Current Accessibility Students

Although you do not have to disclose your disability when talking to your professor, it is helpful for him or her to know how it affects you in the classroom. Do you have trouble concentrating? Is it hard to follow the professor while taking notes? Can you see the information presented in class? If a professor has this information, he or she may have a better idea of how to appropriately accommodate your disability.

You will find that at Ambrose, most professors/instructors are accustomed to and interested in working with students to appropriately accommodate disabilities. However, if you find that you need to educate a faculty member about disability legislation and Ambrose’s procedures, here is a reminder of how things work.

You are entitled to receive academic accommodations under the Alberta Human Rights Duty to Accommodate Interpretive Bulletin and the Alberta Human Rights Act. Ambrose will promote and protect the rights and dignity of students with disabilities and will create and maintain a safe, respectful, and supportive learning environment that is free from discrimination and harassment. Ambrose recognizes its legal duty to provide reasonable accommodation to students with disabilities, that this duty arises from human rights legislation and that failure to provide reasonable accommodation to a student with a documented disability may amount to discrimination under the Act.

At Ambrose, the Accessibility and Support Services Office determines what accommodations are needed for a student by reviewing documentation provided by qualified professionals and by discussing your particular needs with you. Let your professor/instructor know that you met with the Accessibility Office when you meet with them to discuss your accommodations. Be ready to explain how and why an accommodation is appropriate. Having this knowledge and being able to articulate it to the professor/instructor adds to your credibility. If you don't know why you are receiving accommodation, speak with the Accessibility & Student Support Coordinator.

It is important that you meet with your professor as close to the start of the semester as possible to ensure that accommodations are put in place swiftly. Although it might seem convenient, the time immediately after class is usually not a good time to talk with your instructors. This is often the time when everybody with a question bombards the professor and the instructor's attention is diffused. Also, many instructors have other obligations directly after class so they are unable to give you the time necessary to adequately discuss your needs. Most importantly, the environment directly after a class does not provide the privacy to insure confidentiality. When discussing your accommodations or any other issue with a professor/instructor, you need their full attention, so your best bet is to make an appointment to see a professor during his or her office hours or at another time that suits you both.

When you arrive at your scheduled meeting time, have an idea of what you want to discuss. You look (and are) more organized when you have questions written down and notes highlighted. If you are going over classroom accommodations, know what they are; if you are going over a graded test, have some idea of what went wrong and discuss ways for improvement; if you are having trouble understanding lecture material, present some options that will work for you.