Support for Pharmacy Students Registered with AccessAbility Services

If your registration with AccessAbility Services (AAS) is currently in progress, you may be eligible for a short-term interim accommodation. This would allow you to write your exams in the AAS exam room while your registration is being finalized.

If approved, you will be notified of the expiration date of your interim accommodation. For more information or to inquire about eligibility, please contact pharmacy.advisor@uwaterloo.ca.

Pharmacy students who are registered with AAS and have approved testing accommodations will write their exams at the School of Pharmacy, in a designated room separate from the rest of the class. You do not need to travel to the main campus for your exams.

• Room assignments:
  • Exam room numbers are posted on the Exam and Class Timetables web page. You will also receive a reminder email approximately one week in advance of each exam. 
• Assigned seating:
  • Seat numbers will be communicated in advance through Odyssey. Please note that only the seat number should be referenced in Odyssey, as the start time listed there may not be accurate.
• Proctoring:
  • Two proctors will be present. One will remain in the room, while the other will accompany students during time-stop or washroom breaks. Please note that only one student may leave the room at a time.

• Noise sensitivity:

  • If you’re sensitive to noise, you can pick up ear plugs from the table outside your pharmacy advisors’ offices. You may also wish to speak with your Accommodations Consultant about adding a noise-cancelling headphones to your accommodation plan.

Exams for AAS students may occasionally start earlier than the rest of the class to accommodate class conflicts following the exam. If your exam starts at the same time as the rest of the class, the start time in Odyssey will show a 5-minute variance due to an Odyssey feature. Check the midterm and exam schedule and the reminder emails you received from us carefully. 

If you receive an email from AAS asking you to schedule your exams it may be ignored. Since your exams are scheduled at the School of Pharmacy you do not need to provide AAS with exam information.

ExamSoft: If you’ve been approved for extra writing time, ExamSoft will be programmed accordingly. It is your responsibility to verify that the extra time has been correctly applied when you download the exam. If you notice any discrepancies, please contact pharmacy.advisor@uwaterloo.ca immediately.

LEARN: Instructors are responsible for applying extra time to assessments delivered through LEARN.

Exceptions: Extra time is not typically applied to practical exams, bell-ringer exams, or OSCEs. If you have questions about this practice, please reach out to pharmacy.advisor@uwaterloo.ca.

Limitations: Extra time accommodations do not apply to take-home tests/evaluations or to any tests or quizzes that are less than 30 minutes in length.

Using your time stop break is optional. It can be taken all at once or broken up into smaller breaks. Rest assured that Examsoft saves constantly to prevent work being lost when you shut down to take your break. If you have a time stop break accommodation and would like to take a break:

1. Raise your hand and let the proctor know you need to take a time stop break.

2. Shut down/turn off your device.

   • This is done by initiating a force shutdown (typically press and hold the power button until the shutdown is initiated).

   • If you are unsure how to force shutdown your device, research instructions for your particular device or contact the PharmacyIT department prior to your assessment (rt-pharmacyit@rt.uwaterloo.ca).

   • Closing your device or hiding the exam will NOT stop the timer.

   • Ensure that your device is fully turned off before you leave for your break.

3. Take one of the small square white clocks with you so you keep track of how long you are away. This process is in place since you are not permitted to wear watches during the assessment.

4. When you return, the proctor will provide the resume code so you may continue.

Absence accommodation

Students with the “may be periodically absent” accommodation in their accommodation plan must follow these steps if they miss or anticipate missing a course event (e.g., lecture, seminar, lab) where:

• Attendance is graded, and/or
• Essential information is conveyed that is not otherwise accessible.

This accommodation does not apply to graded in-class assignments, presentations, tests, exams, or quizzes.

What to do:

1. Contact AccessAbility Services as soon as possible regarding the missed or upcoming absence.
2. Contact your instructor ASAP to advise them that you will be absent and have reached out to AAS to determine if your accommodation can be applied. 
3. AAS will reach out to your instructor to discuss whether accommodation is appropriate.

Accommodations for assignments

Students with a "may be unable to complete assignments on time" accommodation should proceed as follows if their disability affects their ability to complete an assignment: 

• Review the steps outlined on the Missed Course Component Form
• Contact your instructor ASAP to advise them that you have submitted the Missed Course Component Form.
• Submit the Missed Course Component Form for each affected assignment.

Whenever medically possible, submit the form before the due date. If your condition prevents advance submission, you may submit it after the deadline, though retroactive accommodations may be limited.

AccessAbility Services and your instructor will assess each request case-by-case to determine:

• Whether accommodation is needed, and
• What form of accommodation is most appropriate based on the course design.

Important Notes:

• This accommodation cannot be used for exams.
• If you miss or expect to miss a test or exam, you must submit a Verification of Illness Form (VIF) and follow the procedures outlined on the Student Absence web page.