Disability Support Services

Working with Students with Disabilities: A Faculty/Staff Guide

Accommodating Students with Disabilities

Accommodations provide equal educational opportunities for students with disabilities. They make it possible for the student to learn the material presented and for the instructor to fairly evaluate the student’s understanding of the material without interference because of the disability. Providing accommodations does not mean compromising the content, quality or level of instruction. All students are required to meet a standard of competency in course work, and students with disabilities are no exception.

A student should have authorization from DSS before accommodations are provided. To request accommodations, the student must provide the DSS office with current documentation from a qualified professional regarding the nature of the disability. After interviewing the student and, if necessary, the instructor, a DSS specialist determines appropriate accommodations based on the nature and the extent of the disability described in the documentation. DSS then develops a memo for instructors specifying the student’s approved accommodations.

The student is responsible for delivering the DSS memo to instructors each term and talking with them about arrangements for accommodations in each course based on the contents of the memo. Students are encouraged to do this as early as possible in the term.

The process of requesting and receiving accommodations is interactive; all people involved—the student, the instructor and the DSS staff—have a shared responsibility to make sure the process works.

DSS works collaboratively in this shared responsibility so instructors are not managing accommodations in isolation.

Accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis. The following are some examples of reasonable accommodations that students with disabilities may require:

Classroom Accommodations:

• Adaptive furniture or equipment
• Access to visual aids/Power Points
• Accessible online and web-based course materials following Section 508 guidelines
• Additional time on in-class writing assignments
• Assistive listening device
• Audio taping lectures
• Captioned videos
• Exit classroom when symptoms occur
• Interpreting/transcribing services
• Note-taker
• Occasional exceptions to absentee policy
• Preferential seating
• Use of laptop in class for notes or in-class writing assignments

Testing Accommodations:

• Alternate exam format
• Assistive technology, such as reading and writing software
• Calculator
• Computer access for essay exams
• Extended time on exams
• Large print exams
• Minimal distraction testing environment
• No scantrons
• Reader
• Scribe
• Spell check

Other Accommodations:

• Alternate textbooks and course materials in Braille, elecronic or enlarged format
• Classroom moved to accessible location
• Course substitutions (math) according to college policy
• Priority registration
• Reduced course load (while maintaining full time status)

Note-Taking Accommodations:

If the student needs note-taking accommodations, this will be documented in the DSS memo. In most cases the student will need to be accommodated by being provided a copy of class notes.  Taping lectures or using a lap top are other examples of note-taking accommodations.

When providing copies of class notes, the instructor assists the student by recruiting another student in class who is willing to provide notes. The DSS memo provides directions for the instructor, including a suggested class announcement that keeps the identity of the student with the disability confidential. Please note that student confidentiality is of the utmost importance.

The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has indicated that notes should be provided to the student within 2 weeks of the initial request.  Therefore, it is important that the instructor contact the DSS office if a note-taker cannot be identified within this time frame.  DSS will then follow up to ensure the student is accommodated.

Instructors can be of great assistance in quality assurance by occasionally reviewing copies of the notes, especially early in the term, and giving feedback to the note-taker.  DSS asks the instructor to contact the office with any concerns regarding a note-taker, including the quality of the notes.

Testing Accommodations:

If testing accommodations are needed, these will be documented in the DSS memo. The student is responsible for discussing testing arrangements with the instructor.

The Testing Services Center is available to assist with testing accommodations for students with disabilities. The center provides testing for extended time administration, as well as computers, readers, scribes and reduced-distraction testing spaces. All tests are proctored to ensure academic honesty.

To use the Testing Services Center, the student should first provide the instructor with the DSS memo
authorizing the testing accommodations. Five days prior to the scheduled test, the student should then submit either the online or paper version of the Test Accommodations Request Form for the instructor to complete and attach to the test. The test should then be delivered to the center at least 24 hours in advance of test time. After the student takes the test, the center will return it to the instructor’s department. For further information, see the Testing Services Center section of this guide.

Class Attendance Accommodations:

Students with disabilities are expected to attend class regularly and comply with class attendance policies. However, there may be times when a student will be absent due to disability-related reasons. For such absences, it may be considered a reasonable accommodation to have the instructor relax a class attendance policy. The student who is approved for this accommodation is expected to contact the instructor in advance of the absence when possible; for unexpected absences, he or she should contact you as soon as possible to discuss making up missed work and/or to verify the reason for the absence.

At times, this accommodation may not be reasonable due to the nature of the course.  However, this determination must be made via an interactive process in consultation with the instructor, DSS and the student and academic department chair, as appropriate.  In determining whether attendance is considered ana essential requirement for a particular course, the OCR has indicated that the following factors should be considered:

• Is there classroom interaction between the instructor and students and among the students themselves?
• Do student contributions in class constitute a significant component of the learning process?
• Does the fundamental nature of the course rely upon student participation as an essential method for learning?
• To what degree does a student’s failure to attend class constitute a significant loss to the educational experience of other students in the class?
• What does the course description and syllabus say regarding attendance?
• What is the method by which the final course grade is calculated?

Responsibilities

Faculty Responsibilities

• Make sure that each course, viewed in its entirety, is accessible (e.g., content, texts and materials, assessment methods, on-line instruction and requirements)
• Submit books lists to the bookstore as early as possible (so alternate formats can be arranged in a timely manner)
• Include announcement in syllabus directing students to DSS if they have a need for an accommodation related to a disability
• Support and implement reasonable accommodations as identified in the DSS memo presented to the instructor by the student
• Consult with DSS if accommodation requests conflict with course objectives/requirements
• Maintain student's right to privacy and confidentiality

Student Responsibilities

• Provide DSS with appropriate disability documentation in support of accommodation requests
• Make requests for accommodations in a timely manner
• Provide instructors with DSS memo
• Talk with instructors about how accommodations will be implemented iin each course
• Inform DSS of difficulties regarding accommodations
• Meet essential qualifications and standards for courses and programs
• Request accommodations each term.  Accommodations cannot be granted retroactively.

Disability Support Services Responsibilities

• Inform students of office location and procedures for requesting accommodations
• Accept and evaluate verifying documentation of disability
• Maintain disability-related documentation for registered students
• Approve appropriate and reasonable accommodations
• Communicate with faculty and staff on a need-to-know basis and/or as requested by student
• Protect student's privacy and confidentiality
• Provide equal access to courses, programs and services in collaboration with faculty, staff and students