There may be circumstances where additional time for coursework is required due to disability-related impacts. For students who have disability-related extensions as an accommodation, an extension is not automatically applied to every assignment. Students are expected to attempt to meet the deadline but can request an extension if they encounter challenges related to their disability.
All disability-related extension requests require approval from the instructor. The request should be made before the original due date unless their are disability-related impacts that prevent a student from doing so.
Extensions are not automatically approved. There are situations when a professor or instructor might not be able to approve an extension including, but not limited to:
- When the extension request concerns a group assignment
- When the answers for the assignment were posted or taken up in the lecture
- When a laboratory experiment cannot be recreated
- When the extension request does not allow sufficient time for the professor to submit their marks at the end of the term
In these circumstances, the disability consultant can engage in a dialogue with the professor or instructor if there are alternate means to demonstrate knowledge and skill.
Process to request a disability-related extension
Students can request an accommodation one of two ways:
Option 1: Engage directly with the professor
Request the extension directly to the professor, instructor, or TA, if students are comfortable doing so. Professors can access student letters of accommodation online through the myAIMS professor portal to confirm extensions are part of the accommodation plan.
We recommend students request an extension a week before the original due date. Where students are unable to do so we ask that they speak with AccessAbility Services.
Students may use the disability-related extension request email template when requesting extensions.
Note: Students are not required to seek accommodation directly from the instructor. If a student is not comfortable requesting accommodations directly from the instructor see option 2.
Option 2: Request AccessAbility Services to submit the extension request
If students want AccessAbility Services to communicate with the professor, instructor or TA on their behalf, they need to complete the Disability-Related Extension Request Form (MS Word) located on our Online Forms Page. Please submit the completed form using the myAIMS Document Upload Portal.
Log in to myAIMS and select "Upload Documents" from the main menu. Please review our Document Upload Portal Guide [PDF] for detailed step-by-step instructions
Note: Completing this form ensures that our office requests extensions for the correct assignment with an appropriate time for completion. It helps expedite the request by eliminating back and forth between the student and their Disability Consultant.
The form also provides information to expedite the request rather than emailing details back and forth between the student and the disability consultant.
While waiting for a response to an extension request, students should continue to work on their coursework, if possible, to the best of their ability.
It is important that students continue to work on the assignments to the best of their ability while an extension request is being decided.
For extensions beyond one [1] week
If a student needs a disability-related extension beyond one [1] week, they must complete the online Extension Request Form and upload it on myAIMS. Further information or a meeting with a Disability Consultant may be required.
For extensions beyond the end of the term
Undergraduate Students (UG): Where UG students need to extend work beyond the end of the term, a petition will be required. Students can meet with their Disability Consultant to discuss the petition if the extension is based on disability-related needs, including if additional documentation is required.
If the petition is for non-disability-related reasons, students will need to follow the provide supporting documents with their petition.
Graduate Students:
The School of Graduate Studies sets deadlines for the completion of coursework and grade submission for all courses taught under its aegis. Students are expected to meet these deadlines and are advised to plan their research projects accordingly. Students who find themselves unable to meet the relevant deadlines can, under certain conditions, receive extensions for completing coursework after the dates set by SGS.
Note: Graduate units may establish deadlines earlier than those set by SGS for the completion of coursework and may prescribe penalties for late completion of work and failure to complete work, provided that these penalties are announced at the time the instructor makes available to the class the methods by which the student performance shall be evaluated. The policy below-concerning extensions pertain only to extensions of the deadlines for the completion of coursework set by SGS.
Go to the SGS extension request page for the process and extension form students must complete to submit work beyond the end of the term.