When to Contact SAS
Arranging for disability accommodations and support can be a more time-consuming and involved process than anticipated. Student Accessibility Services (SAS) highly encourages students to contact our office prior to applying and after accepting offers of admission in order to prepare students with the necessary information prior to the beginning of school to offer a successful transition into university life.
Prior to Applying
SAS staff can provide you with information regarding the programs and services available through our centre and inform you about the documentation requirements in order to begin the registration process with our office.
The U of M's Student Recruitment office also offers one-on-one and group tours for prospective students. Contact Student Recruitment by phone at (204)474-8806 or e-mail at student_recruitment@umanitoba.ca for more details.
After Accepting Your Offer of Admission
Of all of the things you, as a new SAS student, can do to make a smooth transition to university, submitting the Verification of Disability/Illness Form is the MOST IMPORTANT! Please do NOT wait for new documentation to be completed before submitting this form.
Even if you have made prior contact with the SAS office, we will NOT know that you have accepted an offer of admission unless you tell us.
Therefore, you must contact us again to let us know you are coming if you wish to have accommodations in place for your upcoming semester.
Registering as a Student with SAS
Once you receive and accept your offer of admission to the U of M, start to gather all of the required documentation and contact our office as soon as possible. We can begin to determine and set up your accommodations for the academic year.
Step 1:
Complete the Verification of Disability/Illness Form and then call, e-mail, or drop in to make an appointment with an Accessibility Advisor.
Step 2:
Provide official documentation of your disability. Our office can help you request the information from and have it sent directly to us.
Your medical documentation must include:
- A clinicial diagnosis of the disability/disorder
- The name of the diagnostician
- The date of the testing
- Indicators of how the disability/disorder affects the student
- A recommendation of accommodations the student would require for daily functioning at the University of Manitoba (examples include: extended time for tests/exams, table in the classroom, etc.)
- Duration of the disability (temporary vs. permanent), and length of time the accommodations should be provided
If you or your medical specialist are unsure about the type of information required, please contact our office directly. The form linked here can be used by your physician, specialist, or counselor to give SAS the information needed to assess and provide you with accommodations.
Step 3:
Meet with your Accessibility Advisor. Upon the meeting and receipt of complete documentation we can plan our your needs and accommodations, specifically:
- The accommodations to be provided
- Why and when they will be provided
- Who is responsible for providing them
- How they will be provided
Step 4:
A letter via e-mail will be provided to each of your instructors, detailing your accommodations and identifying your specific needs. You may want to set up a meeting with your instructors - open communications between you and your instructors can be the key to success in your classes.
Step 5:
Contact SAS if the accommodations have not been implemented in a timely and effective manner. SAS staff can advocate on your behalf.
Student Responsibilities
One of the most significant distinctions between high school and university is the transition of responsibility from the parent/high school teacher/counselor to the student in order to initiate the process to identify and acquire appropriate accommodations for the academic year.
At the university level, students are responsible for:
- Approaching SAS to make appointments, establish an advisor, and provide appropriate medical documentation
- Providing his/her own disability supports such as technical and auxiliary aids, tutors, and assessments
- Communicating his/her needs to professors and instructors (this can be done through the SAS office once the student discloses his/her disability and registers with our office)
- Requesting test and exam accommodations