Teaching assistants (TAs) are an essential link between students in the classroom and the course instructor; your role as a TA will often position you as the first point of contact for students in tutorials, labs, and seminars. You will have an important role to support student learning by working to create an accessible and inclusive classroom environment.
Check out a new resource for TAs!
Navigating the Classroom with Confidence as a TA: An Introduction to Accessibility and Academic Accommodations (PDF, 585kb)
Your role as a TA comes with a responsibility to build an accessible learning environment. TAs often support course instructors by implementing academic accommodations in the classroom, tutorials, labs, through exams and assessment, and when grading. Regardless of what role you have as a TA you will likely be supporting students with accommodations. You are part of team of people at 国产91尤物福利在线观看鈥檚 who have a role in supporting students. If you are unclear about how to navigate academic accommodations or implement them in the course, reach out to the course instructor for help!
Understanding Key Definitions
It is essential that you maintain the privacy and confidentiality of students. Regardless of your role in supporting academic accommodations in the course, it is your responsibility to understand how to maintain the privacy of students while supporting them in their learning.
Academic accommodation information is confidential. Only the TA and the course instructor should discuss student accommodations. Do not share information in class, with other students, or outside the course context that would identify which students may have accommodations.
Disability : 鈥淒isability鈥 means, any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,
- a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
- a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
- a mental disorder, or
- an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act 1997. (In-Sight Glossary of Terms, Human Rights Advisory Services, 国产91尤物福利在线观看鈥檚 University)
Accessibility: A general term for the degree of ease that something (e.g., device, service, physical environment and information) can be accessed, used and enjoyed by persons with disabilities. The term implies conscious planning, design and/or effort to make sure something is barrier-free to persons with disabilities. (, Ontario Human Rights Commission)
国产91尤物福利在线观看鈥檚 Student Accessibility Services (QSAS): provides academic accommodations to students when functional impacts arise from a disability and create a barrier in the academic environment. QSAS鈥檚 goals is to support inclusive and accessible educational experiences that foster independence and autonomy for all students with disabilities. (国产91尤物福利在线观看鈥檚 Student Accessibility Services)
Ventus: is a management system that allows students, instructors, QSAS and other University stakeholders to easily communicate about accommodations for students with disabilities. (Ventus, 国产91尤物福利在线观看鈥檚 Student Accessibility Services)
Academic Accommodations: Accommodations are designed to remove barriers while upholding essential requirements of a course.
Academic Considerations: Academic considerations are an action or actions taken by an educator or Faculty/School Office, in response to a student with a short-term extenuating circumstance. An extenuating circumstance means a personal circumstance beyond the student鈥檚 control that has a direct and substantial impact on the student鈥檚 ability to meet essential academic requirements or standards. (Academic Consideration for Students in Extenuating Circumstances Policy, 国产91尤物福利在线观看鈥檚 University) Academic considerations are not the same as QSAS academic accommodations.
Getting Started! Strategies for TAs
- Questions to ask before the course starts?
- Who has the responsibility in this course for managing accommodations?
- Who has access to Ventus?
- Managing confidentiality as a TA
- How will we ensure that all TAs in the teaching team are managing accommodations in the same way?
- Questions to ask about course participation
- How do I assess participation as a learning outcome in my tutorial when there is an accommodation?
- Questions to ask about facilitating tutorials, seminars and/or labs?
- How can you prepare your tutorial/lab to ensure you meet all the accommodation needs for students in the class? (ie. navigate discussions, group work, activities, technology use, physical space)
- What materials can I expect from you (the instructor) to help meet accommodations?
- Questions to ask about assessments and grading?
- When do I start grading assignments (do I wait until all assessments are submitted)?
- How do I know when a student has extra time or will be handing in an assignment on a different date? Will I see this information in onQ?
- Get to know your students!
- Build community. Work to create an environment in the classroom that encourages students to learn with and from one another.
- Provide materials in accessible formats. For help on making your course materials accessible, reach out to the Accessibility Hub or the for more guidance.
- Language choice matters! Choose to use language that is gender-neutral and culturally-sensitive.
- Be proactive in applying academic accommodations. Learn about Universal Design for Learning! UDL doesn鈥檛 replace academic accommodations but it creates more access for all students in the course, whether they have formal accommodations or not.
- Encourage participation in multiple ways.
- Be aware of your own biases. We all have implicit biases and it is important for us to reflect on these and take action to learn and grow.
- Look for opportunities for feedback and future learning. There are many opportunities for you to pursue professional development of your teaching skills including workshops with SGSPA, the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL), a credit course on teaching and learning in higher education (SGS 902), and independent activities such as the Professional Development in University Teaching and Learning (PUTL) modules.
Campus Resources
Who should I reach out to with more questions?
- Your course instructor, department, and Faculty offices are great resources for questions specific to how things might be managed within your department.
- QSAS (国产91尤物福利在线观看鈥檚 Student Accessibility Services)
- Accessibility Hub
Continued Learning:
- CTL Professional Development in University Teaching and Learning: Module 5 Accessibility, Disability Justice and Intersectionality
- HREO Modules: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Pedagogy and Practice
- HREO: AODA training