Communication
As a parent, you may be used to managing your child’s accommodation plan, as was the case in high school and perhaps college. At McGill, all communication to and from Student Accessibility and Achievement should be from the student. If you have any questions, you can submit a question to our Ask Student Accessibility and Achievement system.
Making an appointment with Student Accessibility and Achievement
Students can make an appointment with Student Accessibility and Achievement as soon as they have accepted their offer of admission to McGill. Students are required to make the initial appointment with us, but parents are welcome to sit in on the appointment (either here at our offices or virtually via Microsoft Teams) if the student is comfortable with this. It should be understood, however, that the information and conversation will be directed toward the student.
Documentation
Students without medical documentation are welcome to make an appointment with an Access Services Advisor, but they will need documentation to register with Student Accessibility and Achievement. The documentation should come from a licensed healthcare professional (family doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, etc.) and should include a diagnosis as well as an explanation of how your diagnosis impacts your academic performance. If you are unsure about or have any concerns regarding your documentation (e.g. acquiring documentation, appropriateness of documentation, etc.), we would be happy to review your documentation with you during an info session appointment.
Confidentiality
The documents and personal information provided by students to our office remain confidential at all times. These can only be released to third parties with express written permission from the student. Registration with Student Accessibility and Achievement does not appear on transcripts and it is impossible for administrative units on campus, or future employers, to have access to this information unless students disclose it.
How can I help?
It is important that students come to Student Accessibility and Achievement ready to discuss the barriers that they face in their academic careers. Many students know the specific accommodations that they received in high school and/or college, but not necessarily why they receive these accommodations. Our Access Services Advisors will discuss with the students the disability-related or environmental barriers that they face regarding their learning in class (note-taking, paying attention, participating), out of class (studying, staying organized, managing deadlines), and on exams (staying focused, reading and writing speed, fine motor).