accessibility services office

About the Accessibility Services Office

The Accessibility Services Office provides "Reasonable Accommodation" for Hokkaido University students necessary to eliminate or reduce limitation and difficulty in study and research due to their disability or impairment. Our specialist staff are also available to provide consultation services to students who are facing issues or difficulties in their student lives. Do not hesitate to talk to us, and let us help you improve your environment for study and research.
We also offer consultation services to family members of our students as well as faculty and staff members of the University.

Are You Concerned About Any of the Following?

  • I have difficulty in hearing, and sometimes find it hard to understand what the professor is saying during the class.
  • I have problems with my vision and would like to have reference materials digitized.
  • I have hyperacusis; I would like to wear noise-cancelling headphones during the class.
  • I cannot participate in certain activities as I have mobility impairment.
  • It is difficult for me to carry items as I  have lower extremity paralysis. Can I use a locker?
  • There are times I feel emotionally down and cannot go out. I get anxious worrying that my courses are moving forward while I am not there.
  • I cannot manage my schedule.
  • I am so into social media that I cannot maintain a regular lifestyle.

Developing Environment That Enables All Students to Achieve Deeper Learning

We offer consultation services not only for students with disability or impairment but also for faculty, staff and family members of the students. In some cases, students do not notice their own problems but people around them do. Contact us If you notice any student who might benefit from assistance.

To Students

We believe that difficulty experienced in study and research due to disability or impairment of a student needs to be managed through creating an environment that facilitates accommodation and is not what should be overcome by the student alone.
There are cases where students who had not received any accommodation or support until their high school years start experiencing issues in their study and research at university.
If this happens to you, it is important to gauge the situation you are in, promote self-understanding, and clarify what is needed to create a more accommodating environment. 

Hokkaido University is committed to creating an environment and building relationships that allow all students to strive for deeper learning while respecting individuality and uniqueness of each other.
Student life at university is different from what you have experienced through high school in many ways — your lifestyle, how to register for courses, and how the classes are taught, etc. You may start experiencing confusion or anxiety in this new environment even when you have not faced major issues through high school years while receiving accommodations or support, or when you have not received any accommodation or support in the past. You may think “I am a college student, so I must solve everything by myself”. However, independent and responsible adults should be able to speak up when they are facing difficulties and proactively ask for assistance instead of keeping everything inside.

The Accessibility Services Office is committed to creating an environment in your student life where you can comfortably focus on study and research through communication with you. 
Feel free to contact us any time.

What We Offer

The Accessibility Services Office offers consultation services on reasonable accommodation for students with disability or impairment and provide support in their study and research.

Available Services
  • Develop and dispatch peer supporters to help students with disability or impairment
  • Loan assistive devices and goods
  • Produce and distribute educational materials
  • Coordinate with departments or schools as well as faculty and staff members with regard to reasonable accommodation
  • Conduct FD/SD training programs on disability, impairment and support
Examples of “Reasonable Accommodation”

Digitization of reference materials; loan of video magnifiers; note-taking (by computer or by hand); audio typing; use of hearing aid systems; change of classrooms; reservation of specific seats; extension of exam time; test-taking accommodations; approval of computer use; classroom accommodations; use of noise-cancelling headphones; and providing instructions and directions in writing

Assistive Devices and Goods

We loan various assistive devices. To request the use of a device or goods, or if you want to take a look or try them out, contact the Accessibility Services Office.

Our Assistive Devices and Goods Include:

  • Color film (reading focus card)
  • Noise-cancelling headphones
  • Earmuffs
  • Time log (timer)
  • Hand-held magnifying lenses
  • Magnifying reading aids
  • IC recorders
  • FM hearing aid systems

    List of Assistive Devices and Goods Available

To Faculty, Staff and Family Members of Students

Please contact the Accessibility Services Office for support if a student asks you for advice on issues in their student life or in their study and research, or kindly encourage them to contact us themselves. Some students with disability or impairment may hesitate to seek advice. It would be greatly appreciated if you pay attention to them and ask them from time to time if they have any issues or concerns.
Even students who have not disclosed their disability or impairment upon enrollment often experience difficulties once they start their classes. If such student asks you for advice, please listen to them about their situation, and encourage to contact the Accessibility Services Office. You are also welcome to accompany them to the consultation.
In some cases, students do not notice their own disability or impairment, but people around them do. Do not hesitate to contact the Accessibility Services Office if you notice a student who may need assistance or if you are not sure how to handle the situation.

Consultation Services for Faculty, Staff and Family Members of Students

The Student Counseling Office offers consultation services to faculty, staff and family members of students.
To make an appointment, see the “Faculty/Staff/Family Members of Students” page in the “Appointment/Inquiry” section on our website (in Japanese)

Examples of Consultation Requests
  • One of my students does not seem to understand my instructions.
  • I cannot communicate well with this particular student.

To Prospective Students

If you would like to receive reasonable accommodation or support in study and research after you are admitted to Hokkaido University, please contact the department (or the graduate school in the case of graduate course) in which you wish to enroll as soon as possible.
For reasonable accommodation in entrance exams, please contact our Entrance Exam Division.
You may contact the Accessibility Services Office any time after enrollment for consultation services.

About Reasonable Accommodation

This section informs you what reasonable accommodation is and the process including how to apply and how support is provided.

Application for Reasonable Accommodation

Useful Resources

Here are some resources you may find useful on disability, impairment and illness including a list of support organizations.

Accessibility Services Office Useful Resources

About Peer Support Unit

Peer supporters in the Accessibility Services Division of the Peer Support Unit provide support for students with disability or impairment such as ensuring information accessibility by taking notes (by computer or by hand) or digitizing reference materials.

If you wish to help students with disability or impairment, join our team of peer supporters. The Accessibility Services Office offers peer supporter training courses to give you necessary knowledge and skills in providing support.
Please do not hesitate to contact us.

Peer Support Unit

Become a peer supporter

Hokkaido University takes applications for peer supporters at designated times throughout the year. Peer supporters are paid part-time staff (administrative assistant) of the university. Check out the peer support unit web site or come to the Center for more information.

Thinking about visiting us?

If you would like to make a counseling appointment, please call us, email us, or even just drop by in person. Students with appointments are given priority, so we recommend making an appointment.