Barrie STEM Hub

Alternate Format for Printed Materials

Revised July 2026

If you are a student who has a disability that prevents you from using standard instructional materials (text books), you may be provided the accommodation of:

  • Alternate textbook format - to be requested by student & provided by SAS

If this accommodation is listed on your accommodation form there are two ways to submit your request for an alternate format of your textbook:

Print Accommodations

To reduce barriers for students with vision, cognitive disabilities and or medical conditions the student may provide medical documentation supporting the need for larger font size or a test/exam/quiz printed on a specific colour of paper. For example the Accommodation Letter could state;

  • Test/Exam/Quiz printed on: Light blue paper

  • Test/Exam/Quiz enlarged to font size: 18 pt

Scribe or Reader

Students with a scribe or reader accommodation face barriers to reading and writing (by hand or typing) due to a variety of functional limitations including physical, cognitive, vision, or medical/pain related to their disability and or medical condition. A scribe or reader accommodation is approved when technological alternatives, such as screen readers, text-to-speech programs, are not feasible either due to the time required for the student to become proficient to utilize the technology effectively or the nature of the disability.

Assistive Technology

Students may have accommodations for the use of assistive technology to remove barriers in “writing” or “reading” a test/exam/quiz; the use of this technology could be for physical, cognitive, vision, or medical/pain related functional limitations of a disability and/or medical condition. 

Genio for Education Information

Lakehead Student Accessibility Services will be using Genio for Education for some students to capture of lecture materials in the classroom. It is 'the study tool that boosts class engagement' and has an excellent record for both student and faculty satisfaction. As Faculty you may like to check out the Genio Faculty FAQ's.

Rescheduled Test/Exam/Quiz Accommodation

Updated March 2026

Students with a test/exam/quiz rescheduling accommodation may on rare occasions experience barriers to writing a scheduled test/exam/quiz due to serious fluctuating functional limitations related to disability and/or medical condition symptoms. Not all students registered with SAS have a test/exam/quiz rescheduling accommodation; Students can refer to their accommodation letter for confirmation of their accommodations.

Equipment and Aids in the Test Room (in person only)

Students may face barriers related to the functional limitations of their specific disability that can be supported by specific equipment or aids. SAS provides or coordinates aids/equipment required by students for in person/on campus tests/exams/quizzes. Instructors are not responsible to provide aids/equipment.

The Accommodation Letter will state:

Equipment

  • Footstool or chair for support (for in person tests written with SAS)

Testing Room Accommodations (in person only)

Students may face barriers, related to the functional limitations of their disability and/or medical condition, that may be accommodated by the number of students in a room, the location of a room or the accessibility of the room for mobility equipment/aids. SAS coordinates the appropriate rooms to accommodate students with testing room accommodations. Students writing in person/on campus tests/exams/quizzes are responsible to register to write these assessments with the SAS office. 

Testing Room accommodations can include the following:

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