Academic Accommodations

You should activate your accommodations

• immediately after your first meeting with your ALC consultant, and
• at the beginning of each term.

To activate your accommodations:

1. Log in to Accessible Learning Online using your Laurier username and password.
2. Review and agree to the ALC Service Agreement.
3. Review and agree to agreements specific to your accommodations.
4. Complete the items in Your to do List.
5. Scroll to the Select Accommodations for Your Class section and follow the on-screen instructions.  

After you activate your accommodations, the ALC will email each of your instructors to:

• confirm your registration with our office,
• summarize your accommodations, and
• have them to log onto Accessible Learning Online for more information.

Students should book their exams with the ALC at the start of each term. Booking early ensures that you, the ALC and your instructors have time for arranging and confirming the many details involved with accommodated exams.

All in-class midterms, tests, quizzes, and exams must be booked at least 10 full business days* before the date of the exam.

*Business days include Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The following do not count towards full business days: (a) the day the request is submitted, (b) the day on which the exam is scheduled, and (c) evenings and week ends.

To ensure that you are properly accommodated, you must book every in-person exam for which you would like to access your accommodations. 

To submit exam requests: 

1. Log in to Accessible Learning Online using your Laurier username and password.
2. Select Exam Accommodations from "My Accommodations" in the left-hand navigation.
3. Scroll to "Alternative Testing Agreement."
4. Select your course from the dropdown menu.
5. Select the Schedule an Exam button.
6. Complete the information in the Exam Detail section.
7. Select the Add Exam Request button.

Once you submit an exam request, it will be listed as "processing" up to three business days before the exam date. At that time, the status will switch to "approved" and you will be able to see your exam writing location. If you do not see the date of your exam listed in the date drop-down menu, email the exam coordinators.

Watch the video to learn how to book an exam request. 

At any time after you have booked your exam, you can check and confirm the details you submitted by:

1. Log in to Accessible Learning Online using your Laurier username and password.
2. Select Exam Accommodations from "My Accommodations" in the left-hand navigation.
3. Review the "Upcoming Exam Request(s) for the Current Term" section.

Exam Location

You can view this information approximately 72 hours before the time of your scheduled exam.

Modify Exam Requests

You may need to modify your exam booking if:

• Your instructor changed the date and/or time of the exam.
• You need to change or update the accommodations you requested.
• You need to make other changes.

1. Log in to Accessible Learning Online using your Laurier username and password.
2. Select Exam Accommodations from "My Accommodations" in the left-hand navigation.
3. Select the Modify Request button directly under View Other Exams in the "Upcoming Exam Request(s) for the Current Term" section.
4. Complete the Exam Detail form.
5. Select the Update Exam Request button.

Cancel Exam Requests

You may need to cancel your exam booking if:

• Your instructor cancelled the exam.
• You no longer want or need to write your exam with the ALC.

To cancel your request:

1. in to Accessible Learning Online using your Laurier username and password.
2. Select Exam Accommodations from "My Accommodations" in the left-hand navigation.
3. Select the Cancel Request button directly under View Other Exams in the "Upcoming Exam Request(s) for the Current Term" section.
4. Select the Confirm Cancellation button.

You will need to book any online, in-person exams in AL Online to access your exam accommodations.

If you are writing a remote, online exam using lock down browser and require access to assistive technology (e.g., reading or dictation software), contact the ALC exam coordinators for assistance.

Check for Extra Time Accommodations for an Online Assessment on MyLearningSpace (MyLS)

Your extra time accommodation for any online exams will show up in MyLS the day before you are scheduled to write. 

1. Select Quizzes in the Course Navigation Bar.
2. Select the desired exam from the list.
3. The time allowed indicates how much time you have to write once the exam starts.

If your extra time accommodation does not appear to be set up email:

• your instructor, examquestions@wlu.ca
• alexams@wlu.ca (Waterloo) or lbALexams@wlu.ca (Brantford).

A reminder, just like for on-campus exams, the timer does not stop for breaks, so keep this in mind when you are writing your exam.

Check Extra Time Accommodations on Another Platform

Contact your instructors to confirm that your extra time accommodations have been set up for online exams that do not use MyLS.

You can submit final exam requests to the ALC once the university publishes the final exam dates. 

You are required to adhere to the ALC's final exam deadlines. The ALC does not guarantee accommodations will be arranged for any exam booking requests after the deadlines.

Deferred examinations may be granted in limited circumstances. To be considered for deferred exam privileges, you must submit a petition. Refer to the deferred exams page for conditions, detailed information about the process, and to access faculty-specific forms and information.

ALC Deferred Exam Form

Should your deferred petition be approved and you seek testing accommodations, you must complete and submit the ALC Deferred Exam Form at least 10 days prior to the deferred exam date so that the testing coordinators can make the necessary arrangements. Late requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Tips for Completing the Form

• Booking accommodations: Remember to check the approved accommodations that you wish you use for this deferred exam.
• Booking approval: Once we receive and review the information, we will enter your request in AL Online. You will receive an approval email for your deferred final exam.
• Cancellations: If you no longer need to write a deferred exam, cancel it in AL Online per usual.

Determine if a rescheduled exam is permitted.

1. Check your course syllabus as it may provide additional information related to test absences and if your instructor permits the rescheduling of quizzes/tests/midterms.

1. Email your request to your course instructor.
2. Forward the email approval to alexams@wlu.ca (Waterloo) or lbalexams@wlu.ca (Brantford).
3. Change the subject line to "Midterm Reschedule Request." 
4. Indicate which of your approved exam accommodations you require for your test/midterm.

If your instructor has not provided you with a specific date/time for the reschedule, attach your class schedule to the email so that a new date/time can be determined based on room and proctor availability.

Once your reschedule is processed, you will receive an email notification from Accessible Learning Online. 

Cumulative Exams

It is your responsibility to follow up with your instructor to ensure that they are aware that they need to provide the ALC with the exam prior to your exam date.

Exam Spacing

Submit your exam request in AL Online with the original time/date of the exam.

Complete the Exam Spacing Request Form if the time and/or date of your exam conflicts with any of your exam spacing accommodations (e.g. no morning exams).

Note: you must submit your Exam Spacing Request on or before the posted deadlines (see above). The ALC cannot guarantee accommodations for Exam Spacing Requests received after the deadline.

ALC Exams will review your request with your accommodations and adjust your exam request in AL Online accordingly. They will communicate this information directly to your instructor.

Note: you are responsible for checking the status of your request and confirming the time, date, and location of your exam in AL Online.

Extra Time Overlapping with Class

The ALC schedules exams at the same time they are scheduled for all other students in the course. The exception is when the ALC must move an exam to align with a student's exam spacing accommodation-see above. Due to the high volume of exams, the ALC cannot customize exam schedules around classes, labs, other academic activities. Students whose exams overlap with classes or other academic commitments should speak with their instructors about options for making up missed information or activities.

Non-Disability Related Exam Schedule Conflict

The ALC cannot reschedule exams for reasons other than those related to your disability (e.g. athletic event, wedding, or funeral). If you need to reschedule an exam for other reasons, speak to your instructor.

If your instructor approves moving your exam for reasons other than your disability, you are responsible for submitting your exam booking request on or before the posted deadlines. You are also responsible for asking your instructor to communicate their approval directly to ALC Exams.

Note: the ALC cannot guarantee accommodations for exam booking requests received after the deadline even if your instructor supports the request.

Religious Observance

Students seeking to reschedule accommodated exams for religious observances must submit requests to their faculty petitions committee, as per University Policy. if their request is approved, the student must submit their exam booking request on or before the posted deadline and forward documented approval to ALC Exams. The ALC cannot guarantee accommodations for exam booking requests related to religious observance submitted after the posted deadlines.

If you are approved for alternate formats, you are required to purchase either a physical or electronic copy of the textbook before the ALC can release any alternate format materials.

Once the alternate format book is ready, but before releasing it to you, the ALC will email you instructions for uploading copies of receipts in Accessible Learning Online.

You are encouraged, but not required, to purchase their textbooks from the Laurier Bookstore. Purchasing from the bookstore makes it easier for the ALC to obtain physical copies if we need to manually scan specific books to produce the required alternate format. If the book is not purchased from the bookstore, you must physically bring the textbook to the ALC for scanning.

To request alternate format for textbooks and course packs in your courses:

1. Log in to Accessible Learning Online using your Laurier username and password.
2. Choose Alternate Formats when selecting your accommodations for your course.

Once submitted, an ALC alternate format transcriptionist will start coordinating your alternate format request(s). Log in to Accessible Learning Online to check the status of your requests.

The ALC will email you at your @mylaurier.ca account once your alternate format is ready. The email will include instructions for uploading receipts verifying your textbook purchase to Accessible Learning Online.

To request note taking support:

1. Activate your accommodations. 
2. Select Note taking in the "Select Accommodations for Your Class" step.

Activating your note taking accommodation will signal the ALC to connect with your instructor about recruiting volunteer note taker(s) for this course. Volunteer note taker support is available for only synchronous course delivery where lecture content is not otherwise provided to students. Support is subject to the successful recruitment of a volunteer.

Cancel Note taker Request

1. Log in to Accessible Learning Online using your Laurier username and password.
2. Scroll down until you see the correct course.
3. Select the Modify Request button.
4. Uncheck note taking.
5. Select the Update Request button.

Volunteer note takers upload notes for you in Accessible Learning Online. Follow these steps to access your notes:

1. Log in to Accessible Learning Online using your Laurier username and password.
2. Select Note taking Services from the "My Accommodations" left-hand navigation.
3. Select the Available Note(s) for Download button.

Our AT Lab is in the Arts Building, Room 2C7 on the Waterloo campus. 

It is equipped with computers, software, and other technology.  Students registered with the ALC can use the equipment or visit the AT lab for quiet study.    

Contact the Assistive Technologist for access information.