Academic Accommodations
Course and classroom accommodations may be necessary to achieve equity for students with disabilities.
Implementing Accommodations
Accommodations are determined on an individual basis by the LEADS Director after obtaining information about a student’s disability and the impact of that disability in a learning setting. This information is used to consider traditional classroom techniques and determine what adjustments may be needed. Accommodations are an individual’s right and are expected to be implemented. However, faculty may always discuss options with the Director should a particular accommodation appear to have an adverse impact on the learning goals or experiences of an individual student or others in the class.
There are two basic types of course accommodations and they are implemented in different ways:
- Accommodations that are based on routinely used teaching/learning methods and are straightforward in their implementation are most common. These include such accommodations as extra time on any timed in-class evaluations such as most commonly used tests and quizzes, a low distraction area in which to take an exam, and note-taking assistance. When a student is eligible for these types of accommodations, they are communicated to the professor via a paper letter, called an Access Letter, signed by the Director, and are delivered to the professor by the student. Because there are some logistics involved in most of these, the student and the professor are to discuss together how the accommodations will be implemented.
- Accommodations of “leniency with attendance” and “leniency with deadlines” rely more heavily on nuanced knowledge of the course activities and learning goals. Consequently, the Director sends an email to the professor asking the professor to consider the amount of leniency the professor can allow given the course structure and learning goals. The professor should respond to the email detailing specific ways in which leniency can be provided. For those times when such leniency would directly impact learning by classmates or affect an experience that would be impossible to replicate if missed, a faculty member should provide the specific rationale that supports the decision to not allow leniency. Faculty are asked to reply to the email from the Director with these specifics so that any misunderstandings or lack of clarity can be addressed before communicating with the student. Faculty also need to establish, in advance, the maximum amount of classes that can be missed. Establishing this decision in advance and in writing with an accompanying rationale, prevents a faculty member from being viewed as arbitrary and capricious.
Important Considerations
- Accommodations are to be implemented as indicated, even when the faculty member has concerns and proceeds to discuss alternatives with the Director.
- Faculty are not to involve the student in a discussion of determining accommodations. For the leniency accommodation, the decisions by the faculty are to be made independent of the student’s disability, beliefs about the student’s capabilities, and/or beliefs about the student’s perceived ability to attend class or complete coursework in a timely basis.
- The very nature of disabilities which require leniency with attendance and deadlines is that those students are unable to know or control in advance when they will be impacted by their disability. Therefore, indicating that a student needs to notify a faculty member in advance is an unrealistic requirement. Most faculty allow 24-48 hours after the deadline for the student to contact the faculty member.
- With leniency accommodations for attendance and deadlines, the students with disabilities are to have no less leniency than any other student for any other reason.
- Because most students have multiple disabilities, faculty frequently receive letters of accommodation from the student and an email from the Director. Both are to be attended to and the faculty member is to track the accommodation needs of individual students in their courses.
- LEADS does not know each individual student’s reason for absences to verify them for faculty. However, a faculty member who is concerned about repeated absences without contact from the student is encouraged to notify LEADS or other Dean of Students staff so that they can try to connect with the student.
These statements for implementing accommodations are the minimum necessary for compliance. However, many faculty and staff are interested in inclusive practices, universal design methods, and other strategies for making a better learning experience for all learners, including students with disabilities. At times this may have a bearing on accommodations and would be best discussed with the Director if there are any concerns about whether or not it meets the needs of the student.
Types of Classroom Accommodations
Students who need note-taking assistance have varying needs that will require different solutions. What is needed by the student is also affected by the way in which information is imparted in a class. Consequently, “note-taking assistance” is used to identify a need, but leave the specific options to be determined by the student and faculty member.
Options may include, but are not limited to, use of a computer, use of a recording device, taking photos of the board, power points shared with the student ahead of time, and/or having a peer note-taker that shares notes with the student. If a peer note-taker is needed, the faculty member is to make sure that the arrangements are made in a timely manner. This includes recruiting a peer note-taking within the class. If the professor thinks that an inducement is needed, LEADS can pay up to $75 per full-unit, full-term course for the notes. The faculty member is to inform us of who the note-taker is early in the term and reaffirm near the end of the term that the student peer note-taker has followed through with sharing the notes.
Universal design suggestion: Have students take turns posting their notes for everyone in the class to check against (leaving the student with a disability that presents challenges in note-taking out of this expectation, of course). Knowing that others may struggle with note-taking (e.g. new non-native English speakers), you may want to adjust accordingly or provide feedback on notes before they are posted.
The most common accommodation for students with disabilities is additional time on in-class exams.
“Exams” includes all in-class timed quizzes, exams, assessments, labs, evaluations, or activities. When it is not possible for a faculty member (or a designee such as a T.A. or a colleague) to accommodate the student with disabilities’ established needs, faculty are to discuss this with the student and then guide the student in making alternative arrangements, if needed. Most often, these alternative arrangements will be under the supervision of the Library Staff with verification by Learning Enrichment and Disability Services (LEADS). Specific policies and procedures can be found on the Exam Administration Form.
Points for faculty and teaching staff who proctor the exam:
-most “extended time” accommodations are time and a half, but can range up to 3 times in rare cases
-conditions are to be equivalent (or different as specified in the Access Letter) but no less, than what the rest of the students in the class experience. For example, a student with extended time should not be scheduled in a classroom where that student will need to move mid-exam.
-student is not to miss any of your class or another class as part of getting extended time
-student is to have access to you the faculty member (to ask questions) as much as other students did while taking the exam
-several students can take the exam together, unless it is specified on the Access Letter that the student needs to take the exam alone.
-if the faculty member gives additional time to other students (i.e. international students), the additional time given to the student with a disability is to be multiplied by the maximum time given to any other student.
-during finals week, clarify the length of the exam (vs. the time set aside for it) to all students and provide extra time as indicated to the student with a disability.
Another common accommodation for students is to take in-class timed exams* in a low-distraction area. Typically a student can take exams in a small class that doesn’t have another distracting student or other environmental disturbances. However, in larger classes, and because this accommodation is also frequently combined with extra time on exams, exam administration should occur outside of the classroom.
Points:
-The location provided should be less distracting than the classroom environment during the exam.
-Several students can be put in a separate room, as long as none of the students have distracting behaviors.
-Occasionally an Access Letter indicates that the student needs to be in a room by alone; that needs to be arranged.
-Students are to have the same access to the faculty member (to ask questions) as other students do while taking the exam.
*”Exams” includes all in-class timed quizzes, exams, assessments, evaluations, or activities.
Since several faculty are concerned about students using laptops in the classroom and have banned students from using them, those students that need to use one for accessibility reasons have it stated in their Access Letter.
Points:
Typically the real need is to have a word processor, and often for note-taking and/or written aspects of an exam.
Occasionally, when a student needs the computer for an exam, it is for the speech-to-text or text-to-speech functions of the software on the student’s computer. For speech-to-text situations, the student usually also has indicated the need for a room to self during the exam - so as not to disturb other students. (Most text-to-speech situations can use headphones.)
If a faculty member has concerns about the student having access to the internet during an exam, alternate arrangements can be made but most often the faculty members simply choose to closely observe the computer use of the student.
Faculty can have a conversation with the student about the distractions of the laptop for both the student and other students, and discuss strategic locations for the student to sit in the class to minimize distractions for other students. These would be suggestions, however, as we are not to limit the choices of a student with a disability because of the accommodation that the student needs.
MAJOR POINTS FOR FACULTY
The following are some basic facts for faculty to keep in mind regarding academic accommodations:
Accommodations are a right, not a privilege. It is the responsibility of the College to ensure that students with disabilities are provided equal access to their college education. In making decisions, the Director relies heavily on professional standards, consults colleagues within the disability services field and remains mindful of Beloit College’s academic standards.
Compromising essential components of a course shall not be required. Accommodations are to provide that a student with equal access to the essential course content and to mitigate the impact of the disability on the student’s learning and/or academic performance without compromising course or program integrity.
Accommodations may involve modifications of the way in which course material is presented or how learning is evaluated as long as it does not compromise essential components.
Faculty have the right to question accommodation decisions and to suggest alternatives perceived to be more appropriate in light of the essential components of the course, program or activity. Alternative accommodations must be equitable to the original accommodation and should not be implemented until discussed with both the student and the Director and consequently authorized by the Director.
Specific information about the student’s disability is confidential and will not be revealed to a faculty member unless there is a “need to know.” Students are also NOT required to reveal any information about their disability with the faculty member in order to obtain the accommodations listed in the Access Letter (AL) or via the Leniency email. Faculty are encouraged to share with the Director information about the essential components of the course and/or program so that the Director can make appropriate decisions regarding accommodations.
Even if there are concerns about the accommodations faculty are to implement the accommodations as soon as possible, but in no case, more than five academic days after the AL has been received and discussed. If the faculty member does not contact the student and/or the Director to discuss alternatives, accommodations are to be provided as delineated in the AL. Delays in implementation and/or unauthorized changes to accommodations can be construed as a form of discrimination.
If a faculty member is unable to reach an agreement on the accommodations with the student and the Director, he/she may pursue the Grievance Procedures described on the website.