Accommodation Descriptions
This accommodation can be beneficial in providing access for students with medical and mental health concerns. A student may need to leave the room to take medication, use the restroom, or address symptoms of anxiety or panic in privacy. This accommodation should not impact a student's learning in the course.
This accommodation can be used to address barriers related to sustained attention, information processing, and memory. While we encourage all students to ask clarifying questions and take advantage of office hours, this accommodation serves as a notification to the professor to expect a student may be asking questions more often. If the information the student is seeking could be found in the course materials, the professor is welcome to appropriate refer the student to the source of information. This can be a great opportunity to coach a student and support their information fluency.
Medical and psychological conditions may create barriers to a student's ability to meet the faculty member's established attendance policy. Based on the nature of the course and learning outcomes, the Accessibility Services Center will work with faculty members to determine a reasonable allotment of absences that would still allow a student to meet the learning expectations. If the student is absent, they will still be responsible for all homework, papers, and assignments. However, the student may need some consideration on deadlines depending on the nature of the absence. It is the student's responsibility to contact the professor in a timely manner for any make-up work or tests.
This accommodation can be used to address a number of barriers for students with processing or attention concerns. If the professor is able to provide the student with additional time in the classroom or during office hours, the professor is welcome to make those arrangements. These arrangements can be helpful as they provide the student with the opportunity to ask the professor questions related to the exam. If the professor is unable to accommodate the need for additional time, the Accessibility Services Center (ASC) will be happy to administer exams in their minimally-supervised testing spaces. The student is responsible for organizing the exams with the ASC by submitting an online form five (5) business days prior to the exam. This provides the ASC adequate time to reserve a space for the student and obtain a copy of the exam. The ASC will email the professor when a student has requested to take their exam in the ASC. The email includes a cover sheet for the professor to provide information about the materials all students have access to on the exam and helps the ASC ensure similar testing procedures for the accommodated student.
A standard classroom presentation format may present a barrier for students with significant anxiety, social concerns, etc. Students with this accommodation may request to complete course presentations in an alternative format. Format options may include presenting directly to the faculty member in a one-on-one setting or video recording their presentation for class viewing. The appropriateness of this accommodation will be determined by the faculty member on a course by course basis based on the essential components and learning outcomes of the course.
Some barriers related to sustained attention and/or auditory processing can be addressed by the student having access to their notes, as well as, the audio from the lecture. The addition of the lecture audio allows the students to take a multi-modal approach to their studying and appropriately fill in information gaps from the course. Below is the link to an optional recording release form. Faculty are welcome to have the student sign this form and retain a copy for their records. By signing the release form, the student acknowledges the professor's copyright of the lecture materials and agrees to use the recordings solely for studying purposes. Audio recording is covered as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Students utilizing the audio recording inappropriately can be referred to the Office of Community Standards.
A calculator would be allowed for a student to make basic calculations when these calculations are not essential learning objectives of the course. Faculty may either provide a calculator or approve the use of a student's personal calculator. The Accessibility Services Center can also provide basic 4-function and scientific calculators for exams.
This accommodation is designed to provide the student with the content being covered in the class so the student can then focus more on the additional information covered rather than strictly copying down the information. For students with processing speed concerns, attention issues, etc., the simultaneous tasks of listening for comprehension, reading the visuals provided and writing down information create barriers to their engagement and retention of the needed information. The above options provide the students with the visual components of the lecture so they can focus more on the other information being delivered.
This accommodation is only necessary if note-taking is recommended for success in the course. If the professor is able to provide the student with a copy of lecture notes or presentation materials that would assist in following along with course content, that may be sufficient to address the student's barrier to access. If notes or presentation materials cannot be provided, the Accessibility Services Center team will work with the professor to identify a potential note taker within the course. The ASC asks the professor to make an announcement to the class and ask for a volunteer note taker (without mentioning the name of the student who needs notes). If a student volunteers to be a note taker, the professor will notify the ASC of the volunteer's name and the ASC will connect the volunteer with the accommodated student. The note taker will be asked to provide the accommodated student with a copy of their notes within 24 hours of the class meeting. That note taker can type and email their notes or bring them to the ASC to be scanned and sent.
Please note, a note taking accommodation is meant to supplement the accommodated student's personal notes in order to support their understanding of the course materials. This accommodation does not excuse the student from attending or appropriately engaging in the class.
Please contact the Accessibility Services Center and they will help coordinate the process of captioning any videos professors may be using within their classroom.
The student's use of a computer for examinations can help to address barriers related to handwriting, spelling, processing speed, etc. The computers utilized in the Accessibility Services Center are equipped with internet-blocking software. This allows the student to utilize Microsoft Word, Excel, or other programs within a controlled testing environment.
The student's use of a computer or personal device for notes and written assignments can help to address barriers related to handwriting, spelling, processing speed, etc. The student is expected to utilize their device to remain engaged in the course material. If a student is misusing their device (e.g. not remaining on task), the faculty member has the ability to address that behavioral concern.
Some students may have significant allergies or asthma that can be triggered by a chemical or combination of chemicals in a variety of products (e.g. perfumes, colognes, cleaning products, lotions, body sprays). The student's reaction could range from itchy eyes to a medical emergency. In order to prevent these events from occurring, fragranced products should not be used by other individuals in the classroom. We ask the professor make an announcement at the beginning of the class and/or put a statement in their syllabus. The following is an example statement:
“Please be aware that this classroom will be a fragrance-free environment. Individuals in the class may have chemical sensitivities to products, such as, perfumes, colognes, lotions, and body sprays which could seriously impact their health. For the safety of all students, please refrain from wearing and/or using these products during class.”
If the accommodated student notices a potential issue in the class, they may approach the professor to make arrangements to either sit in another spot in the classroom or leave the classroom altogether. This will depend on the impact of the chemical at that time. If this does take place, the faculty member should remind the class of the expectation of a fragrance-free environment.
This accommodation is implemented to address a variety of barriers to access. A student may have a mobility impairment that could impact their ability to get from one class to another in a short period of time. A student may be taking medication that is most effective during a certain time of the day. The priority registration accommodation provides a student with more options to find a schedule that will best meet their accessibility needs. However, there may be some courses with limited options for days and times. Students understand they will have to register for the courses available and work with the Accessibility Services Center to identify some alternative options to ensure access. The ASC will be in contact with the student and advisor prior to course registration to provide the priority dates. The student is expected to meet with their advisor prior to registration for advising and to receive their PIN.
This accommodation helps to address significant barriers related to sustained attention, processing speed, or anxiety. An empty classroom, departmental office, or study room, may provide a sufficient environment to minimize distractions. If the professor does not have access to one of these options, the Accessibility Services Center offers minimally-supervised testing rooms.