective students experiencing academic challenges as a result of a disability or medical condition that are diagnosed as:
Sensory (e.g. low vision, blind, hard of hearing, deaf)
Learning (e.g. LD, ADHD, ADD)
Physical/Mobility (e.g. spinal cord injury, MS, MD, CP, back injury)
Neurological (e.g. ABI/TBI, aneurysm, Parkinson's)
Psychological (e.g. bi-polar, MPD, schizophrenia, PTSD, clinical depression)
Permanent or chronic disabilities or medical conditions (CFS, Graves Disease, Fibromyalgia, Osteo-arthritis, Diabetes, etc.) or
Temporary (e.g. broken wrist, injury) providing there is a clinical diagnosis of the condition and that it impedes ability to complete course work.
If you are uncertain about eligibility and require more information contact us.
How to Apply for Services
In order to enroll with Accessibility Services, students must complete and submit the Verification of Accommodation (VOA) form. This form has two (2) necessary components:
- SECTION I: Student Information & Self-Assessment
- SECTION II: Professional Verification
A disability must be related to a diagnosed condition. Stress is not a disability, for example. However, functional limitations stemming from a diagnosed generalized anxiety disorder can be disabling.
A functional limitation is any restriction stemming from a disability that limits a person’s ability to perform activities necessary to access and participate in the university learning environment.
Section I: Allows students the opportunity to describe their personal experience, functional impacts of their own disability on course activities, and request accommodations. This allows Accessibility Services to provide a more personalized accommodation plan.
Section II: Medical Verification of student’s disability or medical condition. This section must be completed by a Medical Professional as per Appendix A of the VOA form and/or the summary of disability documentation.
Medical verification of disability documentation performs the following important functions in the academic accommodation process:
- Verifies that the student is a person with a disability. Disability being a protected ground in the Alberta Human Rights Code, only students with disabilities are entitled to academic accommodations through Accessibility Services.
- Provides the university with sufficient information about the student’s disability and their accommodation needs so that it can fulfill its legislative duty under the Code
- Clearly describes the functional limitations the student experiences as a result of their disability and how these impact on the student’s access to the learning environment
Accessibility Services advisors may request additional medical documentation to support an accommodation request. Disability impact related documentation may need to be updated over time to ensure that accommodation and support plans continue to meet the student’s access needs while studying at AU.
Medical professionals’ signature and/or stamp must be on the verification document. Note: prescription notes are not considered valid documentation.
Contact Accessibility Services to request a Verification of Accommodation (VOA) form or access the form online. Once completed, return the form to the Accessibility Services department via email, fax or mail.
Updated January 06, 2021 by Student & Academic Web Services (sas@athabascau.ca)