Keep note of requested exam, classroom and note-taking accommodations. At Lethbridge Polytechnic, faculty are first made aware of a learner’s accommodations when asked to review and sign “Request for Accommodations” letters emailed through Accommodate. Faculty can sign into Accommodate here: https://lethpolytech-accommodate.symplicity.com/. Contact ITS for Canvas support.

Talk with the learner. Each learner is the expert on their own disability. Ask how they learn best. Keep in mind that learners do not have to disclose what their disability is, but they may be open to discussing strategies to help them succeed.

If you notice a learner struggling, make a referral to an appropriate support service, such as Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Learning Services. Even if the learner doesn’t have a diagnosed disability, Student Learning Services &/or Accessibility Services is now part of “The Student Learning Hub”. Additional information can be found on Accessibility Services contact page.

Incorporate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles into course material as much as possible. “UDL is not just for [learners] with disabilities; it also supports the diversity of learners found in classrooms today” (Stone-MacDonald et al., 2015, as cited in Brookes Publishing Co., 2017).

Reach out for assistance if you have your own questions or concerns related to supporting learners with disabilities. Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Accessibility Services team focuses on supporting learners, and is available to support faculty and staff members too. Contact Accessibility Services at accessibilityservices@lethpolytech.ca.

Brookes Publishing Co.: The Inclusion Lab. (2017, October). 12 great UDL Quotes to Pin, Tweet, and Share. Retrieved May 12, 2020 from https://blog.brookespublishing.com/12-great-udl-quotes-to-pin-tweet-and-share/