UPDATED Trigger Sheet (Memory Aid) Accommodation

Revised July 2026

The student is permitted to use an instructor‑approved trigger sheet (memory aid) during quizzes, tests, and examinations. The aid may include brief cues (e.g., keywords, acronyms, mnemonics, short phrases, diagrams, or formulas) intended to prompt recall of previously learned course material. It must not contain complete answers, worked solutions, or extensive notes. The student will submit the proposed trigger sheet to the course instructor for review at least 10 business days before the scheduled assessment. Only the version approved by the instructor, in consultation with Student Accessibility Services, may be used during the assessment. 

What is a Memory Aid?

A memory aid is a tool designed to support students in accessing information that they have learned but have difficulty recalling due to their disability/medical condition. A memory aid does not contain full answers or definitions, instead it contains diagrams, images, cues and mnemonics which trigger the students memory and aid them in recalling the information.

Memory aids may not be appropriate in every course, the course instructor has final say on whether a memory aid accommodation is reasonable. (Northern Ontario Assessment and Resource Centre, 2018)

Some students may also have an accommodation of a formula sheet.

  • Formulae refers to a set of rules or principles that are expressed using symbols, figures, or both. 
  • Students are permitted a formula sheet only on test/exam/quizzes that assess students on their application, as opposed to recollection of formulae.
  • Students should only include formulas that they have difficulty recalling
  • Solved equations and step by step instructions are not permitted. 

Northern Ontario Assessment and Resource Centre (2018). Guidelines for when memory aids should be recommended for post-secondary students with disabilities. https://www.noarc-cerno.ca/resources/accommodations/memory-aids/

Who Gets a Memory Aid?

Students with a memory aid accommodation have provided a medically documented need for a memory aid to compensate for significant memory processing deficits, such as sequencing or long-term memory retrieval. Documentation to support a memory aid accommodation must include the assessments performed to determine the impacts on memory and show that other strategies to support memory are not sufficient (Harrison et al., 2020)

SAS may require a review of documentation by a third party before providing a memory aid accommodation.

A memory aid is not a replacement for studying, copies of notes, an answer sheet or essential concepts that the student is being assessed on.

Harrison, A. G., Holmes, A., & Bethany Pollock. (2020, December 14). Memory Aids as a disability-related accommodation? let’s remember to recommend them appropriately. Canadian Journal of School Psychology. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0829573520979581

How to Create a Memory Aid

A Memory aid must:

  • Be on a 11 x 8.5 single sided sheet of paper
  • Typed or hand written in size 12 font
  • Be clear and legible

Memory aids should only make sense to the student creating them.

Memory aids contain mnemonics, cues, diagrams and images. The student and the prof can work collaboratively on the memory aid, but the instructor is not responsible for creating the memory aid. Here are some examples of how to create a memory aid:

A formula sheet should only contain formulas that a student cannot remember and should not include instructions, steps or essential information.

Samples

Procedures for using a memory aid

  1. Ensure you are registered for accommodations with SAS for the current term.
  2. At the beginning of the term meet with your instructor and discuss the instructor’s expectations of a memory aid and any essential requirements that change what can be included.
  3. Throughout the term, create a list of important information that will need to be recalled for the test/exam.
  4. 10 days prior to the test/exam, submit a draft of the memory aid to the instructor for review. This may not be the final version of the memory aid, but gives the instructor time to give feedback and the student time to make changes.
  5. Once the instructor has approved the final version of the memory aid, the approval email or signature should be sent by the instructor to the SAS Testing Coordinator for your campus: Thunder Bay, Orillia, Barrie STEM Hub.
  6. The memory aid will be included with your testing package and submitted with the test/exam when it is completed.

Responsibilities of the SAS Advisor

  1. Review documentation and determine the appropriate memory aid accommodation.
  2. Discuss procedures and policies regarding the use of a memory aid with student(s).
  3. Share sample memory aids and support the student in connecting with instructor(s).

Responsibilities of the Student

  1. Activate accommodations for the current term. (Must have an approved accommodation for a memory aid.)
  2. Review Memory aid guidelines and procedures prior to the term.
  3. Connect with instructors as early in the term as possible to discuss expectations of a memory aid.
  4. Work during the term to collect important information and create memory devices as the term progresses.
  5. Ensure that you book your tests and exams with the memory aid accommodation included so SAS is prepared to receive the memory aid.
  6. Submit the memory aid to the instructor 10 business days in advance of the test/exam for review and feedback.
  7. Revise the memory aid according to the instructor’s feedback and submit the finalized memory aid to the instructor 3 business days in advance of the test/exam.
  8. Connect with an accessibility advisor if any questions or challenges arise with the use of a memory aid. Submit memory aid along with completed test/exam to testing staff.

Important: Memory Aids will not be approved by the instructor if:

  • There is any risk to academic integrity.
  • If information on the aid/formula sheet is determined to be an essential course requirement, it should not be allowed. 
  • The memory aid was not submitted to the instructor allowing for sufficient time for review.

Responsibilities of the Instructor

  1. Meets with the student to advise on the creation of the memory aid.
  2. Review memory aid draft. Determine if any information needs to be removed or adjusted to ensure the student is meeting the essential requirements of the course.
  3. Approves the final version of the memory aid and provides either a digital or physical copy of the memory aid to SAS to ensure the memory aid is secure.

Responsibilities of Testing Staff

  1. Email the instructor informing them of students who have requested to use a memory aid. i.e. Wording included in the email to the instructor to acquire the test information can be  “Student First Name, Last Name has requested use of a memory aid for Course Code”
  2. Receive the memory aid from the instructor.
  3. Print (if needed) and package the memory aid with the test/exam/quiz.
  4. Ensure that the completed test/exam/quiz and the memory aid are included in the test/exam envelope.