Faculty

The Office of Accessibility (OA) collaborates with the university community to create accessible educational environments for students with disabilities. Creating access is not just the responsibility of OA; it is a shared responsibility for the entire university community.

OA Information for Faculty and Staff

There is no need to dilute curriculum or to reduce course requirements for students with disabilities; however, special accommodations/modifications might be needed in the way information is presented and also in methods of testing/evaluation. Depending on the disability, the student might require the administration of examinations through digital text for use with screen reading software, extended time for the completion of exams, a quiet room to take the exam in, or use of a scribe. For out-of-class assignments, the student may negotiate the extension of deadlines. The objective of such considerations should always be to accommodate the student’s disability, not to lower scholastic requirements. The same standards should be applied to students with disabilities as to all other students in evaluation and assigning grades.

Below are topics of interest to assist you in the delivery of services and accommodations to students:

Syllabus Statement

Exam Accommodations Cheat Sheet

Reasonable Accommodations

Why is Video Captioning Important?

Faculty Handbook for OA (PDF-480KB)

 

Questions about accessibility for your online classes? It may be answered here: OA Answers Questions about Accessible Online Classes.

 

Instructor Rights

As an instructor, you have the right to:

1. Assess student progress and assign grades accordingly
2. Challenge an accommodation that would jeopardize the academic standards or integrity of the course.
3. Determine the content and fundamental rigor of the course. 
4. Expect that all students will adhere to the Student Conduct Code.
5. Understand how a student's disability and accommodations will impact their participation in class. 

 

Instructor Responsibilities

As an instructor, you have the responsibility to:

1. Notify students that accommodations are available and coordinated through the Office of Accessibility (OA). A statement on the course syllabus and an announcement on the first day of class would be helpful.
2. Provide accommodations in a fair and timely manner.
3. Respect the confidential nature of disability-related information.
4. Report conflicts or concerns regarding accommodations to the OA professional staff.

 

Other Information

Remember to make sure students go through Student Accessibility Services in order to receive accommodations from you. For example, if a student tries to approach you with a pill bottle to document his or her disability or a psychological evaluation for you to review, please send them to disability services to certify the disability.

It is important to discuss appropriate accommodations with students; however, asking questions about a student’s disability, such as the diagnosis, must be avoided. Students have the legal right to NOT disclose the diagnosis; they need only discuss how reasonable accommodations assist them in their academic environment.