Frequently Asked Questions

If you think that you may need academic accommodations, contact our office and our triage staff can help determine what services would assist you best. In order to receive academic accommodations you must first register with ALS. The registration link can be found here:

As a students with either a permanent or temporary disability, ALS will work with you to determine reasonable and appropriate accommodations in your program of study.

Please see Mohawk’s Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Policy found here: downloads PDF: Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities Policy

If you know or suspect that you may have a disability, contact triage as soon as possible. Accessibility Counsellors conduct intake appointments throughout the academic term for students as accommodation related needs may arise.

Keep in mind that many students will be registering/ re-registering at the beginning of each academic semesters and wait times may be longer than usual.

Accessible Learning Services supports students with both permanent and temporary disabilities.

Please complete the registration process to schedule an appointment with one of our Accessibility Counsellors who will review your individual accommodation needs with you.

Your Accessibility Counsellor with review your documentation with you, and ask you to self-reflect on that impact of your disability and past learning experiences. Your Accessibility Counsellor works collaboratively with you to determine reasonable and appropriate accommodations for your program of study based on this information.

Accommodations and need may change during the study period. You can book a follow up at any time in the semester to review your needs or make changes to your accommodations.

An IEP can often be a good starting point to begin a conversation around your accommodation needs. While ALS does require documentation from a regulated healthcare practitioner, your Accessibility Counsellor will work with you to provide interim accommodations and guide you through the process of obtaining appropriate documentation if not currently available.

Your IEP does not transfer automatically from high school to college. You will need to contact Accessible Learning Services to register with us in order to receive academic accommodations.

If you would like to provide a copy of your IEP to ALS, you can request a copy directly from your high school.

Our Accessibility Counsellor’s and Accessibility Support Officers can help you through the process of obtaining documentation should you need support.

While you are in the process of getting a diagnosis or obtaining documentation, you may be eligible for basic accommodations e.g., 25-50% more time on tests, tests in the testing centre).

Please register with ALS in order to schedule an appointment.

Please review our confidentiality statement on the ALS Confidential Intake Form to understand our limitations of confidentiality. Your Accessibility Counsellor will also review this with you during your intake appointment.

As part of our registration process you will be asked to complete our intake form and provide documentation provided by a regulated healthcare professional confirming your disability and functional limitations.

Your personal information is protected by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA, 1990) and by the Personal Information Protection Act (PHIPA, 2004). All Ontario post-secondary institutions must comply with FIPPA and PHIPA which contains rules and regulations related to the collection, use and disclosure of personal information designed to protect your security and privacy.

ALS can share general information about our registration and accommodation process with parents and caregivers.

Due to our commitment to privacy and confidentiality, ALS cannot communicate information specific to any student to parents and caregivers without signed written consent by the student.

Academic Accommodations: Your Accessibility Counsellor can advise you about the appropriate academic accommodations based on a thorough evaluation of your documentation, learning needs, program of study and previous accommodations.

Assistive Technology: Our Assistive Technologist (AT) offers training on specific software and equipment to help support your learning. The AT will also facilitate alternative formats for texts, learning materials that you may need, and equipment loans.

Financial Assistance: If you are an incoming student with a permanent disability who is applying for OSAP funding, you are required to complete a Disability Verification Form (DVF), available through your OSAP portal, to confirm permanent disability with OSAP. Once you have completed your OSAP application and confirmed permanent disability, you may be eligible for the Canada Student Grant for Students with Permanent Disabilities, Bursary for Students with Disabilities and the Canada Student Grant for Services and Equipment for Students with Permanent Disabilities. Your Financial Assistance Advisor and/or your Accessibility Counsellor can provide additional information on these grants and bursaries.

Learning Strategies: A Learning Skills Advisor supports learning by helping students understand their learning strengths and weaknesses. They will help students develop skills and strategies to become more independent and successful learners.

Orientation: ALS hosts a one-day orientation in August called Begin Well, Do Well for students and parents/ caregivers coming to Mohawk College with disabilities. Workshops include: self-advocacy, a student panel, time management and technology.

Mohawk Testing Centre: This is an area, available at all campuses, where students can write their tests/exams and access accommodations such as supervised breaks, or use of a quiet room.

Workshops: Our Learning Strategist conducts workshops throughout the year to help you succeed in areas such as time management, planning and organization.

Peer Supports: Where required, ALS connects students registered with us with Peer Support Assistants to aid in the day-to-day activities while at the College.

Accessible Learning Lab (A122 Fennell): The Accessible Learning Lab is a collaborative, quiet space where students can work using assistive technology. Workshops for students on assistive technology and learning skills are often held in this space.

Social Connect: Accessible Learning Services offers a weekly social engagement group for students with Autism.

Contact your Accessibility Counsellor and Student Success Advisor. You may be eligible for a medical withdrawal, or reduced course load. Your Accessibility Counsellor will work with you and your program area to determine an academic plan that will support your accommodation needs.

Additional medical documentation may be required if considering a medical withdrawal or reduced course load. Your Accessibility Counsellor will work with you to determine how to support such accommodation.

Contact your Accessibility Counsellor and your professor. You may be able to write a make-up test/ exam if you missed one or more tests/exams due to the nature of your disability.

Contact your Accessibility Counsellor and Student Success Advisor. You may be eligible for a medical withdrawal, or reduced course load. Your Accessibility Counsellor will work with you and your program area to determine an academic plan that will support your accommodation needs.

Additional medical documentation may be required if considering a medical withdrawal or reduced course load. Your Accessibility Counsellor will work with you to determine how to support such accommodation.

If you require an accommodation change, or if your program changes, your Accommodation Letter will need to be revised. To make revisions to your Accommodation Letter, please contact Accessible Learning Services by phone at 905-575-2122 or by email at als [at] mohawkcollege.ca (als[at]mohawkcollege[dot]ca) to book an appointment to meet with your Accessibility Counsellor.

Accessible Learning Services at Mohawk College is using a new system for managing accommodations. For instructions on accessing accommodations, please see our Accommodate Instructions for Students page.

For instructions on accessing your Accommodation Letter, please see our Accommodate Instructions for Students page. If you do not see your Accommodate Letter in the student portal please contact Accessible Learning Services by phone at 905-575-2122 or by email at als [at] mohawkcollege.ca (als[at]mohawkcollege[dot]ca) for assistance.

Contact your Accessibility Counsellor immediately if you are having problems accessing your accommodations.  In rare circumstances, an accommodation may conflict with a learning outcome of a course. Your Accessibility Counsellor will work collaboratively with you and your professor to address the question or concern and to determine how an accommodation can help you meet the learning outcomes of a course.

Your Accessibility Counsellor will send your accommodation plan to your Mohawk College email address. Once emailed, you will be responsible for emailing your accommodation plan to your professors.

If you require additional support to do so, your Accessibility Counsellor can assist you with this process, or will refer you to an Accessibility Support Officer.

If you know or suspect that you may require accommodations on field or clinical placement due to the nature of your disability, book an appointment with your Accessibility Counsellor who will review your documentation, accommodation needs and work collaboratively with you and your program area to develop an accommodation plan specific to your field or clinical placement.

Please direct the student to contact Accessible Learning Services to discuss updating their Accommodation Letter.

Yes, accommodations can be arranged for eligible students/apprentices

Students/apprentices who require accommodations due to disability-related reasons are eligible to be accommodated on their certification exam. Students/apprentices must provide supporting documentation.

Students/apprentices can provide a valid note from a registered health care provider, a Ministry of Education-approved IEP from their high school, a psycho-educational assessment report, etc.

Some examples include extra time to write the exam, writing the exam in a separate or quieter space, a reader, among others.

Only staff involved in arranging accommodations are aware of your needs and communicate with other staff members to make the necessary arrangements for your exam. Your accommodation needs are not shared with employers, coworkers or family members.

You can speak with an Accessibility Counsellor at Mohawk about accommodations for your certification exam. An exam preparation guide is also available for the C of Q (see page 11) and for the TSSA.

C of Q: Apprentices can request accommodations for the C of Q exam through Accessible Learning Services or through the Apprenticeship office. See Question #8 below for next steps.

TSSA: Students at Mohawk that intend to write the TSSA exam with accommodations on campus are required to contact Accessible Learning Services to make arrangements. If a student intends to write the exam with accommodations off campus, they do not have to contact Accessible Learning Services. See Question #8 below for next steps.

C of Q: Apprentices have 2 options:

1. Meet with an Accessibility Counsellor at Mohawk College. Phone appointments can be scheduled, if needed. Please contact us to schedule an appointment:
   1. Email: als [at] mohawkcollege.ca (als[at]mohawkcollege[dot]ca) ,
   2. Phone: 905-575-2122
   3. In-person: Room C104 (Stoney Creek campus) or C117 (Fennell campus).

OR

2. Request accommodations from the Apprenticeship Office where you intend to write the exam when you call to schedule your test. You will be asked to provide supporting documentation when you call to book your exam. See Question #3 above for examples of supporting documentation.

TSSA: Students registered at Mohawk have 2 options:

1. For current students intending to write the TSSA exam on campus: Meet with an Accessibility Counsellor at Mohawk College. Phone appointments can be scheduled, if needed. Please contact us to schedule an appointment:
   1. Email: als [at] mohawkcollege.ca (als[at]mohawkcollege[dot]ca)
   2. Phone: 905-575-2122
   3. In-person: Room C104 (Stoney Creek campus) or C102 The Registrar's Office (Fennell campus).

OR

2. For current students intending to write the TSSA exam off campus: Request accommodations through the TSSA directly by completing the TSSA application forms.  

If you are no longer a student at Mohawk, you will register to write the TSSA exam with accommodations at a local examination center. Complete and submit the TSSA application forms to the TSSA directly. If you were registered with Accessible Learning Services when you were a student at Mohawk, contact Accessible Learning Services if assistance with documentation is required.

• Email: als [at] mohawkcollege.ca (als[at]mohawkcollege[dot]ca)
• Phone: 905-575-2122
• In person: Room C104 (Stoney Creek campus) or C102 The Registrar's Office (Fennell campus).