Creating Accessible Course Outlines

Course outlines are important for helping all students succeed. They explain how the course works and what is expected. For students with accommodations through Student Accessibility Services (SAS), outlines are especially helpful for planning ahead and making sure supports are in place.

Course outlines guidelines are available from the Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

For Students:

If you use SAS accommodations, your course outline can help you:

  • See how your accommodations might fit with the course.
  • Plan ahead for things like tests or deadlines.
  • Talk to your instructor if something might be a problem.

 

What you should do:

  • Read your course outlines early.
  • If you see anything that might be hard for you, talk to your SAS advisor or instructor.
  • Use the outline to ask questions about how your accommodations will work in that class.

For Instructors

Course outlines are a powerful tool for accessibility and inclusion. They provide clarity on course structure, expectations, and assessments — and help students with disabilities anticipate how their accommodations may apply. 

SAS may use the course outline to check if an accommodation is a good fit for your course. The earlier students can read your outline, the easier it is to plan ahead.

Tips for writing accessible outlines:

  1. List all tests, assignments, and deadlines so students can effectively plan their work.
  2. Explain participation rules, especially if they affect grades.
  3. Avoid strict “no exceptions” rules. Instead, you can add:

    “Students with approved accommodations should speak with the instructor and SAS to make a plan.”

  4. Use accessible files like Word or tagged PDFs that work with screen readers.

Sample statement to include:

Students who need academic accommodations should connect with Student Accessibility Services (SAS) early. Once approved, SAS and the instructor will work together to make a plan.

Recommended Text Regarding Accessibility:

SAS recommends that faculty include the following text in their course outlines:

The University promotes the full participation of students who experience disabilities in their academic programs. To that end, the provision of academic accommodation is a shared responsibility between the University and the student.

When accommodations are needed, the student must register with Student Accessibility Services (SAS). Documentation to substantiate the existence of a disability is required; however, interim accommodations may be possible while the process of obtaining documentation is underway.

Accommodations are available for both permanent and temporary disabilities.

Note: Common illnesses such as a cold or the flu do not constitute a disability.

Use of the SAS Exam Centre requires students to book their exams at least 7 days in advance, and not later than the 40th Class Day.

Other information to include in course outlines

  • Format of an exam or test (e.g. multiple choice, short answer, essay)

Many students have accommodations that vary depending on the format of an exam. The Exam Centre needs this information to complete the exam booking process. The early notice helps to ensure a smooth process for everyone.

Have questions or need further support?

SAS can help you:

  • Make your course outline more accessible
  • Plan for accommodations
  • Talk through any concerns

Connect with us! 519-824-4120 Ext. 56208 

General Questions: sas@uoguelph.ca
SAS Exam Centre: sas.exams@uoguelph.ca