Accommodations

Accommodations are academic adjustments to exam conditions, such as extended time or a quiet room, as well as use of auxiliary aids, such as an interpreter, access to materials in alternate formats, and access to assistive technology.

Specific examples of accommodations and/or auxiliary aids are as follows:

• Testing accommodations, such as extended time, quiet room, and use of a word processor.
  
  
• Communication accommodations, such as interpreting, realtime captioning, (CART or C-print), assistive listening devices, and notetaking.
  
  
• Other auxiliary aids such as qualified readers and/or scribes, alternative text formats, adaptive access to computer labs, and/or other electronic resources.

Accommodations and/or auxiliary aids are determined by Disability Services based on assessment of submitted documentation for its appropriateness and completeness under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and DS documentation policy.

Accommodations are determined through a series of questions. Each question must be answered "yes" or the accommodation need not be provided. Does the student have a disability? Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) criteria are applied. Has the student provided appropriate documentation? Is the student "otherwise qualified?" With the requested accommodations, can the student perform the essential tasks of the course? Is the requested accommodation reasonable? Section 504 and ADA guidelines are applied with respect to determination of "reasonableness."

Students, faculty, and Disability Services have certain rights and responsibilities related to receiving, providing, and determining reasonable accommodations. Specific rights and responsibilities are as follows:

Student Rights and Responsibilities

• Students have the right to reasonable accommodations as supported by documentation.
  
  
• Students have the responsibility to provide documentation that meets DS documentation requirements and that supports the reasonable accommodation(s).
  
  
• Students have the responsibility to acknowledge the need for accommodation(s) to the professor in a "timely" manner. The ADA does not define "timely." DS interprets this term to mean at least one week before the exam.
  
  
• Students have the responsibility to speak directly with the professor about the "how" of the accommodation(s). Testing accommodations are not negotiable, but how and where those accommodations are provided may be negotiable.
  
  
• Students have the responsibility to make the necessary arrangements in a timely fashion when the exam is proctored by Disability Services. Arrangements include: contact DS for test proctoring form, complete student portion, meet with professor to discuss details and obtain signature, return completed form to DS at least one week (preferably two) prior to exam.

Faculty Rights and Responsibilities (once testing accommodations are determined)

• It is recommended that faculty include a "reasonable accommodation" statement on the course syllabus so that students who need reasonable accommodations understand what is expected by the professor. (See "Appendix" for Sample Syllabus Statements.)
  
  
• If the request is properly documented and made in a timely fashion, then faculty are obligated to provide the reasonable accommodation. Faculty may be held personally liable. If the request is not made in a timely manner, then faculty should consult with Disability Services.
  
  
• Faculty have the responsibility to provide the reasonable accommodation(s) as delineated in a letter from Disability Services and/or in documentation submitted by the student.
  
  
• Faculty have the responsibility to provide exam accommodations for students who require extended time and/or a quiet, separate room if such accommodations are deemed reasonable based on complete and appropriate documentation. DS provides proctoring services for all other exam accommodations.
  
  
• Faculty have the right to deny accommodations to students who cannot provide evidence of a disability that warrants such. If documentation and/or accommodation requests are submitted directly to faculty without a letter from DS, DS is available to consult with faculty about their reasonableness and appropriateness.
  
  
• Acknowledgement and requests for reasonable accommodations can be difficult for some students; therefore, sensitivity and understanding are recommended.

Disability Services' Rights and Responsibilities

• DS has the responsibility to determine reasonable accommodations as supported by the submitted documentation and in collaboration with the student.
  
  
• DS has the right to deny accommodations that are not supported by the documentation. If evidence of a significant impact is not present, accommodations may not be warranted.
  
  
• DS has the responsibility to ensure that students receive the appropriate reasonable accommodations.
  
  
• DS has the responsibility to support faculty members when reasonable accommodations are appropriately provided.
  
  
• DS has the responsibility to provide specific reasonable accommodations such as a reader, a scribe, use of a word processor, or a sign language interpreter.

Procedures for determining reasonable accommodations and individual rights and responsibilities are framed according to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Disability Services takes the responsibility of determining reasonable accommodations very seriously. Consequently, reasonable accommodation(s) approved by DS are supported by documentation on file.

For more specific information, see our documentation requirements.