November 23, 2008

The teaching faculty at Auburn University are critical to the successful accommodation of students with disabilities. It is the teaching faculty who implement the majority of the accommodations needed by the students and it is imperative that they have a well informed and supportive disability services office to provide guidance and expertise in this area.

• Accommodating Students
• Extended Time on Exams
• Note Takers
• Alternate Formats(i.e. Braille, maps, textbooks)
• Captioning
• Copies of Materials
• Assistive Listening Devices
• Instructional Technology

Accommodations are individually determined and are based upon the documentation presented to determine a student's eligibility for services. An Accommodation Memo is developed for class-related accommodations that may involve the instructor as part of the implementation process. For example, a student may need time and a half for exams or front row seating.

It is the student's responsibility to take an Accommodation Memo to each instructor who will be involved each semester. PSD staff strongly recommends that a student's contact with instructors take place during the first week of classes. This allows time for instructors to contact PSD if questions arise regarding provision of accommodations for the student. If a student does not present the Accommodation Memo until later in the semester, accommodations are to be provided from that point forward, but not retroactively to the beginning of the course. For example, a student cannot ask to re-take a mid-term test with extended time because the Accommodation Memo was not presented until after the test was given.

Instructors are advised to meet with the student and discuss the Accommodation Memo in detail. Instructors should not exceed or vary from the Accommodation Memo without first consulting with PSD staff. If the student does not present the Accommodation Memo, the instructor IS NOT LEGALLY OBLIGATED to provide the student with accommodations.

When an Accommodation Memo is presented to an instructor, a Confidential Verification form accompanies it. It is the student's responsibility to complete the identifying information at the top of the form (e. g. name, ID number, instructor's name, class section, etc.). It is the instructor's responsibility to complete the remainder of the form and return it to the PSD office in the self-addressed envelope provided with the Accommodation Memo. If an instructor wants further information, that request can be noted on the verification form. Either the PSD Director or a Disability Specialist will respond to the instructor's request. This response may be a phone call, E-mail, or an office appointment if necessary.

Occasionally, students are given an absence accommodation. This accommodation is given due to the nature of the student's disability since some medical or psychological problems may result in an occasional absence that does not require medical attention. Students are made aware of the purpose and use of this accommodation at the time the Accommodation Memo is being developed. The absence accommodation IS NOT intended to be a blanket excuse for a student to miss days or weeks of class material. The student remains responsible for ALL COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND FOR ARRANGING MAKE-UPS IN A TIMELY MANNER.

Questions regarding absences and the absence accommodation should be directed to the PSD office. If a student develops a pattern of consistent absences over a period of time, the student is called into the PSD office for an appointment to discuss the situation. The PSD staffing committee reviews the student's case to determine whether this accommodation is being misused. Based upon this review, the absence accommodation may be removed from the student's Accommodation Memo. In most cases, the student is simply counseled and appropriate action is suggested (i.e. dropping the class, meeting with the instructor, etc.).

Some accommodations are provided by PSD and are not reflected on the Accommodation Memo. For example, alternate format materials, assistive technology, and/or parking may be part of a student's accommodation plan but are not provided by course instructors.

Students with documented disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations under federal laws and it is important that we provide an appropriate manner for students to request them. You also want to be assured that the student has been determined eligible for such an accommodation. Thus, it is recommended that the following points be covered on the syllabus:

1. Request that the student arrange a confidential meeting with the instructor and provide the necessary information to do so (office hours, phone number, e-mail, etc.)
2. Request that the student provide a copy of the Accommodation Memo and an Instructor Verification Form from The Program for Students with Disabilities.
3. Indicate your preferred time frame (instructors have the right to "reasonable notice", which may vary depending upon the type of accommodation being requested, however, we cannot impose a deadline for requesting accommodations). Most instructors encourage a meeting the first week of the quarter.
4. If a student requests accommodations, but does not have an Accommodation Memo, they should be referred to The Program for Students with Disabilities where eligibility for services can be determined. If a student has no current documentation, appropriate resources will be suggested. If a student's documentation is old and/or not sufficient to meet our criteria, a temporary accommodation memo may be developed if the students needs are clear.

Students who need accommodations are asked to arrange a meeting during office hours the first week of classes, or as soon as possible if accommodations are needed immediately. If you have a conflict with my office hours, an alternate time can be arranged. To set up this meeting, please contact me by E-mail. Bring a copy of your Accommodation Memo and an Instructor Verification Form to the meeting. If you do not have an Accommodation Memo but need accommodations, make an appointment with The Program for Students with Disabilities, 1244 Haley Center, 844-2096 (V/TT).

Students frequently need exam accommodations. The instructor is asked to provide accommodations for exams whenever possible so that the student is able to ask clarifying questions like other students in the class. If the instructor is unable to accommodate the student for any reason, the student can arrange for a proctored exam with our office. PSD requests five work days notice in advance so that adequate arrangements can be made, however, we will make every effort to assist you. Those students who need a reader, a writer, and/or specialized equipment (e. g. computer, text enlarger, etc.) are encouraged to arrange for a proctored exam in the PSD office. PSD policies require that only graduate students proctor exams. The proctors are trained and supervised by a Disability Specialist in the PSD office. Proctors are not allowed to monitor students that they know personally or as fellow classmates.

If PSD proctors an exam, both the student and instructor must complete a Proctored Exam Request Form. It is available online at www.auburn.edu/disability. It is the student's responsibility to get the form completed with the instructor, and return it to PSD five work days in advance of the exam. If a student fails to arrive (proctors are instructed to wait 15 minutes then leave) for a proctored exam, the exam is returned to the instructor by PSD office staff. The instructor can determine if the exam is to be rescheduled or not. A separate proctor request must be completed for each exam that is proctored by PSD.

Faculty are asked to deliver exams to the PSD office 24 hours prior to exam administration. This time frame is essential if document conversion (e. g. Braille, taped, enlarged print, etc.) is necessary. Exams SHOULD NOT BE FORWARDED to the PSD office through campus mail as the integrity of the exam may be compromised. Exams are secured in a locked cabinet in the PSD office until exam time.

Preparation and awareness are the keys to accommodating students with disabilities. The next section of this page addresses some of the things to be aware of to ensure that students with disabilities receive class information along with their peers.

Students with disabilities are encouraged to be as independent as possible. There are times, however, that the nature of a disability (e. g. students with certain learning disabilities or those with hearing, visual, and/or mobility impairments) necessitates the need for note taking services. This need is especially true when other accommodation methods (e. g. taping lectures) have proven unsuccessful. The student with a disability checks out a note taker tablet with carbon set paper and meets with the instructor to request assistance in locating a note taker for that class. The instructor may know a good student, and request their assistance. If no student is known, the instructor should announce at the beginning of class that a volunteer note taker is needed. Be sure to mention that carbon note taking paper will be provided and that copies of the notes should be turned into you at the end of class. Remember to maintain confidentiality of the student who needs note-taking services.

Students with learning disabilities or a visual impairment have varying needs. Some students may need Braille; some may need large print, while others may need a text version of a PowerPoint presentation. The needs of students with disabilities are all different, due to the type and level of impairment, and the coping strategies of the students. Our office is available to help with document conversion.

To prepare for a student who needs braille, any documents (i.e. syllabi, exams, articles, PowerPoint, and graphics etc.) or textbooks that you require must be converted to an alternate format to make it usable. PSD has resources to help facilitate this process but adequate time is needed to translate the materials. Students with disabilities are eligible for Priority Registration and this helps our office to prepare materials before the beginning of the semester. The ease and speed of document conversion is related to the present format, the desired format, and the number of steps involved. Any information that can be emailed to us tremendously speeds up the conversion process. Most materials can be translated within a couple of days but more complex documents (images, tables, charts) may take up to a week. Textbooks usually take 10 to 15 weeks to complete. We encourage you provide names of textbooks and other reading materials along with a reading list (i.e., the sequence of the chapters or sections that will be assigned) to the student or our office when requested.

If you use videos in classroom instruction it is important to check for captioning capabilities.

• Televisions - all TVs made since 1993 have the ability to play captions; the remote control is typically required to turn captions on/off.
• Video Projectors - Some classrooms have the capability to play caption. Other may need to be adapted to play captions. Contact PSD for what rooms have this equipment available.
• Captioned Videotape - The container generally indicates the presence of captions. Video stores carry many captioned films.

Remote captioning may be an appropriate accommodation for some students with hearing impairments. To make this an effective accommodation we need your help. The student will bring a laptop to class to transmit audio and receive captioning from the captioner. The student will ask for you to wear a wireless lapel microphone to capture the lecture to transmit. To make this successful we need your syllabus and any key terms that might help the captionist with accuracy.

If you require your students to listen to audiotapes, watch web based lectures with audio, or some other type multimedia, a text alternative must be available. Contact our office for help in providing text alternatives.

Providing copies of your overheads or access to your presentation slides gives students access to the information they may have lost when concentrating on their interpreter or reading your lips. If a student uses an interpreter you may be asked to provide printed materials in advance to help them prepare for a class lecture. Interpreters may need to learn and develop new signs for unique or difficult terminology.

Instructors may be asked to wear assistive listening device to amplify his or her voice for students with hearing impairment. The instructor wears a wireless transmitter and the student wears the receiver.

With the increase of instructional technology in the classroom comes the responsibility of making it accessible for students with disabilities. Inaccessible technology can cause a barrier to information especially for students with visual and hearing impairments. PowerPoint slides, Blackboard/WebCT, and web pages can be beneficial to students with disabilities but if not designed properly could lock them out of important information. For consultation on making PowerPoint and Blackboard/WebCT accessible or creating more usable web pages contact PSD or visit our Usability site for more information.