Academic Accommodations

Academic accommodations remove barriers for students with disabilities by ensuring equal access to education without modifying course learning outcomes. These individualized adjustments, such as extended test time, notetaking support, and assistive technology, apply to both in-person and virtual courses, as well as tests and exams. Accommodations are determined based on supporting documentation and discussions between students, advisors, and faculty. To be eligible, students must register with the Fred Smithers Centre. Visit the Registering with the Fred Smithers Centre page for details on requirements and the registration process. 

For a more detailed list of accommodations provided at The Fred Smithers Centre, please review our FSC Accommodations Glossary  

Student wearing headphones writing test at desk while invigilator walks by

Accommodations may include:

Testing accommodations are customized to students' documented barriers and can include extended time, changes to the writing environment, noise-cancelling headphones, white-noise machines, assistive technology and software, bathroom breaks, and more. All testing accommodations will be discussed with students at their Intake Appointment with their assigned Accessibility Advisor and communicated to professors as needed.  

In order to write a test or exam in the Fred Smithers Testing Centre, registered students must submit a request at least 14 days prior to the scheduled test/exam date. If you have missed this deadline, please reach out directly to fredsmithers.centre@smu.ca. Tests requests can be submitted via the Online Booking Form. 
 
Visit the Services page for more information on the Accessibility Advisors and to book an appointment.

Students registered with the Fred Smithers Centre may be eligible to receive extra time for assessments (such as tests, quizzes and exams) depending on their needs. Extra time can be used to address several barriers including, but not limited to, reading or information processing, written expression, chronic pain or other physical impacts, attention deficit or other neurodiverse impacts, medical needs, vision loss or temporary injuries.  
 
Students may receive an additional 50% or 100% (x1.5 or x2.0) of the base time of the assessment depending on their needs and medical documentation.

The Testing Centre at the Fred Smithers Centre has a number of different rooms, desks, computers, distraction-reduced and private spaces to help meet the needs of our students. If a student is eligible, these accommodations can be requested at the time of submitting their booking request. Students must book their test/exam at the Testing Centre no later than 14 days prior to the test or exam.

The Fred Smithers Centre has a number of noise-cancelling headphones and white noise machines that are available for student use during a test or exam. Some students may also be permitted to listen to music of their choosing during a test or exam, which is managed by the FSC.

When a student is eligible for notetaking support, they can request a Peer Notetaker for their class or request a license to use a verified lecture recording/notetaking software (Glean). These tools aim to assist students in capturing key information from lectures and course content.  
 
To determine the best option for their needs, students are encouraged to discuss with their accessibility advisor and also consider consulting their professor. Together, they can decide which accommodation—whether a peer notetaker or digital recording tool—will most effectively support the student's learning in each specific course.

Students may require assistive technology for testing to ensure an equitable and supportive testing environment. Whether they need tools for reading, writing or listening the Fred Smithers Centre can provide the resources they need to be able to show their best work.

The Fred Smithers Centre holds licenses to a number of assistive technologies that can help students with their learning and assessments.

Below is a list of assistive technologies available to students. For a deeper exploration of each, please visit the Guided Video Tutorials page. 

  • Kurzweil 3000:  
    Kurzweil is software that provides students tools like text-to-speech and highlighting features to help them access and navigate test materials more effectively.  
  • Dragon:  
    Dragon is speech-to-text software that allows students to dictate their responses, helping them bypass challenges with writing or typing and enabling them to complete exams more independently and efficiently. 
  • Microsoft Word:  
    MS Word offers a variety of accessibility features, such as text-to-speech, speech-to-text, spelling/grammar checking and customizable fonts, which help students with disabilities better engage with and complete their exam tasks efficiently and independently. 
  • JAWS:  
    JAWS (Job Access with Speech) is a screen reader that enables students with visual impairments to access written test materials by reading the content aloud, allowing them to navigate and respond to questions with greater ease and independence. 
  • Glean:  
    Glean is note-taking software designed to help students capture and organize information from lectures, meetings, or study sessions. It offers features like audio recording, transcription, and the ability to highlight and tag key points, making it easier for students to review and retain important content. It also has a ‘quiz me’ feature which generates random multiple-choice questions on the material in the transcript.
  • Read & Write:  
    Read & Write is an assistive tool that provides a variety of features to support students with reading and writing difficulties. It includes text-to-speech (including Optical Character Recognition from the printed page if the student has a scanner), speech-to-text, word prediction, and screen masking, helping students access and interact with digital content more effectively.

Cue Sheets allow students with memory retrieval impairments to bring and use a prepared sheet of paper during exams, midterms, in-class tests, or quizzes. A Cue Sheet is a document containing information that serves as memory triggers to help students recall previously learned material.  

It is important to note that a Cue Sheet is not a formula sheet, a list of answers, course notes, slides, or detailed facts and concepts. All Cue Sheets must be approved by the course professor prior to being allowed in the Testing Centre.

Depending on their needs, some students may require a basic calculator for their exams or tests. The calculator can be used to assist with mathematical calculations, ensuring that students are able to complete their assessments without being limited by their specific needs. This accommodation can be arranged in advance with the Testing Centre to provide the necessary support.

The FSC can work with professors to ensure that course materials are accessible and meet the needs of all students at Saint Mary’s. This might include the sharing of PowerPoint slides or offering textbooks and readings in accessible formats such as large text, audio, Braille, or digital files that can be used with assistive technology.

The Fred Smithers Centre can assist with the coordination and provision of ASL Interpreters on campus in classrooms and labs. This is typically coordinated with the provincial or federal funding bodies who can help to provide financial assistance with this process.

The Digital Modulation (DM) System allows students who are Deaf or hard of hearing to access accommodations that support their needs. This system can be adapted for students by providing visual displays or real-time captions to show how signals are transmitted. These accommodations help students follow along with lessons and understand complex concepts through visual means.