Accommodated Final Exam Requests
Please complete one test request for each exam. We cannot guarantee exam accommodations for final exam requests submitted less than 10 business days prior to the exam date. Please note that exam requests are not processed during weekends or statutory holidays. See the deadline chart below:
Please ensure you email your requests to the correct campus:
Penticton: aspenexams@okanagan.bc.ca
Kelowna: kloexams@okanagan.bc.ca
Vernon: asvernon@okanagan.bc.ca
Salmon Arm: assalexams@okanagan.bc.ca
Exam Date |
Submit Request By |
April 17 |
March 30 |
April 18 |
March 31 |
April 19 |
April 3 |
April 20 |
April 4 |
April 21 |
April 5 |
April 22 |
April 6 |
April 23 |
April 10 |
April 24 |
April 10 |
April 25 |
April 11 |
April 26 |
April 12 |
April 27 |
April 13 |
April 28 |
April 14 |
What we do
Accessibility Services (AS) facilitates and promotes the ongoing development of an inclusive and accessible learning environment in which students with disabilities can participate in all aspects of campus life.
Accessibility Services aims to provide equal access to educational opportunities by working collaboratively with students with disabilities.
Steps to receive accommodations
Intake process
What you need to know to get started.
Documentation
See what medical documentation is required.
Accommodations
Types of accommodations and eligibility.
Questions?
Just contact us! We are here to help.
Ask Questions
Virtual drop-ins
Have a few quick questions ? Meet with a member of our team in a virtual drop-in session.
Participants will:
- enter into a virtual waiting room
- get moved into a private virtual room when it's their drop-in session
- have 10 minutes to ask questions
- can return later for another session
- check here to confirm no changes have been made to our virtual drop in schedule
Virtual drop-in
Please check back in July for more drop-in opportunities.
*all dates and times subject to change or cancellation on short notice.
Submit a question
Fill out our online form if you have a question for the Accessibility Services department. We will do our best to respond to your inquiry within 48 hours.
Attend a Virtual Open House
Accessibility Services hosts online Open Houses to provide new and returning students additional information about the services we provide. Please check back for future dates.
Accommodations
Accommodation definition
An accommodation involves the removal of barriers (physical or instructional) to provide an inclusive learning environment. Accommodations may include, but are not limited to the following:
- An adaptation to the physical and/or instructional environment
- Alternate formats and methods of communication
- The use of adaptive technology and/or adaptations to the examination environment
An accommodation does not usually involve modification of curriculum or evaluation; a student must still meet the learning objectives and essential requirements of the course.
Types of accommodations
Services and accommodations may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Access to technical aids and adaptive equipment
- Accommodated tests and exams
- Alternate format text material
- Assistance with funding for students with disabilities
- Facilitation with note taking
- Instructor liaison
- Mobility and physical access assistance
- Orientation to OC
- Referrals to support services
- Sign language interpreting
Eligibility
To receive academic accommodations, students must self-disclose their disability and work collaboratively with Accessibility Services to request and set up supports. We support students who live with disabilities that can include:
- ADHD
- Blind or low vision
- Chronic/systemic health impairments
- Deaf, deafened or hard of hearing
- Learning disabilities
- Mental health disability
- Mobility/functional impairment
- Neurological disabilities
Documentation
Depending on the disability, documentation should:
- Be current
- Outline the nature and extent of the disability
- Explain how the disability impacts the student in an educational environment
- Outline the functional capacity in an academic setting
- Provide recommendations for supports that mitigate the impact of the disability in an educational setting
When a service dog is required, the student may be required to show evidence of BC certification for the dog. The student will also be required to provide medical documentation to support the need for a service dog.
Academic concessions (for temporary medical conditions and illness)
Students with a temporary medical condition (e.g. a broken arm) or illness should first contact their professors/instructors directly to implement temporary and reasonable academic concessions. If the prognosis proves to be longer than expected (more than one semester) or the professors/instructors are having difficulty determining a way to accommodate, the student should contact Accessibility Services.
Timeline
New students to Okanagan College requesting accommodations should reach out to the Accessibility Services Department at the time of acceptance into any course or program. Reaching out approximately 3 months in advance of the program start date helps to ensure that appropriate accommodations can be planned and/or implemented. Although students can self-elect to these services at any time during their studies, the intake process takes time and students are responsible for reaching out with as much notice as possible. Implementing new accommodations during the month of a student's finals may not be possible.
Steps for intake
1. Complete an intake form
Interested students will complete an intake form and a consent form before making an appointment with an Accessibility Services Coordinator. If you have questions about completing the forms, please contact accessibility@okanagan.bc.ca for assistance.
2. Medical documentation
To register with Accessibility Services, you must provide current documentation from a medical professional that is qualified to diagnose the disability or medical condition for which you need accommodations. An IEP or a doctor’s note is not accepted medical documentation. Take the OC Disability Verification Form to your doctor or psychiatrist for completion. If you have questions regarding medical documentation, contact accessibility@okanagan.bc.ca.
3. We'll contact you
When Accessibility Services receives the above forms, an Accessibility Services Coordinator will contact you to discuss what you may be eligible for while you are attending school. This is a collaborative process where the student must engage in ongoing accommodation and support planning with their coordinator.
Questions?
If you have any questions or concerns about this intake process, please contact the Accessibility Services Coordinator on your campus or email accessibility@okanagan.bc.ca.
Medical documentation
Acceptable documentation must be obtained from a certified health care professional who has specific training, appropriate professional designation, and expertise in the diagnosis of the conditions for which the accommodation is being requested. Examples of appropriate health care professionals include the following:
- Certified audiologist
- Certified school psychologist (CVASP registered if in BC)
- Neurologist
- Neuropsychologist
- Ophthalmologist
- Physician or medical specialist
- Psychiatrist
- Registered clinical psychologist
The documentation we require for a learning disability must include a psychological-educational assessment from a registered clinical psychologist or certified school psychologist. The psychological-educational assessment must have been completed in the last five years or the assessment must have been made after age 18.
The documentation must speak to the degree and extent of the functional impact of the disability. It must also provide recommendations on what would be deemed appropriate and reasonable and/or services. When consulted, the Accessibility Services Coordinator will review the documentation and discuss with the student the appropriateness and reasonableness of the recommendations in relation to the university's academic standards and the essential requirements of the course and/or program.
We have compiled some resources that we think might help you in your post-secondary journey. This is not an exhaustive list of resources, and we know that we have not covered everything disability related. We will continue to update this page with added information and resources as we come across them.
Tap or click (enter or spacebar for keyboard users) to expand items below to learn more.
- College guide for students with dyslexia and dysgraphia - a resource to understand some types of learning disabilities, and strategies to support learning.
- Learning disabilities - from the Transition Resource Guide for students with disabilities.
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Transition stories - stories from students, teachers, and parents.
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Accessibility Services (and how it differs from High School) - this website has some useful information about Accessibility Services and the support available in college. While it is Ontario based a lot of the information is relevant nationally.
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Transitioning to college with a disability (Video) - this video is an older one but contains some good dialogue around the experience of transitioning to college from high school.
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ADHD - from the Transition Resource Guide for Students with Disabilities
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Strategies for setting goals and time management for young adults with ADHD - this one is great for looking at schedules, time blocking, motivation, morning routines and more.
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Managing adult ADHD - an excellent resource links to a bunch of other readings and some apps that may be helpful for you.
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10 back-to-school tips for grownups - going back to school at any age can bring up nerves – this article sets you up for success
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7 tips for college students with ADHD - this one has some neat tips, too
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Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) - CHADD offers lots of archived webinars covering a broad range of topics relating to ADHD.