Notice to CAL Registrants: 

This is a reminder that all CAL registrants scheduled to write final exams for the Summer 2020 term must submit requests via the Online Student-Test and Exam Booking System before 11:59 p.m. on July 29, 2020 for exams which are taking place during the university’s final exam period (August 12 through 22). The CAL's Online Student-Test and Exam Booking System is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  

Scheduling Final Exams:

If you are intending to write exams with accommodations (even if writing with your instructor), you are required to schedule the exam through the Centre’s Online Student-Test and Exam Booking system. 

Instructors need to be provided with advanced notice in order to implement exam time accommodations, and the Centre’s Online Student-Test and Exam Booking System is the means by which they receive notifications. Where a student has not requested an exam using the system, the instructor may not have sufficient information nor time to implement accommodations for the exam, and would generally not be expected to do so. 

After you have scheduled all of your final exams by the above-noted deadline, you can confirm your updated exam schedule in the Online Student-Test and Exam Booking system by visiting My upcoming events, found within the module’s menu.

If you have an exam scheduling conflict (e.g., one exam overlaps with another due to extra time accommodations), please inform the CAL as soon as possible to explore possible arrangements.

Evening Exams:

Please note that for any exam where the class is scheduled to begin writing at 7 pm, your start time will be changed to 5 pm and the exam will be monitored live by a CAL exam assistant via Zoom. In order to support exam security, you will be required to have both your camera and microphone turned on for these evening exams. If you do have an evening exam, CAL will provide you with additional information closer to the date of your exam. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the procedures for these evening exams, please contact your Disability Access Advisor.

Accommodation Renewal Required to Book Exams:

As previously communicated, please note that you can only book exams using the Online Student-Test and Exam Booking system after you have sent your accommodation notifications using the online “Accommodations Renewal” system. If you are unable to access the online “Accommodation Renewal” system, please contact caladmin@sfu.ca to book an appointment with your Disability Access Advisor.  The deadline to renew accommodations for this term is July 10, 2020.  

The Centre will continue to receive final exam requests until July 29, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Any exams that have not been requested by this deadline will generally be expected to be written without accommodations unless there is a verifiable reason. As such, we strongly encourage you to act quickly and not delay in submitting your requests online.  

Please don't hesitate to contact the Centre (caladmin@sfu.ca; 778-782-3112) with any questions you might have about the exam booking system.

Wishing you all the best on your exams this term.

Sincerely, 

CAL Staff 

Please disregard this email if you are not currently enrolled in any courses for Summer 2020.

Please note that if you are writing exams with accommodations (even if writing with your instructor) you still need to schedule the exam through the Centre’s Student-Test and Exam Booking system. 

As a gentle reminder, in order to receive your exam accommodations (e.g., extra-time), all CAL registrants are required to submit exam requests online using the Student-Test and Exam Booking system before the usual exam booking deadlines (i.e., one week in advance for midterms/quizzes/intersession exams and two weeks in advance of the final exam period for final exams in August).  Please note that instructors expect to be provided with advanced notice to make modifications to exams, and using the Centre’s test booking system ensures a streamlined notification process. Where a student has not requested an exam using the system, the instructor may not have sufficient information and would generally not be expected to provide the student with accommodations.

Please note that you can only book exams using the  online test/exam booking system after you have sent your accommodation notifications using the online “Accommodations Renewal” system. If you are unable to access the online “Accommodation Renewal” system, please contact caladmin@sfu.ca to book an appointment with your Disability Access Advisor.

The Online Student-Test and Exam Booking system is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to submit requests for accommodated tests and exams.  Test requests must be submitted via the online “Student-Test and Exam Booking” system during the exam booking window in order for exam accommodations to be available.

If you have an exam conflict, please inform the CAL as soon as possible to explore possible arrangements.

To view the exams you have scheduled in the online “Student-Test and Exam Booking” system, please visit My upcoming events, found within the module’s menu.

Please don't hesitate to contact the Centre (caladmin@sfu.ca; 778-782-3112) with any questions you might have about the system.

Wishing you all the best on your exams this term.

The University has provided an update on online exam procedures for the duration of remote instruction at http://www.sfu.ca/students/scheduling/exam-scheduling-guidelines.html

Please disregard this email if you are not currently enrolled in any courses for Summer 2020. 

The Online Student-Test and Exam Booking system is now open.  

Once you have renewed your accommodations for your current semester's courses by using the online “Accommodation Renewal” system, you may then use the online “Student-Test and Exam Booking” system to schedule quizzes, midterms, and final exams.  If you are unable to access the online “Accommodation Renewal” system, please contact caladmin@sfu.ca to book an appointment with your Disability Access Advisor.

It is strongly recommended that you watch the instructional video explaining how to use the “Student-Test and Exam Booking” system.

Test requests must be submitted via the online “Student-Test and Exam Booking” system during the exam booking window in order for exam accommodations to be available.  The system will be available for requests beginning today, and can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to submit requests for accommodated tests and exams

Important Information:

1) Exam bookings:  Consistent with required social distancing measures, the CAL will not be invigilating any in-person exams, but we will continue to work with you and your instructors to implement your exam accommodations by distance. 

In order to receive your exam accommodations (e.g., extra-time), all CAL registrants are required to book exams online using the Student-Test and Exam Booking system before the usual exam booking deadlines (i.e., one week in advance for midterms/quizzes and two weeks in advance of the final exam period for final exams). Please note that you will only be able to book exams using the usual online test/exam booking system after you have sent your accommodation notifications. 

2) Exam administration: For the majority of registrants, exams will be written remotely with the class. For these remote exams, instructors have been informed to implement extra time accommodations upon receiving an exam booking notice, if applicable. 

·         For Canvas exams, please ensure that your extra time accommodations have been applied prior to the start of your exam by reviewing your course’s “Quizzes” module. 

·         For non-Canvas exams, please follow-up with your instructors in advance of the exam to ensure that your extra time accommodations have been applied. If there are any concerns about the implementation of the test time accommodation, do not start the test, and instead contact your instructor and the Centre immediately for assistance. 

·         For a small minority of registrants, alternative arrangements for exams may be required and your unique circumstances will be reviewed with your Disability Access Advisor during your accommodation renewal appointment. 

3) Deadlines: The usual deadlines for requesting to write tests and exams at the CAL will continue to apply (i.e., requests must be made at least 1 week before midterms/quizzes and 2 weeks before the start of the finals period).

4) Accommodation notification: Requests to write accommodated exams will only be accepted where accommodation notices have already been sent to the instructor e.g. through the online self-renewal module.  Please request accommodations (e.g., formally notifying instructors via accommodation notices) for the Summer 2020 term as soon as possible.

Please don't hesitate to contact the Centre (caladmin@sfu.ca; 778-782-3112) with any questions you might have about the system.

Please disregard this email if you are not currently enrolled in any courses for Summer 2020. 

Our online Self Renewal of Accommodations is now available for Summer 2020 (previously announced to be available on May 22).

As per our previous email communication, adjustments to some accommodations have been made for the Summer 2020 term,where necessary, in order to adapt supports to the differential demands of online class and exam-writing environments (e.g., where appropriate, break time was rolled into additional extra-time).  

Please visit the Online Self-Renewal Module to review your accommodations. If you are satisfied with the outlined accommodations please use the online system to send out your Accommodation Notices to your professors. If you haven’t used the Online Self-Renewal of Accommodations system before, you can navigate to our instructional video to learn how to use the system.

Please review the information below prior to reviewing your accommodations and sending your notices to instructors:

Important Information

•              If you require adjustments to your accommodations or have questions about the modifications, you must book an appointment and meet with your Advisor to review your situation. 

•              When selecting accommodations, only choose those accommodations that match the demands of a given course (e.g. if there are no exams in the course, do not select any exam accommodations). 

Please note that the last day to renew accommodations for the Summer 2020 term is July 10, 2020 (end of week 9 of classes); however, we strongly encourage you to renew as soon as possible. 

To schedule an appointment or if you require further clarification, please feel free to contact us by replying to this email (caladmin@sfu.ca) . 

We appreciate that these past weeks have been stressful and challenging for all involved and we hope you are doing well and taking a much-deserved break between terms.

As you know, the summer term begins next week and the University will continue to deliver courses using an online format. The Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) continues to be actively involved with various institutional resources, committees, and instructors to identify supports and approaches to ensure reasonable and fair access for students with disabilities.

At this point we can let you know that CAL services will continue to be provided, with slight modifications to processes and accommodations as indicated below.

1) Self-renewal of accommodations: Most registrants this term will be asked to send the Notification of Accommodation to instructors independently (i.e., without meeting with their Advisor) using the online accommodation renewal module. This process is easy to use and students will be able to access the online module as of May 22, 2020. In advance of this date, please familiarize yourself with the online accommodation renewal process at the following link:

http://www.sfu.ca/students/accessible-learning/current-students/online-accommodations-renewal.html   

We will be emailing you a reminder to self-renew your accommodations closer to the 22nd of May.

2) Minor Adjustments to Accommodations: Some adjustments to accommodations will be made where necessary in order to adapt supports to the differential demands of online class and exam-writing environments.  The CAL will continue to ensure registrants receive appropriate accommodations and that adjustments operate as effectively as possible given the unique circumstances and timeframes.

You will be able to review and renew your summer 2020 accommodations through the CAL website starting on May 22nd. Prior to renewing your accommodations, please ensure you have attended all of your classes at least once and reviewed course syllabi for key information (e.g., how exams will be administered, assignments, deadlines).  If you have any questions regarding your accommodations after completing this step, please contact the CAL front desk at caladmin@sfu.ca to schedule an appointment to meet with your Disability Access Advisor.

3) Exam bookings:  Consistent with required social distancing measures, the CAL will not be invigilating any in-person exams, but we will continue to work with you and your instructors to implement your exam accommodations by distance. Please note that after you have sent your accommodation notifications, you will be able to book exams using the usual online test/exam booking system. Please continue to book your exams online before the usual exam booking deadlines (i.e., one week in advance for midterms and two weeks in advance of the final exam period for final exams).

If you have any tests or exams occurring before May 22nd, please inform the Centre as soon as possible so that we can assist you directly.

4) Exam administration: For the majority of registrants, exams will be written remotely with the class.  Instructors have been informed to implement extra time accommodations, if applicable, for these remote exams. Similar to last term, please follow-up with your instructors in advance of the exam to ensure that your extra time accommodations have been applied.

For a small minority of registrants, alternative arrangements for exams may be required and your Disability Access Advisor will follow-up with you to review your unique circumstances.

As the term begins, more detailed information and instructions will be forthcoming so please be sure to monitor your SFU email account daily for updates. We appreciate your patience during this transitional time.

We hope that you are staying healthy and taking care of yourselves during these extraordinary times. The SFU community is actively working together to transition to online learning over these last three weeks and we acknowledge that there is still much to do and learn. We appreciate the challenges and stress that everyone is facing as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and we are here to offer our assistance and support.

We have compiled a list of information and resources below that may be helpful for you:

CAL Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (for students and instructors; including previous email communications)

http://www.sfu.ca/students/accessible-learning/carousel-redirects/covid-announcement

Accommodations on Spring Final Exams

Currently, the CAL is not overseeing any in-person exams but we have communicated with instructors to remind and instruct them on incorporating accommodated extra time and break time for CAL registrants. However, we encourage you to also follow up with your instructors directly to confirm that your accommodations have been incorporated for your upcoming exams. 

Please feel free to use the sample email below to follow-up with your instructor regarding your exam accommodations:

“Dear Professor,

I am a registrant with the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) and I am entitled to exam accommodations.  Following-up on earlier correspondence from CAL, can you please confirm that my accommodations have been incorporated for my upcoming [Course Code and Section (e.g., PSYC 100 D100)] exam(s).

If you have any questions or concerns regarding my accommodations, please follow-up with the Centre by phone at 778-782-3112 or email at caladmin@sfu.ca.

Thank you for your assistance,

[Student Name and Student Number]”

Academic policies, procedures for Spring 2020 (e.g., grading options such as pass/fail, withdrawal date extension, etc.)

http://www.sfu.ca/students/support/academic-policies-and-procedures/policies-spring-2020.html

Financial Concerns during COVID-19 (e.g., emergency assistance for technology-related funding)

http://www.sfu.ca/students/support/academic-policies-and-procedures/financial-concerns.html

Summer 2020 Convocation

http://www.sfu.ca/convocation/convocation-covid.html

In addition, the Centre is currently offering the following additional supports:

- Collaboration with registrants and instructors to address novel accessibility issues that have emerged as a result of the transition to online course delivery.

- Collaboration with instructors to ensure that students’ extra time accommodations are implemented as appropriate for timed limited online tests, as result of the closure of our in-person testing facilities.

- Administration of CAL appointments by distance using phone or video call to ensure the health and safety of all our community members as in-person appointments are no longer permitted.

- In recognition of the challenges presented during this exceptional time, we are extending all equipment loans until the end of the Summer 2020 term (i.e., until August 28, 2020). Please keep the loaned equipment in your possession (and continue using it, if appropriate, for your coursework) until the end of the Summer term, or until the CAL office reopens. If you are unable to keep items (e.g., due to imminent travel), or if this is your last term at SFU, please contact us by replying to this email or by phone at 778.782.3112 to discuss arrangements.

As the Spring 2020 semester is quickly coming to an end, the CAL is focused on the implementation of equitable solutions for immediate needs. We will continue to communicate with registrants and instructors with resources and updates as information becomes available.

Please do not hesitate to contact us at caladmin@sfu.ca or 778.782.3112 with your questions and challenges as they arise and we will gladly seek to assist.

We thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.  Please stay safe and keep well.

The CAL is expecting to reach out in the coming days regarding access to campus, specifically for students who continue to reside in SFU residences. For students still living in residence or those who intend to stay in residence for the immediate foreseeable future (e.g. summer 2020 term), we ask if you could please provide us with your name, SFU ID, and up-to-date contact information, so that we can provide you with information pertaining to campus access as it becomes available and so that we can ensure that your needs are represented and taken into account in current campus planning.

We hope you are keeping well and taking good care during these unprecedented times.  To better support students during this time, we have created a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page covering the most common inquiries the Centre has received recently.  Please find the link to the webpage below:

http://www.sfu.ca/students/accessible-learning/carousel-redirects/covid-announcement/covid-19.html

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112 and we will gladly assist.

As per the recent University directives, SFU is discontinuing in-person teaching beginning today, including in-person exams. Our understanding is this is expected to apply for at least the remainder of the spring term. Students should check their SFU email accounts and CANVAS course pages for information from their instructors about how their individual classes will be proceeding.

Given these announcements, CAL will not be invigilating exams as of today, March 17, 2020.

All remaining exam bookings for the term have now been cancelled at the Centre. Instructors who have CAL Registrants in their courses are being reminded to take into consideration the needs of students with disabilities in their planning and are being made aware of tools that can assist.

If your instructor is providing online modes of examination, please follow-up with them directly to confirm that your extra time and break time accommodations have been adjusted for your exam administration.

For other supports, such as a quieter environment or ergonomic equipment, please be sure to anticipate your needs and make arrangements as necessary.

While we anticipate that this approach will work effectively for most of you, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us at the Centre at caladmin@sfu.ca or 778 782 3112 and we will avail to assist.

These are exceptional times and your flexibility is appreciated. Although the CAL office is closed for in-person appointments, we will continue to be available via phone or email to assist with high priority issues regarding your access needs for this term. Issues pertaining to the summer term will be addressed at a later time. Please anticipate some delay in responses due to the high volume of inquiries that we are presently experiencing.

We continue to collaborate with institutional resources such as the Centre for Educational Excellence (CEE) and instructors to identify supports and approaches to ensure reasonable, fair access. The Centre will be providing updates as they become available.

Again thank you for your patience and understanding.

For up-to-date information regarding the university’s response to COVID-19, please visit the following pages:

1. SFU community frequently asked questions about COVID-19: https://www.sfu.ca/sfunews/alerts/sfu-community-frequently-asked-questions-about-coronavirus.html

2. Support and FAQs for students regarding COVID-19: http://www.sfu.ca/students/support/support-covid19.html

Yes. Although the physical CAL office is closed for in-person appointments, we will continue to be operational via phone, email, and video call to assist with issues regarding your access needs for this term. Please contact caladmin@sfu.ca or 778 782 3112 to schedule an appointment.

At this point we can let you know that CAL services will continue to be provided, with slight modifications to processes and accommodations as indicated below.

1) Self-renewal of accommodations: Most registrants this term will be asked to send the Notification of Accommodation to instructors independently (i.e., without meeting with their Advisor) using the online accommodation renewal module. This process is easy to use and students will be able to access the online module as of May 22, 2020. In advance of this date, please familiarize yourself with the online accommodation renewal process at the following link: 

http://www.sfu.ca/students/accessible-learning/current-students/online-accommodations-renewal.html

We will be emailing you a reminder to self-renew your accommodations closer to the 22nd of May.

2) Minor Adjustments to Accommodations: Some adjustments to accommodations will be made where necessary in order to adapt supports to the differential demands of online class and exam-writing environments.  The CAL will continue to ensure registrants receive appropriate accommodations and that adjustments operate as effectively as possible given the unique circumstances and timeframes.

You will be able to review and renew your summer 2020 accommodations through the CAL website starting on May 22nd. Prior to renewing your accommodations, please ensure you have attended all of your classes at least once and reviewed course syllabi for key information (e.g., how exams will be administered, assignments, deadlines).  If you have any questions regarding your accommodations after completing this step, please contact the CAL front desk at caladmin@sfu.ca to schedule an appointment to meet with your Disability Access Advisor.

3) Exam bookings:  Consistent with required social distancing measures, the CAL will not be invigilating any in-person exams, but we will continue to work with you and your instructors to implement your exam accommodations by distance. Please note that after you have sent your accommodation notifications, you will be able to book exams using the usual online test/exam booking system. Please continue to book your exams online before the usual exam booking deadlines (i.e., one week in advance for midterms and two weeks in advance of the final exam period for final exams). 

If you have any tests or exams occurring before May 22nd, please inform the Centre as soon as possible so that we can assist you directly.

4) Exam administration: For the majority of registrants, exams will be written remotely with the class.  Instructors have been informed to implement extra time accommodations, if applicable, for these remote exams. Similar to last term, please follow-up with your instructors in advance of the exam to ensure that your extra time accommodations have been applied. 

For a small minority of registrants, alternative arrangements for exams may be required and your Disability Access Advisor will follow-up with you to review your unique circumstances.

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact caladmin@sfu.ca or 778 782 3112.

Self-renewal of accommodations: Most registrants this term will be asked to send the Notification of Accommodation to instructors independently (i.e., without meeting with their Advisor) using the online accommodation renewal module. This process is easy to use and students will be able to access the online module as of May 22, 2020. In advance of this date, please familiarize yourself with the online accommodation renewal process at the following link: 

http://www.sfu.ca/students/accessible-learning/current-students/online-accommodations-renewal.html

We will be emailing you a reminder to self-renew your accommodations closer to the 22nd of May.

Minor Adjustments to Accommodations: Some adjustments to accommodations will be made where necessary in order to adapt supports to the differential demands of online class and exam-writing environments.  The CAL will continue to ensure registrants receive appropriate accommodations and that adjustments operate as effectively as possible given the unique circumstances and timeframes.

You will be able to review and renew your summer 2020 accommodations through the CAL website starting on May 22nd. Prior to renewing your accommodations, please ensure you have attended all of your classes at least once and reviewed course syllabi for key information (e.g., how exams will be administered, assignments, deadlines).  If you have any questions regarding your accommodations after completing this step, please contact the CAL front desk at caladmin@sfu.ca or 778 782 3112 to schedule an appointment to meet with your Disability Access Advisor.

While the CAL office is closed for in-person appointments, Disability Access Advisors are available by phone, email, or video call to assist with issues regarding your access needs for this term. Please contact caladmin@sfu.ca or 778 782 3112 to schedule an appointment with your advisor.

Students should check their SFU email accounts and CANVAS course pages every day for up-to-date information from their instructors about how their courses and individual exams will be conducted.  

Instructors who have CAL Registrants in their courses are being reminded to take into consideration the needs of students with disabilities in their planning and are being made aware of tools that can assist.  

If you believe that you have additional accommodation needs as a result of these changes, you should arrange for a consultation with your Disability Access Advisor by contacting caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112.

Exam bookings:  Consistent with required social distancing measures, the CAL will not be invigilating any in-person exams, but we will continue to work with you and your instructors to implement your exam accommodations by distance. Please note that after you have sent your accommodation notifications, you will be able to book exams using the usual online test/exam booking system. Please continue to book your exams online before the usual exam booking deadlines (i.e., one week in advance for midterms and two weeks in advance of the final exam period for final exams). 

If you have any tests or exams occurring before May 22nd, please inform the Centre as soon as possible so that we can assist you directly.

Exam administration: For the majority of registrants, exams will be written remotely with the class.  Instructors have been informed to implement extra time accommodations, if applicable, for these remote exams. We recommend that you please follow-up with your instructors in advance of the exam to ensure that your extra time accommodations have been applied. For other exam-related supports, such as a quieter environment or ergonomic equipment, please be sure to anticipate your needs and make arrangements as necessary. 

For a small minority of registrants, alternative arrangements for exams may be required and your Disability Access Advisor will follow-up with you to review your unique circumstances. 

If you have any questions or concerns about your accommodations, please contact us at caladmin@sfu.ca or 778 782 3112.

Follow the steps below in order to apply for registration with CAL:

1. Submission of the completed Application for Services form                  
2. Submission of documentation which verifies your disability, completed by a qualified assessor. 

• You can send us your documentation by fax (778 782 4384) or email (caladmin@sfu.ca). If you do not have access to a scanner you can also take clear pictures on your phone and then email the files to us.

3. Upon completion of step 1 and 2, please contact caladmin@sfu.ca or call 778 782 3112 to schedule a meeting with a Disability Access Advisor to determine entitlement to service and/or accommodations.

We are currently scheduling all new intake appointments for the first few weeks of May. As of now, these are all anticipated to be virtual appointments held either by phone or through a secure video call.

If you are experiencing higher levels of stress and feelings of being overwhelmed, you can access the free 24/7 counselling and support available to all SFU students through MySSP by phone (1-844-451-9700 or 001-416-380-6578 outside of North America) or through the downloadable app.  There are options for chat, phone and video sessions with a counsellor as well as multi-session support. For more information please follow the link:

http://www.sfu.ca/students/support/strategies-to-manage-stress.html

For up-to-date information regarding the university’s response to COVID-19, please visit the following pages: 

SFU Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19

Support for SFU Students; COVID-19 Resources

For updated information, please follow the below link:

http://www.sfu.ca/students/support/academic-policies-and-procedures/policies-spring-2020.html