Academic Accommodations

Academic accommodations will be determined based on the interactive process between the Accessibility Coordinator and student, the student's documentation, prior effective accommodations, and the current functional limitations of the student. Academic accommodations may be implemented for lecture, online, labs, etc. These individualized accommodations are for the approved student only. Students and/or instructors should contact the OAS with any concerns. At times, a combination of several accommodations may be utilized to best meet the individual needs of a student.

The established method for informing faculty members of students' rights to specific identified accommodation(s), and to determine the reasonableness of identified accommodation(s) is as follows:

• Upon review of the request form and documentation, staff will contact the student to schedule an intake or request additional information.
• Students and Faculty are provided with letters outlining reasonable accommodations, and students are highly recommended to discuss these letters with their faculty members. See Tips for communicating with your professors about accommodations.
• As the needs for each class may differ, the determination of applicable accommodations must be a collaborative effort between the student, their faculty, and the OAS.
• When necessary, follow-up appointments and/or referrals to other support services are scheduled.
• Should the student later decide that other accommodations are necessary for equal access, the student must complete a Supplemental Accommodation Request (see Accommodate for Students).
• Students must request the academic accommodations each semester via the Semester Request through Accommodate in order to receive accommodation letters for that semester.

If the student encounters any problems related to their accommodations and/or disability, it is the student's responsibility to contact the Office of Accessibility Services promptly to initiate the resolution of problems. Faculty and staff are not responsible for the provision of accommodations that have not been requested in a timely manner (e.g., three (3) business days for testing accommodations).

• Extended time on exams
• Alternative format textbooks
• Note taking assistance
• Sign language interpreting
• Readers

*Please note that online attendance is typically not an option as an accommodation if a class is set-up to be taught in person.

*Please note that extended time on assignments is generally not appropriate for a diagnosis such as ADHD. You should develop organizational skills to ensure that you are getting assignments done on time. 

*Please note that missing class occasionally is only appropriate when a student has a chronic physical or mental condition/disability. This accommodation is not designed to comprehensively address and fully support a student who misses or is unable to participate in more that one week's worth of classes in succession, who missed a significant number of classes during the semester, or who misses numerous deadlines and course activities for medical or other reasons.

Requested accommodations will not be facilitated for disability reasons or within the context of a specific academic experience if the accommodation would result in any of the following: 

• Lowering an academic standard, such that it becomes inappropriately easier for a student to fulfill the mandatory elements or learning objectives required of all other students for the course, program, or degree achievement.
• Removing or waiving acquisition of an essential skill such that it becomes impossible to accurately assess the individual student’s learning, knowledge, and course work relative to the required course, program, or degree goals, and/or essential elements.
• Reducing expectations of what is generally expected of all college students (including but not limited to consistent in-class participation, managing time and deadlines, content memorization, and experiencing challenges with academic content).
• A significant change in the nature of the program.
• Removing or waiving acquisition of a skill that is directly related to the health and safety of others.
• Establishing the accommodation would pose a health or safety risk to the student with a disability or others within the academic setting.
• Removing or waiving requirements that are directly related to qualifying for a professional license.
• Enhance student success without removing an academic/institutional barrier that impedes equitable access.
• Address something that the student could otherwise manage through various approaches (time management, reduced course load, different study strategies, etc.).

At times, an accommodation may be deemed reasonable for disability reasons but is not reasonable within the context of a specific academic experience after further analysis due to one or more of the above-listed factors.

Key Information

• Students must request their accommodations each semester in order to receive accommodation letters for that semester. This is done by completing a Semester Request. 
• Accommodations cannot be applied retroactively. It is important to be proactive and seek help before it is too late.
• Academic accommodations may vary from class to class based on the standards and requirements of each course.