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Welcome!

Location:  Needles Hall, room 1132

Our mission:  To ensure an equitable opportunity, the Office for Persons with Disabilities, in partnership with all University of Waterloo departments, promotes access to programs, services, and facilities.

We support students, faculty, staff and campus visitors by providing:

  • information
  • academic accommodations
  • support services

 

Sha

Scent Free Zone :Join with us in an awareness of the impact of scented products on the health of others. 

Please, refrain from wearing scented products.

Scholarships

1)  The Abbott IBD Scholarship Program, in support of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC), awards students who are living well with IBD, and who sustain an optimal level of wellness allowing them to excel at their personal and academic goals and inspire those around them to do the same in the face of their challenges.

Apply for one of the seven one-time scholarships of up to $5,000.  Made available through an unrestricted educational grant from Abbott Canada Inc, the scholarships are available to students living with IBD who are entering into or currently attending a post-secondary educational institution in 2012.

To apply visit their website: ibdscholarship.ca  

2)  TD Bank Group’s Scholarship is for graduate students living with a disability. The application deadline is May 1, 2012.  Please visit their site for details: http://www.torontorehab.com/Research/Students-and-Trainees/Awards-and-Scholarships/Toronto-Rehab-Scholarship-in-Rehabilitation-relate.aspx

Inline image 1Design Exchange has partnered with the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario to present the CONNECT EnAbling Change Post-Secondary Design Competition.  The deadline for submissions is April 20th, 2012 by 5PM. Please visit http://dx.org/connect for more information. 

 

The competition is divided into 6 categories: Architecture, Landscape/Urban Design, Interior Design, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, and Fashion Design/Apparel.

Students are asked to submit projects that illustrate the principles of universal design: Universal design is defined as the design of products and environments to be usable by all people to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. 

Accessible Customer Service Training

The deadline to complete this mandatory training is fast approaching.  All employees whether full-time, part-time or contract are required to take the training prior to January 01, 2012.  Your completion of the training will be tracked in ELMS.

Message to Campus

You can complete this training in one of two ways.

OR

Council of Ontario Universities (COU) Accessibility Toolkit

The Accessibility Toolkit is an online platform that provides common tools, resources and adaptable templates to assist universities in meeting the goals and requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA).

Accessible Customer Service 

The following measures have been taken to ensure equitable access to university goods and services for people with disabilities:

  1. Assistive Devices
  2. Communication
  3. Notice of Temporary Disruption of Service
  4. Access to Service Animals
  5. Access to Support Persons
  6. What to do if you experience a barrier in customer service

 

University of Waterloo:  Provision of University Services and Goods to Persons with Disabilities Policy

The University of Waterloo has a long standing commitment to support the participation and access to university programs, services, and facilities by persons with disabilities. To continue with this commitment and to honor obligations set by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), the University will strive to undertake reasonable efforts to provide goods or services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.  

The University will ensure that customer service training is provided to staff, faculty and student leaders who interact with the public and that procedures regarding use of assistive devices, service animals, access to support persons, notice of temporary disruption of services, and what to do if a person is having difficulty accessing university goods or services is communicated to the public.

Please reference university Policy 33 at: http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy33.htm

Additional University of Waterloo initiatives to promote accessible customer service for students and campus visitors with disabilities can be found at:

Policies, Procedures and Practices

Exam Hotline

Instructors who wish to contact the OPD with exam information for students writing with our department, please call ext. 32292. 

If our proctors are busy with students at the time of your call and the phone goes to voice mail, leave your contact information and we will get back to you shortly.

Academic Accommodations

Deadlines for Alternate Exam Arrangements

      Midterms:  5 business days prior to the exam

      Finals: March 16, 2012

    

To book your overview of exam procedures session contact    Ruth Huard at ext. 35082.

Important Dates: Don't miss a deadline!

“Personal Best"

The Personal Best Student Wellness Programs are designed to help you to develop and maintain a balanced approach to life and learning at UW. Check out the programs and campus resources available on the Health Services website.

Guide Dogs

What should you do when you meet a person with a guide dog? Meeting a Guide Dog Team:  Some Words of Advice offers helpful tips.

Lime Connect Interactive Website for Students with Disabilities

Lime Canada holds corporate recruitment reception events and offers a number of scholarship and internship programs with our partners, and candidates with disabilities from throughout the provinces.

Did you know? 

NVDA: Non Visual Desktop Access - is a free and open source screen reader for the Microsoft Windows operating system

 

The Accessible Channel broadcasts all programming in open description and closed-captioning. The channel guide is found at:

http://www.theaccessiblechannel.com

 

BBC My Web My Way: explains ways to change browser, computer, keyboard and mouse settings to make the web more accessible for you.

Library:Priority Booking of Group Study Room