Accommodation Process

Accessibility Services determines a student’s eligibility for accommodations in accordance with the Disability Accommodation Policy (Policy 4501) [PDF]. Accessibility Services takes your privacy seriously; learn more about how we handle confidentiality.

Academic accommodations

Academic accommodations can be available in the classroom, for exams, when studying, and for assignments.

The student:

Complete the registration process with Accessibility Services
- Prepare your medical documentation.
- Complete the student intake and self-assessment form.
- Submit your information on our online portal.
- Schedule an intake appointment with a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS).
- Submit your Individual Accommodation Plan (IAP) through the student portal and renew it each semester.
- Make an appointment with your VRS if you need to make any changes to your IAP.

The VRS:

Confirms disability, functional limitations and post-secondary barriers.
Assesses and determines reasonable accommodations, based on the individual student’s disability related barriers.
Approves the student’s IAP.

Instructors:

Implements accommodations as directed on the IAP.
Contacts the VRS if they have any questions or concerns about the IAP.

Exam accommodations

There are a number of steps that students, faculty and Accessibility Services’ team have to complete to ensure exam accommodations are properly set up for each exam.

Student, faculty and Accessibility Services responsibilities

Student

Renew your IAP. Do it each semester prior to putting exam requests.
Schedule in advance. Email your exam scheduling request form [PDF] to Accessibility Services at least TEN BUSINESS DAYS prior to each class exam.
Notification of changes. If there are any changes to your exam schedule or modifications needed for your original request, email Accessibility Services no later than TWO business days prior to the exam date.

Considerations:

* Unless otherwise approved by the instructor or Accessibility Services, students receiving the accommodations will write the exam at the same date as the class.

If an exam request is submitted after the above TEN business days deadline, we cannot guarantee immediate processing. However, we encourage you to still submit your request, and we will make every effort to accommodate you.

Exam requests submitted within less than TWO full business days before the class exam cannot be accepted by Accessibility Services. For weekend exam requests must be submitted by Wednesday night.

Accessibility Services

Receipt confirmation. Send the student a confirmation email once we receive the Exam Scheduling Request form.
IAP verification. Ensure the student’s Individual Accommodation Plan is active.
Exam booking. Confirm with instructors that the exam has been booked to be held at Accessibility Services.
Exam coordination. Request a copy of the exam(s) and coordinate all required exam details as advised by the instructor. If special arrangements are needed (such as changes to the exam date), the coordination will be with the student and the instructor.
Accommodation fulfillment. Make arrangements to ensure all your exam accommodations are met, including access to software and assistive technology.
Internal arrangements. Advise BCIT Safety and Security office on exams outside of business hours, manage procedures for different satellite campuses.
Exam package. Prepare exam packages for a smooth process.
Room allocation. Book room or seat for requested exams based on all student’s exam accommodation(s), while maximizing the Test Centre capacity.

Instructor

Refer to IAP. Refer to the current Individual Accommodation Plan (IAP). The IAP is valid for the current semester.
Exam instructions. Submit the completed Exam Instructions form [PDF] to Accessibility Services email at least FIVE business days prior to the class exam. Accessibility Services will schedule the exam based on completed information. If the exam instructions are not received on-time or incomplete, Accessibility Services cannot guarantee that the request will be processed in-time for the requested seating. However, all efforts will be made to reasonably accommodate the student.
Exam materials: Provide a copy of the exam at least TWO business days before the exam time to Accessibility Services via email. If the deadline can’t be met, email Accessibility Services when the hard copy of the exam will be delivered. For exams falling on weekend, the request must be submitted by Wednesday night.
Changes or modifications: Email Accessibility Services if any scheduled exam is changed or if adjustments are needed for the requested exam seating.

Student, faculty, and Accessibility Services responsibilities

Early arrival. Arrive 5 – 10 minutes early, especially if setting up technology is required.
Exam time. Write the exam in a monitored room with an invigilator

Exam registration. Check in and seat the students arriving to write exam at the Test Centre and invigilate the exam.
Ensuring support. Accessibility Services will assist students with login, provide necessary equipment and devices, secure belongings, address technical issues, connect with the instructor if the student have questions during the exam, and provide additional support as needed.
Safeguard information. Secure the completed exam in a locked cabinet, and if requested, scan and e-mail a copy back to the instructor within 24 hours after its completion. Discard the original copy of the exam once a receipt confirmation is received from the instructor.
Instructor report. We will release completed hard copies of exams to the instructors, report any incidents taking place during exams, and reach out to students who may have missed the exam.

Instructor

Collect Exam. Sign for and pick up the exam, checking for completion. If the exam is scanned, check the exam for completion and confirm with Accessibility Services for further discarding of the exam.
Reschedule exam. Email Accessibility Services about approved re-scheduled exam dates.

Documentation

Find here the documentation you may need to submit to request exam accommodations:

Exam scheduling request form [PDF]

Students registered with Accessibility Services should submit a separate exam request for each exam at least ten (10) business days (M–F) before the class exam date. If the exam request is received with less than 10 business days, Accessibility Services cannot guarantee that it will be processed in time for the requested seating.
If there is insufficient notice to the student about the exam, the provision of the accommodation(s) will be the responsibility of the instructor. Alternatively, the exam can be written at a later date so the accommodations can be appropriately coordinated through Accessibility Services.
Contact Accessibility Services (604-451-6963 or accessibility@bcit.ca) with any questions or concerns.

Accommodation Process

Academic accommodations

Steps to access academic accommodations

The student:

The VRS:

Instructors:

Exam accommodations

Prior to the exam

Student

Accessibility Services

Instructor

On the exam day and after

Student

Accessibility Services

Instructor

Documentation

Exam scheduling request form

Exam invigilation instructions form

Exam invigilation procedures student agreement

Test Centre orientation and rules