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Context and Purpose

What is a memory aid accommodation?

A memory aid is an accommodation for students whose disability affects their memory retrieval, including long-term memory retrieval and/or sequencing of information (George Brown College, 2023). The memory aid is a tool that provides cues or triggers to assist students in recalling previously learned information during an assessment (Toronto Metropolitan University, 2025).

The circumstances for providing memory aids are limited and very specific. Accessibility Advisors determine a memory aid for student assessments on a case-by-case basis by considering the functional impacts of the student’s diagnosed condition, specifically how it affects their ability to retrieve stored information from memory.

Roles and responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities of both students and instructors in setting up memory aid accommodations.

Students

Instructors

Create a memory aid for each assessment. You may connect with a Learning Strategist for help. Submit the memory aid to your instructor in advance for review and approval. Determine with your instructor the required timeframe. The approved memory aid will be provided to the student with their exam either by the instructor or the proctoring office. You do not bring your personal copy. Return the memory aid to the instructor or invigilator with the completed assessment.

Determine the timeline for student submission of their memory aid. Approve the memory aid in advance of the assessment. Upload the memory aid to the Academic Success Centre Proctoring Services database. Note: If the exam requires alternative proctoring, the instructor is required to upload it to the ASC Proctoring Services database at least 3 days before the exam. This means that the memory aid needs to be created with enough time for it to be reviewed by the instructor and submitted.

Strategies

The roles and responsibilities outlined above can be distilled into three key steps, to be completed for each assessment in the course:

1. The student drafts and submits a memory aid.

   + Sample email template for student submission of memory aid

   Subject:

   Memory Aid Submission - [Student's Name] - [Course Code] - [Assessment Date]

   Dear Professor [Instructor's Last Name], My name is [Student's Name], and I'm a student in your [Course Code: Course Title] course. As outlined in my accommodation letter from the Accessibility and Accommodations Services office, I have an approved memory aid accommodation for course assessments. Attached is my memory aid for the assessment scheduled on [date]. I'm sending it to you [X] days in advance as required. Please let me know if you have any questions or require any adjustments. Best regards, [Student's Name] [Student Number]

2. The instructor reviews the memory aid.

   The memory aid should:

   • Be submitted on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper
   • Be handwritten or typed
   • Include images, diagrams, formulae, acronyms, abbreviations, or mnemonics
   • Make sense to both the student who created it, and the course instructor

   The memory aid should not:

   • Include a synopsis of the course material
   • Demonstrate or provide examples of how fomulas are applied
   • Include complete terms or definitions
   • Compromise any of the core competencies* of the course or program

   * A core competency includes "knowledge and skills that must be acquired or demonstrated for a student to meet the learning objectives of the course successfully (Lakehead University, 2025)

3. The instructor submits the approved memory aid along with the assessment to ASC Proctoring Services.

   Three days before the assessment date, title the approved memory aid as "Memory Aid" and email it to ascproc@ualberta.ca or upload it directly to Accomodate (follow Step 3 outlined in the ) as part of the exam detail/material submission process.

Examples of memory aids

“​​Memory aids are distinct from 'cheat sheets' as they do not contain course-specific material or answers. Instead, they consist of personalized cues or triggers such as pictures, acronyms, or symbols” (Toronto Metropolitan University, 2025). In other words, a memory aid is designed to prompt the recall of information previously learned through cues or triggers.

Submitted versus approved memory aids

If the above examples represented the student submission, the approved memory aid provided on the assessment date would include only the cues and triggers as indicated under each subheading (e.g. the image, formula, acronym, abbreviation, and/or mnemonic). See example below.

What if I already provide a formula sheet, fact sheet, or word list for the assessments in my course?

Example: In an introductory accounting class, students receive a sheet that lists 10 essential formulas. During the midterm assessment, they are expected to apply these formulas to solve each question. The sheet serves as a memory aid—providing helpful cues—while students demonstrate the essential skill of applying the formulas to solve problems required in the course. 

In this scenario, the formula sheet itself serves as a built-in memory aid accommodation. The same approach can apply to other shared resources, such as fact sheets or word lists. As a result, students do not need to create and submit their own memory aid unless they wish to adapt the shared resource to meet individual needs.

If you are interested in proactively integrating a memory aid feature into your assessment design for all students, consider the following:

1. How can the memory aid be co-created with the class to ensure it is tailored to meet the needs of all students?

   For example, a student with an accommodation may adapt the collective memory aid to meet their particular needs related to their memory loss.

2. How can you best communicate this to students?

   For example, if you intend to cocreate or have as a default a memory aid (in the form of a formula list, fact sheet, or word list), cite it in the course syllabus under the description of the assessment. Likewise, if you know incoming students have, as an accommodation, a memory aid, let them know in your access statement that it is an accommodation you have worked with before and are familiar with.

Learning Journey: Reflective Prompts

As an instructor, you can support a student with a memory aid accommodation by asking yourself:

• How can I organize my content to support the cumulative learning of students best?

• How can I scaffold my assignments to build a connection between content and skills?

• How can I build my course reading list to support different modes of learning that are conducive to the variability of student needs?

Learn more: Additional Resources

U of A resources

1. Centre for Teaching and Learning – Pedagogical practices that offer flexible and accessible options for classroom participation in your specific teaching context

2. Information Services and Technology – Setting up participation and assessment settings/options in Canvas or eClass

3. Accessibility & Accommodations Services – Understanding the duty to accommodate at the ¶®É«µÛ or asking specific questions related to student accommodations

External resources

1. George Brown College. 2023. .

2. Lakehead University. 2025. .

3. Toronto Metropolitan University. 2025. .