Student

Faculty, Staff, and Parents

Resources for Faculty

Welcome!

Faculty members play the most important part in making sure all students have equitable opportunities to learn. This is why the DRC is here to support faculty and their academic integrity. The obligations that faculty have to include fulfilling professional obligations, as well as maintaining a high standard of confidentiality so that students with disabilities feel respected, safe, supported, and protected. We have created this section on our website to provide the most up-to-date information that we want to share with you.

Important Information

Students Who Require Academic Accommodations

Cañada College is committed to equal access for all students in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If you are registered with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) and would like to use accommodations in my class, please make an appointment with me within either the first week of joining the course or within one week from receiving your accommodation memo (or new accommodation), so we can go over your accommodations together.

If you who would like more information on eligibility requirements for academic accommodations at any time throughout the semester, please email DRC at [email protected] or visit the DRC web page.

Accommodation Confidentiality 

Students do not need to disclose the nature of their disability to instructors in order to receive accommodations. Academic Accommodation letters (memo) from the Disability Resource Center never disclose a student’s disability, only the accommodations that are authorized. 

Cañada College DRC uses the information requested on the Disability Resource Center (DRC) forms for the purpose of determining a student's eligibility to receive authorized services provided by DRC. Personal information recorded on these forms will be kept confidential in order to protect against unauthorized disclosure.  

Portions of this information may be shared with the Chancellor's Office of the California Community Colleges or other state or federal agencies; however, disclosure to these parties is made in strict accordance with applicable statutes regarding confidentiality, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. 1232(g)). Pursuant to Section 7 of the Federal Privacy Act (Public Law 93-579; 5 U.S.C.§ 552a, note).

Confidentiality of Student Disability Information

Breaches of confidentiality are taken very seriously by Cañada College.Unauthorized disclosures of student information can result in the college and individuals to being in non-compliance with federal regulations and state privacy laws.Please contact the DRC if there are any questions, issues, or concerns regarding maintaining confidentiality of student information

 Guidelines for Confidentiality
  • All information that a student shares with a faculty member is to be used specifically for arranging reasonable accommodations for the course of study.
  • Do not leave student disability information visible on your computer or in any printed format that others can see, and dispose of it securely at the end of the quarter.
  • Refrain from discussing a student’s disability status and necessary accommodations within hearing range of fellow students, faculty, staff, or others who do not have an “educational need to know.” 
  • Do not use students' names in the subject line in emails.  Instead, use initials in the subject line. 
  • At no time should the class be informed that a student has a disability.
  • Discuss accommodation memos and logistics of implementing accommodations with students in private. Make yourself available by email, during office hours, or by appointment to discuss.  Contact the DRC if you would like a DRC counselor to be present during your appointments with students. 
  • Requesting specific information about a student’s disability is inappropriate. Requesting a letter from the student’s physician is inappropriate. The Accommodation Letter is all that is needed to justify the accommodation.
  • If a student voluntarily discloses the nature of their disability to you, even if it is obvious, do not disclose it to others.
  • If a student tries to provide you with their primary disability documentation, refuse to read or accept it and refer the student to the DRC.

Faculty Responsibilities

  • To respect and maintain all students' rights to confidentiality about their learning or health challenges.
  • To collaborate with students to in order to create an engaging and safe learning environment.
  • To refer any students to the DRC that you observe struggling academically in your class.
  • To contact a DRC counselor or director if you have any questions or concerns about any of the accommodations.
  • To meet timelines/deadlines that the Alternative Media staff give you, so that they can reformat books/materials for students who require alternative formats of text/materials in a timely manner.

Faculty Rights 

  • To set academic standards.
  • To evaluate students based on the standards of the class.

Can Faculty Receive Accommodations?

Yes. All schools are legally obligated by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to provide general accommodations for employees who have disabilities.You may contact us for consultation and get assistance with assistive technology.However, the Human Resources department will process your accommodation requests and make sure you receive your accommodations.

Interested in accommodations for yourself?

Please take a look at our Employee Short & Long Term Disability Page on our SMCCD Portal Site under Health Benefits

Cañada TalkNow is also available to Cañada Employees at cost

If you are employee and would like to access Cañada TalkNow, please complete the TimelyCare Exceptions Form.

Need any other assistance?

Please take a look at the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Page on our SMCCD Portal site or Orientation.

 

 

FAQs

Who qualifies as having a disability?

Under Section 504 and the ADA, a person with a disability is defined as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities and who has a record of such an impairment

What are accommodations?

Accommodations are alterations in how students receive information and express information that remove barriers to learning. Accommodations should not alter the learning outcomes of the rest of the class. Students who are registered with the DRC are expected to meet the same learning outcomes as their classmates; they are just doing so in a different way. Accommodations that are provided to a student depend on an individual student's challenges and how that disability affects their access to the education process.

Am I required to provide DRC-authorized accommodations?

Yes, you are.However, if there are any accommodations you cannot provide for any reason, Please contact a DRC counselor or director, so we can brainstorm with you on finding an alternative/similar accommodation. 

As a faculty member, am I responsible for accommodations?

Yes and No.

Yes: If you can clearly observe that the student requires accommodations in your class, you must work with the student to come up with an equitable way they can access all of the opportunities as other students in the class. (e.g. student is in a wheelchair. is wearing a hearing aid. has a service dog, is clearly pregnant, has lost all of the hair on their face and head from chemotherapy, etc).

No: Because you are only responsible for reasonable accommodations if a student has an official accommodation letter.However, it is highly recommended that you encourage them to register with the DRC in case they need accommodations that the college can purchase for them(such as adaptable furniture, a magnifying machine, real-time captioning, etc). 

What if I disagree with an approved accommodation?

If you do not agree with an approved accommodation, it is because it probably doesn't apply to your particular course or that you misunderstand the details of the accommodation. Therefore, it is very important that you meet with your students who deliver an accommodation letter to you. Please take about 15 minutes to discuss all of the details of their accommodations with them.

Faculty and Staff Referrals to the DRC

If you would like to refer a student to the DRC please fill out this form: Referral To the DRC 

Do not ask the student directly if they have a disability, this might put him/her on the defensive and cause some discomfort. Instead, Gather information about a few resources on campus, in addition to DRC.The best time to bring up your concerns would be in a private meeting when other students are not present.

Supporting the Student

Once you have broached the subject and your student wishes to pursue DRC services, what can you do to facilitate the process? Here are some options to connect them to us:

  • You can give them link to the DRC website and fill out the application there.
  • You can give them our email address: [email protected]
  • You can set up a meeting to talk with someone first before they register
  • You can introduce the student via email to one of our staff members
  • You can even walk them over to our office to introduce us in person.
Workshops

If you'd like us to create a workshop for your class, please contact one of us and we'll see what we can do to design just the right workshop for you. 

Class Visits

If you'd like us to come to introduce our services to your class, please let us know.  We'd love to spread the word of our services and answer any questions that students may have.

No. Faculty do not have the right to access the student’s diagnostic information. Cañada College follows the confidentiality rules described in Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973) and the Federal Education Right to Privacy Act (FERPA).

Some students require an alternative way to read their reading materials for your class.For example, some students require all text to be in braille.Others require text to be converted into a format that can be read by text-to-voice software.Both of these alternate media accommodations could take weeks to convert/create and deliver to your students in a timely manner.Therefore, that is why you may receive requests from our Alternate Media team for:

  • ISBN of textbooks
  • Approximate timelines of dates for starting each chapter
  • A syllabus for approximate dates of assignments, quizzes, and exams
  • All handouts and supplemental written materials

If students only want extra time and a quite place to take your exam but cannot take your exam with the rest of your class, we recommend you have theLearning Center proctor your exam. They offer students ear plugs (to reduce noise distractions), seats facing a wall (to reduce visual distractions), and also a private room for students who require having to talk and read out loud.  The Learning Center accepts walk ins and does not require any appointments. For information on proctoring services and guidelines, visit the Learning Center's For Instructors page.

Students that have complex testing accommodations, such as a reader or scribe, should request the DRC to proctor their exams.

Here is the DRC proctoring procedure:

Step 1:  It is the DRC student's responsibility to submit the Proctor Request form within the first couple of weeks of the semester.  

Step 2: Once the DRC receives the request, we will contact the professor to notift them that the student has requested us to proctor their exams for your class. We may ask you to complete a Proctor Information Form for this particular class.  We only require one form per a class; therefore, you do not need to submit one for each individual student. 

Step 3: The DRC will email you and the student a list of all of their scheduled appointments for the semester.  

Step 4:  Student attends the proctoring appointments on time with all of their materials that you have approved.

After each of your proctoring appointments are complete, the DRC will email you a confirmation that the student(s) have finished your exam. We will then follow your directions on how to deliver the completed exam to you.

Instructional Accessibility 

Visit our campus Accessibility in Online Teaching webpage for guidance on creating accessible content in Canvas, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, plus information on creating accessible videos.

If you need support with accessibility, contact our assistive technology specialist, Kim Saccio, at [email protected].

Provide a detailed syllabus to students that is visually easy to comprehend:

  • Color code sections, with headings in bold
  • Highlight or bold key words or phrases
  • Provide clear due dates for assignments and assessments
  • Don't be afraid to use visuals that make information more understandable for visual learners (e.g. illustrations, charts, tables, images)
  • Include a disability statement so that students who need our services know where to find us. We include a sample statement in the "Important Information" section on this page.

Definition

Universal design for Learning (UDL)  is a method used to create environments and materials that meet the needs of people of different physical and mental abilities.  According to Brittney Newcomer (MS, LSSP), "universal" refers to being flexible to meet the needs of ALL learners.  

The goal of UDL is to use a variety of teaching means, methods, and materials to remove any barriers to learning, giving all students equal opportunities to succeed. It’s about preparing the learning environment so that teachers have what they need to flexibly meet the strengths and needs of a wide range of students.  This includes individuals of different socio-economic backgrounds, cultures, religions, genders, languages, etc.  Therefore, this form of teaching will help effectively support students who have not been formally diagnosed or do not wish to disclose any physical, mental, or learning challenges .  

Researchers believe that UDL: 

  • Provides equal opportunity to succeed
  • Offers flexibility in the ways students access and engage with classroom materials and show what they know.

The best way to help students with learning and health challenges is to practice universal design.  Here are a few tips:

Multi-sensory Teaching –

Some students learn more readily if material is presented in as many modalities as possible (seeing, speaking, doing.) Provide opportunities for touching and handling materials that relate to ideas. Cutting and pasting parts of compositions to achieve logical plotting of thoughts is one possibility.

Visualization –

Help students visualize the material. Visual aids can include overhead projectors, films, carousel slide projectors, chalkboards, flip charts, computer graphics, and illustrations of written text.

Auditory - 

Some students learn and remember better when they hear new information.  Giving students an opportunity to ask questions, having class discussions, and group activities are a great way to engage all students.

Analogies - 

Some students learn new information by connecting to information they already know.  Providing something to compare new information to will help students comprehend lessons and concepts on a deeper level.

Access to Information - 

Many students cannot write notes very quickly, so if you are writing on the white board or projecting information on a screen, allow students to take pictures of white board or screen.  

So please feel free to think outside the box! Provide different methods of formative and summative assessment for your students.

Resources for UDL

 Video captioning

  • All videos must be captioned, whether they are shown in class or posted to a course in Canvas.
  • All captions must be accurate. Automatic captioning does not meet CCC accessibility standards.

Captioning in Zoom meetings

  • Zoom provides AI-powered live transcription for all paid accounts. This can be enabled by the host, and any participants can view the captioning as needed.

  • SMCCCD has enabled Zoom captioning across our district. To turn on captions for a specific meeting, just click the "Show Captions" button at the bottom of the Zoom window.

Images and graphics

  • All images must be tagged with descriptive alternate text - whether they appear online or are in documents that could be read in a digital form.
  • All text that is embedded in an image must be provided elsewhere on a the page (again, for all images that appear online or in a document that could be in digital form)

 

Classroom Helpers

CART services are for students who are deaf or hearing impaired. Students who need communication access accommodations may choose which local captioner they prefer. This process can take up to 6 weeks to complete - so plan ahead!
 
Tips for having a captioner in the room:
Please make sure they have a seat and table next to an outlet
Please make sure they sit somewhere they can clearly see you
Please do not speak too fast as the captioner will be transcribing everything you say.
Please make sure no one is speaking over each other during classroom discussions so that the captioner can effectively capture everyone's dialog accurately.
For information preparing for captioners in a zoom room, please read this handout carefully.

For information preparing for captioners in a zoom room, please read this handout carefully.

Scribes are assigned to students who have physical limitations that prevent them from writing in-class assignments or performing in-class hands-on activities. One of the duties of the scribe is to write (by hand or computer) verbatim what the student with the accommodation dictates. Scribes should be familiar with the necessary formats, but they are not responsible for proof-reading papers. 

Another duty of the scribe is to manipulate materials for the student. The student with the accommodation will direct the scribe where to place the information, and/or manipulate material (e.g. turn the page, glue the picture onto the bottom left of the page, place worksheet in binder, open the book to page 122, highlight the second line in paragraph three, etc).  

Please note:  Scribes are not allowed to tutor, prompt or correct the student in any way.  A scribe is different from a note taker because they must be directed by the student throughout the class what they need to notate for them and how to manipulate materials for the class. (Whereas a note taker is never told by the student what they need to notate or move for them).  In many cases, students who have scribes may also have a separate classmate take notes for them or have the professor provide them with lecture notes.  

Here are just a couple of important tips for having a scribe in the classroom:

  • Please provide a seat for the scribe next to the student
  • Since the student will have to speak to the scribe throughout class activities, they may have to be seated somewhere where they are not distracting other students

The purpose of a reader is to ensure that the individual who has a visual processing disorder, reading deficit, or blindness has the same opportunity as all the other students in class to access the written content.

A reader can be anyone in the classroom, such as the professor, a classmate, or a teacher's assistant.  A reader can read any content/material that is assigned in class or during an exam.  However, during an exam, the student requiring a reader will need to be in a room where he/she/they are not disrupting other classmates.  Often times, the student will require a scribe also during an exam or the option to take an oral exam.

A reader does NOT:

  • rephrase the questions or the answers on exams
  • make explains or remarks on content that is read 
  • define words or concepts during any type of reading assignment

 

A note-taking assistance accommodation can be an assistive technology or a peer note-taker.  If a peer note-taker is chosen, here are our note-taking procedures:

 

It is the DRC Student's responsibility to submit the Note-taker Request form to us as soon as possible.  The form can also be found on our "Forms" page:https://smccd-czqfp.formstack.com/forms/notetaker_request_form

This is very important, because:

  • It is the only way the DRC will know that the student would like to use a peer note-taker for your class
  • Once we recieve your request, we will contact you to begin collaborating with you to find a note-taker.
  • We also need to know who the note-taker is, so we can:
    • have them sign a Notetaker Agreement with us, which includes a confidentiality agreement
    • we set them up with payroll, so they can get paid to be your note-taker 
    • and we will give them and the DRC student shared access to the Google folder, which they will be uploading and retrieving their notes from

You can view the Instructor Directions Form to learn more about getting a student note-taker. Included in the form is a sample script with how to announce to your class about looking for a note-taker for the DRC. 

The following list contains some helpful suggestions on how to make this accommodation for the student and other students in the class more meaningful:  

  • When communicating with a Deaf or Hard of Hearing individual, one should address the individual directly. Maintain eye contact. This is a very important piece of etiquette - it takes some getting used to, but keep your eye gaze on the Deaf or Hard of Hearing individual, NOT on the interpreter. If other people interrupt your conversation, signal that you'll be with them in just a moment, and then finish your conversation.
  • Avoid asking the ASL interpreter's opinion of the conversation's content. Interpreters follow a code of ethics that requires confidentiality and impartiality. If you want to know how things are going, speak to the Deaf or Hard of Hearing individual and the interpreter will interpret your inquiry.
  • ASL interpreters require prep materials and/or subject-specific information to provide an accurate interpretation.  So please make an extra copy of any handouts you will be distributing in class.
  • Speak naturally. Occasionally an ASL interpreter may need to interrupt for clarification during a meeting or lecture.
  • Room set-up, including sufficient lighting and seating arrangements,  to provide the Deaf or Hard of Hearing individual with visual access to the instructor/speaker, interpreter and any additional visual information (i.e. PowerPoint). The interpreter will place themselves within the sight line of the Deaf or Hard of Hearing individual(s). This means they will sit or stand as close to the hearing speaker as possible so the Deaf/Hard of Hearing person can pick up on facial expressions and body language from their hearing counterpart. Exactly where the interpreter stands or sits depends on the situation and interpreters will help facilitate this process.
  • If your class is longer than an hour, you may want to provide a short break every hour, especially if the interpreter is working without an interpreter team.  A short break will provide a physical and mental recess, ensuring the most accurate and successful interpretation possible. 
  • One person should speak at a time in the classroom. It's very common among hearing people to speak over each other, hold side conversations, or allow no time between comments. An interpretation's success depends on the ability of the interpreter to hear each comment individually. Please encourage group/class discussions to follow this tip.
  • With all that said, it may be a good idea to meet briefly with the interpreter before some classes to clarify any special vocabulary or jargon; to make best seating and lighting arrangements; and provide the interpreter with any necessary written information.

EXTRA reminders:

  • ASL interpreters are part of an instructor’s educational team to facilitate communication in the classroom.
  • ASL interpreters are NOT in place to tutor or take over the instructor’s role.
  • It is inappropriate for ASL interpreters to participate in the class or discuss the student’s progre

We make every reasonable effort to accommodate individuals with disabilities as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act. In keeping with this commitment, Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) may be necessary to address the personal needs of a student with a disability so that he/she/they may participate in the college's activities, services, and programs. In order for the student who requires PCA services to have the same independent experience as all other college students, it is in the student's best interest to hire an impartial PCA who is not a family member or close friend. The college does not assume coordination or financial responsibilities for personal attendant services, and expects PCAs to respect all of the college's policies and codes of conduct.

A PCA is expected to:

1)  Follow all applicable university policies, rules, regulations, and procedures.

2) Assist the student before and after class but wait outside the classroom (unless deemed appropriate by documentation and approved by the Accessibility and Disability Services Office).

3) If in the classroom, refrain from assisting any academically-related tasks (i.e. note taking, class participation, group activities) in the classroom or other academic settings.

4) Allow the student to take responsibility for his/her/their own progress or behavior.

5) Refrain from contact with or asking questions of faculty, staff, or others on behalf of the student.

6) Refrain from intervening in conversations between the student and faculty, staff or other students.

7) Refrain from discussing any confidential information about the student with faculty, staff, or students.

Tips for having a PCA in the classroom:

  • Please make sure they have a seat designated for them  They do NOT have to sit by the student requiring this accommodation.
  • However, they do need quick access to the student if the student requires a medical emergency.

Service animals are different from therapy/emotional support animals because their work is not passive and they are not present in the classroom to provide emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship.

A service animal refers to any guide or signal dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability, where the work is directly related to the individual's disability.  In addition to provisions for service animals, revised ADA regulations have new, separate provision about miniature horses that have been trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. (Miniature horses generally range in height from 24-34 inch, measured at the shoulders and generally weigh between 70-100 lbs).

Please scroll down to learn more about the rules and regulations that students must follow if they are to have a Service Animal on campus:

Here are a few tasks that service animals can often perform:

  • Guiding students who are blind
  • Alerting individuals with hearing loss 
  • Pull a wheelchair for a student with physical/mobility loss
  • Fetching items or turning on/off light switches
  • Alerting others or standing guard over a student having a seizure

Tips for having service animals in the classroom:

  • Please discuss with the student the best place to seat both student and their service animal in the classroom.
  • Please discuss with student what are considered appropriate/inappropriate interactions between the service animal and students in the class (e.g. petting, feeding).  Then come to an agreement on how to address the class of the do's and don’ts regarding the service animal in the classroom.
  • Allergies or a fear of the service animal are not valid reasons for denying access or refusing service to students using service animals. However, it may be possible to accommodate requesting students to use different locations within the classroom or take a different section of the course.
  • A service animal may be excluded from the campus when that animal's behavior poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others. Although the institution may exclude any service animal that is a direct threat, it will give the student with a disability the option of staying without the animal or obtaining another service animal under the following circumstances:

1. The dog is behaving in a disruptive manner by barking, growling, whimpering, running around, or soliciting social attention through behavior uncharacteristic of a service animal; or 

2. The dog is not housebroken or clean; or 

3. The presence of the dog poses a direct threat to the health or safety of other persons that cannot be eliminated by a modification of policies, practices or procedures, or by the provision of auxiliary aids or services.

Members of the campus community are required to abide by the following practices: 

  • Do not touch or pet an emotional support animal or service animal unless invited to do so.
  • Do not feed an emotional support or service animal.
  • Do not deliberately startle an emotional support animal or service animal.
  • Do not separate or attempt to separate an owner from his, her, their emotional support animal. or service animal.
  • Do not inquire for details about a person’s disabilities.  The nature of a person’s disability is a private matter.

Students must sign an agreement with DRC in order to have a service animal in the classroom. The following is a list of policies that students with service animals must agree to:

1) The student must abide by current city, county, and state ordinances, laws, and/or regulations pertaining to licensing, vaccination, and other requirements for animals. The student must know and understand these ordinances, laws, and regulations. The university has the right to require documentation of compliance with such ordinances, laws, and/or regulations, which may include a vaccination certificate or a veterinarian’s statement regarding the Service Animal’s health. The university reserves the right to request documentation showing that the Service Animal has been licensed.

2) Service animal must not obstruct or disturb any space or activity of the academic program including but not limited to: residence halls, classrooms and labs, other campus buildings or recreational areas, roads, walkways, and passages on any part of campus, legitimate campus activities and any other university programs, spaces or activities. 

3) Service animal must not engage in other behaviors or noises that are disruptive to others including but not limited to: excessive barking, excessive whining, excessive growling, excessive grooming, excessive sniffing people, or intrusion into the personal belongings of others, and tables in eating areas. 

4) The student is required to clean up after and properly dispose of the Service Animal’s feces in a safe and sanitary manner. The Service Animal must be housebroken and kennel trained.

5) In the case of an emergency, the university is not responsible for evacuating the Service Animal.

6) The student is financially responsible for any and all actions of the Service Animal, including but not limited to, bodily injury or property damage, such as furniture or floor coverings replacement. The student may be charged for any damage caused by the Service Animal that is beyond reasonable wear and tear. If living in the dorms, the student’s living accommodation must be kept clean with no odors from the Service Animal.

 

 

Unique Accommodations 

Most people believe that only students in wheelchairs are the only ones who require adaptable furniture, but most students who require adaptive furniture do not use wheelchairs. Due to many health reasons, students often require cushioned seats, chairs with lower lumbar support, etc. But most importantly, adaptive classrooms ensure safety, help improve fine motor skill development, facilitate longer periods of concentration, and promote socialization - allowing students with physical challenges to overcome barriers and feel less isolated.

Please contact the DRC if you believe that any of your students require adaptive furniture.  We will do what we can to help students feel physically comfortable in your classroom, so they can focus on learning better.  Students who have already been approved for adaptive furniture already know that is their responsibility to request furniture for specific classrooms by completing the Furniture Request Form

Distractions vary from individual to individual.  So please sit down with your students and ask then to explain what distracts them.  Things that distract students can include:
  • smells/odors
  • lightening in the room
  • temperature in the room
  • noise distraction
  • visual distractions

Just making minor alterations can make all of the difference. Here are some examples:

  • Students who get visually distracted can sit at a desk facing the wall
  • Students who need cooler temperature can sit next to the fan or vent
  • Students who get distracted by noise in the room, can wear headsets or ear plugs

In-Class Assignments:

This refers to any assignments that are due before the student leaves the classroom.  Depending on a student's learning and health challenges, it may take them longer to complete their classwork, especially in math classes.  Professor needs to let the student know how much more time they can have and how they would like the student to submit their work to them. Examples:

  • Must place it in professor's mailbox within two hours
  • Must email it to professor by midnight on the same day
  • Can turn in the work at the next class meeting

Out-of-Class Assignments:

This refers to any homework or projects and papers that students should be working on outside of class time. As you may already know, we cannot predict health issues and sometimes students with severe health conditions may have to be hospitalized for days at a time.  Therefore, professors and students are expected to create a plan if students need any extra time for out-of-class assignments.  Are are a few examples:

  • 7 extra days for papers
  • 4 extra days for projects
  • Extra 24 hours for discussion posts

Sometimes students with severe health conditions may need to miss part or all of their class meeting.  If this should happen, it is very important for all students and faculty members to create a contingency plan where the student will be able to make up for class time that was missed.  We recommend faculty do the following:

  • Come up with some type of cue that the student can give you without disturbing the class if they need to leave early.
  • Come up with a way for students to make up their participation/classwork.  Here's a list some protocols that professors have offered students with this accommodation:
    • Make up the class by attending a different session in the same week.
    • Make up the content missed by writing a summary of key concepts covered in class within one week.
    • Any missed exams must be made up within two weeks.
    • If for any reason, student needs more time than the semester allows, an incomplete grade may have to be offered to the student.  Please visit the college catalog to get more information regarding incomplete grading process: https://catalog.www.flatth.shop/current/grades/

 

Duration and frequency of breaks need to be determined between professor and students. Therefore it is very important to have a detailed conversation of how the class activities and lectures can be impacted by breaks. with your students who require this accommodation.

It is also important to note that when professors see the word "breaks", they automatically assume it means that the student needs to leave the classroom for a short time period.  This is not always the case, so please make sure to discuss the details of this accommodations with your students.

Breaks during class time:

Depending on the structure of the class, professors can make recommendations to the students.  Here are a few examples of how breaks can be applied in the classroom:

  • Some professors request breaks be taken after the first 30 minutes due to important lecture material
  • Many professors would like students to give them some kind of cue (e.g. hand signal) to let them know they are going on a break and another gesture if they will not be coming back (usually due to health related issues)
  • Other professors request a break that is no more than three to  five minutes at a time and no more than two breaks per class. 
  • Also professors may make sure that there is room in the back of the room if the student needs to take a standing break in the room during lecture time.

Breaks during exams:

Many professors worry that students may cheat during their breaks.  Therefore, we recommend that you give them either a page at a time or sections at a time, and when the student has completed those pages, they will be allowed to have a break.  And when they return, the next section/pages can then be given to them.  This can give the professor peace of mind that students are not looking for answers to the questions that they viewed before their breaks.

Please also keep in mind that students who are given breaks as an accommodation also have extended time, so please do not count the time during their break toward the amount of time they are allowed to finish the exam.  We call this "Stop the Clock".  

And just like breaks in the classroom, please provide students the option to take their breaks in the exam room.  Most of the time, they just need to stand and stretch.  

Audio Recording Agreement Form

Some student will require audio recording their lectures due to their disability.  However, in order to use this accommodation, they must agree to and sign our audio recording policy:

  • Information contained in the audio-recorded lecture is protected under federal copyright laws and may not be published or quoted without the express consent of the lecturer, and without proper identity and credit to the lecturer.
  • They know that may be asked to pause audio recording during sensitive or private discussions in class.
  • Audio-recordings may not be used in any way against faculty, lecturer, or students whose classroom comments are recorded as part of class activities.
  • If they need this accommodation, they must notify their professors in a timely manner so that any necessary arrangements can be made to use this accommodation (ex: requiring to sit closer to the professor, needing to sit next to an outlet to charge recording device, a wireless microphone, etc).
  • If this accommodation cannot be provided for any reason, students have the right to be provided an alternative accommodation (ex: professor's zoom recordings, lecture notes, one-on-one meetings with professor to review all the highlights of concepts discussed or lectures in class, etc). 
  • Audio recordings of lectures must be deleted after the semester has ended from all devices that have saved these audio recordings.

 

Students will be responsible for bringing their own audio recording device and they must let you know that they will be using this accommodation in your class. 

Shortly after the add/drop date, faculty will be sent a link from the DRC to complete the Audio Recording Acknowledgement form. This form lets us know that you acknowledge that the students who have this accommodation may require to use it for your class. We just need to know if you will:

 

Any media that will be part of your lectures/assignments must be accessible when they are captioned. If a video is not captioned or a podcast does not have a transcript, instructors are responsible to arrange for an accessible version to be produced.  Please scroll down to learn of some helpful tips on captioning that you may find helpful:

In General

Two to three lines per caption frame is average. But if you need four lines because of the context, do it. 

Dialog 

When two people are talking at the same time on the screen, you need to be able to distinguish them. Place captioned lines on the screen as character is saying them, so it is obvious to viewers who is talking.  If it is not obvious who is talking on the screen, it is recommended that each person’s dialog is labeled with the name/description of the person talking.   

 Example:

  •  Tom: I can’t see you!
  • John: Take your head out of the fridge then!

Music

 A description (in brackets) should be used for instrumental/background music when it's essential to the understanding of the video/scene.  Off-screen background music description should be italicized.  If possible, the description should include the performer/composer and the title.

Examples:

  • [Louis Armstrong plays"Hello Dolly"]
  • [pianist playing]

 

Nonessential background music should be captioned by placing a music icon (♪) and should never be captioned at the expense of dialogue.  (There is no need to caption background music with a duration under 5 seconds).

If music contains lyrics, caption the lyrics verbatim. The lyrics should be introduced with the name of the artist and the title in brackets, if the presentation rate permits.

Example:

  • [Dinah Washington singing “Mad about the Boy”]
  •  ♪The boys are back in town ♪♪

 

Sounds Effects

Sound effects are sounds other than music, narration, or dialogue. They are captioned if it is necessary for the understanding and/or enjoyment of the media. A description of sound effects, in brackets, should include the source of the sound. However, the source may be omitted if it can be clearly seen onscreen. And never use the past tense when describing sounds.  Captions should be synchronized with the sound and are therefore in the present tense.

Example:

[audience cheers])

 

Off-screen sound effects should be italicized, if italics are available.

Example: 

[dogs barking])

 

Use punctuation to indicate speed or pace of sound. 

Example for slow sounds:

[clock chiming]

Dong…dong…dong

 

Example of fast/rapid sounds:

[gun firing]

Bang, bang, bang

Students who require extended time are students who:

  • Often have physical trouble with writing and typing.  This could be due to an illness, injury, or visual challenges that make it difficult to read and write in a timely manner.
  • Some students have medical/health issues such as anxiety, migraines, ADD/ADHD, or are undergoing medical treatment that affect their ability to complete tasks in a timely manner.
  • Other students have processing deficits that require more time to comprehend and complete work.

 

Tips to provide extended time in the classroom:

We advise professors to discuss with students who require this accommodation to come up with a routine that will help students not get behind in their work as the semester progresses.  Here are a few routines that are popular:

  • Classwork will be provided to students in advance so that students have the extra time BEFORE the classwork is assigned.
  • Any classwork that is not completed during class should be emailed to the professor within 24 hours or it is considered late.

 

Tips for extended time on tests/quizzes:

How extended time is provided is determined between professors and students.  Most people think that the extended time must occur on the same day, but that is not true.  Here are a few ways that professors can provide extra time:

  • Students may begin the exam in their office before the class begins and then finish the exam with the rest of the class later.
  • If a student does not finish during class time, they may finish the exam in another class that the professor teaches.  
  • Professors can give students part of the test on one day and the next part on another day.

 

Extended time on projects and long assignments:

This accommodation is not common, but is usually granted to students who are undergoing medical treatment or have major physical/processing challenges that require them to begin preparing for their projects or long papers way in advance so that they do not fall behind the curriculum.  

We recognize that not all professors have their prompts ready before it is assigned to the class; however; if you know what the gist of the assignment will be, you can give students tasks they they will need to do anyway for their papers or projects.  For example:

  • Begin researching and collecting evidence from at least 5 sources
  • Begin outlining topics they will be able to do on their own

Memory aids are testing accommodations that support students with documented cognitive issues related to a disability. It is a tool used to trigger information that a student has studied but may have difficulty recalling due to cognitive processing deficits. This can be due to a variety of reasons, such as memory deficits, traumatic brain injury, medical treatment (e.g. chemotherapy and medications).

Memory aids give students equal opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge in a testing situation by lessening the impact of their disability. It is not intended to provide students with the answer. This accommodation is not intended to reduce academic requirements or alter the standards by which academic performance is assessed.


The contents of a memory aid are at the instructor’s discretion and should not reduce academic requirements or alter the essential requirements of the course. Only the instructor can determine whether a memory aid compromises the integrity of the course.  

 

What is Memory Aid?

A memory aid is due to the discretion of the instructor. Every instructor is different and may decide what constitutes a memory aid. Here are some examples of memory aids:

  • Pictures
  • Video clips
  • Index cards
  • Notes
  • Classwork
  • Textbook
  • Charts
  • Formula sheet
  • Instructor-made memory aid (most popular)

 


What is the Memory Aid Accommodation Process?

1. In the beginning of the semester, when the student and instructor sit down to go over all of the accommodations, they will discuss:

  • If the instructor will be creating a memory aid for the student
  • Or if the student will be creating the memory aid, they will discuss:
    • What type of memory aid would be appropriate for the class (e.g. one side of 3x5 index card, one page double spaced, one page from reading passage, novel, etc)
    • What type of content is allowed on the memory aid (e.g. pictures only, formulas only, acronyms only, etc)
    • How many days the student will submit the memory for approval (e.g 5 days before exam)
    • At this point, the instructor may request edits and have the student resubmit it by a certain deadline

2. Once the instructor approves the memory aid:

  • A picture or word copy of the approved memory aid will be emailed to the DRC proctoring team at [email protected] as soon as possible – preferably 3 days before the proctor appointment, so that we can print it out for you. If it is on an index card, we still would like a copy in case the index card gets lost. It is also highly recommended that you also cc your professor on this email!
  • OR the student will give the professor the approved memory aid and the instructor will attach it to the exam when they deliver it to the DRC. (However, it is highly recommended that a picture of the memory aid be taken by the student in case the memory aid is lost in transit).

 

To review all of this information in a PDF form, please feel free to download the memory handout here.

 

Peer note-takers are students who are in the same class.  Once a note-taker is found, please do the following:

  • Email [email protected] or Charlene Suda at [email protected] the name and the email address of the notetaker. 
  • The note-taker will be asked to sign an Agreement which includes a confidentiality agreement.
  • The note-taker will complete paperwork for HR and payroll so they can get paid a stipend. 
  • The note-taker and the student will be given access to a private DRC google drive folder that the notetaker and student can upload and retrieve notes from.  You will also be given access to this google folder so can you also feel free to view the notes whenever you'd like.

 

If a student gives you a memo with the note-taker accommodation on it, please make sure with the student that they indeed require a note-taker for your class.  If so, ask them if they have already someone in mind (usually a friend they already know who is in the same class) or if they would like you to ask the class if anyone would like to be a note-taker.  Here are some tips of how many professors ask their class for a note-taker: 

• Please announce the need for a note-taker in your class.
• You may also send an email to the class rather than make an in-class announcement.
• The identity of the DRC student needing the notes must be confidential unless indicated otherwise by the DRC student.
• You may choose to facilitate the transfer of notes from the peer note-taker to the DRC student – peer note taker will provide notes directly to you, you will provide notes to
the DRC student. 


Here is a sample Script:
“Would anyone like to volunteer to share their class notes for this course with DRC this semester?  If you do, you can be paid a stipend of $100 per a class. If you are interested in serving as a notetaker for this class, please email me as soon as possible so we can get you set up and start sharing your notes."  

 

*If a volunteer does not come forward by the add drop date,

please contact [email protected] to meet with a DRC counselor to brainstorm an alternative accommodation.