OFFICE OF DISABILITY SERVICES FACULTY FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS THIS GUIDE INCLUDES ANSWERS TO THE FOLLOWING FAQs: #1: What should I do if a student tells me he/she needs an accommodation? #2: How current does an accommodation letter need to be? #3: Do all students with a disability need to register with ODS (the Office of Disability Services)? #4: What if a student brings me an accommodation letter for extended test time after an exam? #5: What happens if a student brings me an accommodation letter six weeks into the course, do I still have to provide the accommodation? #7: How should I implement an accommodation for extended time on quizzes and tests? #8: How should I implement an accommodation for testing in a distraction reduced environment? #9: If a student needs to use a laptop computer for tests and quizzes, how can I be sure that it is secure so academic dishonesty does not take place? #10: If a student has the accommodation of using a laptop to take notes, am I required to permit this? #11: How do I accommodate a student who has the accommodation of a note taker or use of assistive technology (such as a smart pen) for note taking? #12: What if the student has an accommodation to use a calculator, but the course requires the student to know how to perform calculations? #13: How should I advise a student with a disability who has severe physical or physiological impairments that I foresee would be pose a challenge to success in certain courses? #14: What if there is a problem with a classroom s physical design that potentially prohibits access to an enrolled student with a physical disability? #15: What if I plan an activity or assignment for my class, but a student in the class has a limitation due to his/her disability and the student may not be able to do the activity or assignment? #16: What if a student has a medical condition or disability issue hindering his/her ability to attend class? #17: If I am advising a student who is struggling in a foreign language course, what should I recommend? #18: Is it possible for me to seek guidance regarding particular concerns or challenges with students with disabilities?
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS #1: What should I do if a student tells me he/she needs an accommodation? First ask the student: Do you have an Accommodation Letter from the Office of Disability Services? If No: Inform the student that all accommodation requests whether due to a temporary or permanent physical impairment, learning disability, or medical condition are to be made to the ODS (the Office of Disability Services). These requests must be substantiated by appropriate documentation and reviewed by Director Marni Jones, who is trained to examine disability related documentation and determine eligibility for appropriate accommodations/academic adjustments. If Yes: Arrange a time when you can meet privately to read the letter and discuss with the student which accommodations he or she is requesting for your class and how the requested accommodation(s) will be implemented. (For example, will you be able to provide a qualifying student with a distraction reduced environment in a nearby room, or will you need to request a proctor?) Note that students may be eligible for an accommodation but not feel it is necessary in your course. Along with the Accommodation Letter, students will have been given an "Accommodations Implementation" form (called "the Blue Form") and shown how to schedule any needed proctoring through Outlook. Following your discussion, indicate the accommodations that will and will not be implemented, along with any needs for a proctor or note taker. After you have ensured that all fields are completed accurately, you and the student are to both sign the Blue Form. You should make copies for each of you. Please remind the student to return the form with this important information to the ODS Proctoring Center as soon as possible. #2: How current does an accommodation letter need to be? Accommodation Letters are intended for the semester for which they are dated. Professors may honor a letter from a previous year while a student is waiting for his/her appointment for the current semester s letter. The Director of ODS welcomes any questions regarding accommodations for students without a current Accommodation Letter. #3: Do all students with a disability need to register with ODS (the Office of Disability Services)? No; it is rather likely that you will have students in your courses who choose not to disclose or seek accommodations for a disability, and that is their prerogative (see FAQ #5 for reasons why this may be the case). If, however, students seek accommodations, they must register through ODS. You may also have students struggling with an undiagnosed disability. Please note that Marni s title is the Director of Learning Skills and Disability Services, so if students express learning related challenges to you, or you suspect a possible learning disability, DO NOT SAY SO. Rather, recommend that they meet with Dickinson's Learning Specialist, Marni Jones, Director of Learning Skills, and then send an email to Marni informing her of the rationale for your referral. #4: What if a student brings me an accommodation letter for extended test time after an exam? Accommodations do not apply retroactively, and this is made clear to students with accommodations. Prior to the start of each semester, reminders are sent to students registered with ODS to schedule accommodation meetings with their professors and to pick up their accommodation letter packets as early in the semester as possible. Students also sign a form confirming their understanding of the process
and implementation of accommodations. It is the student s responsibility to schedule their accommodation planning meetings with professors in a timely manner. #5: What happens if a student brings me an accommodation letter six weeks into the course, do I still have to provide the accommodation? Yes; there can be no deadline by which time students must inform professors of their eligibility for accommodations, other than making such requests in a reasonable amount of time (which, for test proctoring, Dickinson has deemed to be 5 working days before a quiz or exam). There could be any number of reasons why a student may either not disclose a disability or not seek accommodations until later in the school year. These might include: Fear of being judged less competent by professors or classmates Desire to start college with a clean slate Lack of awareness about their rights to have accommodations Misperception that recommended accommodations would be mandatory Misperception that accommodations would be automatic (if they already had accommodations in high school) Lack of organizational skills (to take care of necessary arrangements in a timely manner) Belief that, with age, they have overcome their disability, and that it will no longer impact their cognitive functioning A late psycho educational evaluation and diagnosis If a student qualified as having a disability under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), makes a request to receive reasonable academic accommodations in a timely fashion (regardless of the reasons why the request was not made at the beginning of the semester), the college must comply. #6: What happens if a student brings me an accommodation letter for extended time on tests the day before an exam am I required to immediately provide the accommodation? Unless you have received sufficient notice of the accommodation to allow you an opportunity to implement the accommodation, you are not required to do so. In this particular situation, the ability to implement the accommodation is based on whether you and/or Disability Services has received sufficient notice to implement the accommodation. Such a determination is often dependent on individual class circumstances. During their accommodations meeting, students with accommodations are required to read and sign a form confirming their understanding of their accommodations rights and responsibilities and they must agree to understanding that it is their responsibility to notify professors and ODS of any accommodation needs in a timely manner. #7: How should I implement an accommodation for extended time on quizzes and tests? QUIZZES: Since quizzes are generally short in duration, the student should ideally take the quiz in the classroom during class time. If the student receives time and a half (or double time) you may give him/her the additional time by: (1) having the student come early to class to begin the quiz, (2) by giving the quiz at the end of class, and allowing him/her to stay later (or designing the quiz to take less time than is remaining), or (3) by collecting the quiz from the student during class when the time allotted for all students is complete, and then allowing the student the extended time to complete the quiz after class.
TESTS: When possible, professors should try to provide students with the accommodation of extended time themselves. If, for quizzes or exams, you are not able to accommodate the student with your time before or after class, and you need proctoring assistance from ODS, please indicate this on the student's "Blue Form." If this need arises later in the semester, please contact proctoring@dickinson.edu at least one week in advance to make arrangements for proctoring. #8: How should I implement an accommodation for testing in a distraction reduced environment? Begin by asking the student what he/she is comfortable with. Some students may actually feel more comfortable testing in the classroom for your class, others may prefer an isolated setting near you, and others might prefer to arrange proctoring through ODS. If you are able to provide the student with a distraction reduced environment that is agreeable to you and the student, then please do so. If you need assistance from ODS, please ensure that this is indicated on the "Blue Form." If this need should arise mid semester, please contact proctoring@dickinson.edu at least one week in advance to make arrangements for proctoring. #9: If a student needs to use a laptop computer for tests and quizzes, how can I be sure that it is secure so academic dishonesty does not take place? If you are not able to monitor the student s use of a laptop during test time please contact Susan Frommer at proctoring@dickinson.edu so that a proctor and a computer can be reserved for the student in another location. Please note that the computers provided by ODS for testing do not have Internet access, and students taking an exam on a computer will be closely monitored. Again, as in the above FAQs, please make this request to Disability Services at least one week in advance. #10: If a student has the accommodation of using a laptop to take notes, am I required to permit this? Yes. Such accommodations are typically granted to students whose ability to take notes by hand are significantly impaired, such as a student with dysgraphia (a disorder that impairs the ability to form letters efficiently and legibly). Students with such an accommodation are to disengage their connectivity to the Internet during class, and may have this accommodation revoked if they are not compliant, or are not using their computer strictly for note taking. Professors may also ask such students to sit off to the side of the room where they will less distracting to those behind them. #11: How do I accommodate a student who has the accommodation of a note taker or use of assistive technology (such as a smart pen) for note taking? First, ask the student which (if any) aspect of the above accommodation he/she will be using. (Some students may be in need of the accommodation for certain classes but not others.) Smart Pen: (View example) This pen is also a recording device that works with a specific type of notebook. When a student who is taking notes with a smart pen misses noting key information from a lecture, he or she can later simply tap on that section of notes with the pen and it will play back the audio that was recorded when those notes were written. Typically, a student using a smart pen will not need a note taker but certain disabilities my warrant the need for both. Professors of students who are recording classes as an accommodation will need to ensure our compliance with the PA Wiretap Law and announce to the class, This class may be recorded for accommodation purposes.
Students with this accommodation who will be recording their classes are required to sign a document agreeing to each of the following: If using a recording device for note taking, I agree that recording classes is permissible solely to facilitate my note taking accommodation and for no other purpose. I agree to destroy my recording of any classes at the end of the semester. If my recording is for a class that I need to refer to in the future, I agree to destroy my recording at the completion of any courses that are dependent on this course. I agree that I will not share, send, post, publish, make public, or duplicate any recordings without the written authorization of the recorded person(s). I understand that failure to abide by these rules may render me liable to the professor and members of the class for breach of privacy and violation of copyright laws. I further understand that failure to abide by these rules is considered a serious violation of Dickinson College Community Standards and subject to disciplinary action. Note taker: Students requesting a note taker should be giving you a Faculty Memo on Procuring Student Note takers with all the instructions you ll need, including a script for announcing the need for a volunteer note taker (who will receive a gift certificate to the Bookstore for his/her services). This should be accompanied by a Note taker Application Form, which you should copy for potential volunteers. You can also find a script online atwww.dickinson.edu/ods NT. Be sure to look over each applicant s notes and choose 1 note taker based on the quality of those notes. After you select a note taker, send his or her name, the name of the class, the name of the recipient, and how the note taker is taking notes to notes@dickinson.edu. A representative from ODS will contact and train the note taker on how to scan and send notes to us, which we will then send to the recipient. You can send us the application either by interoffice mail, by scanning and sending it, or by having the chosen note taker bring it to us. It is important to note that when a student is provided with a note taker as an accommodation for a disability, the student receiving the accommodation must be present in class in order to receive the notes for that day. Note taking as an accommodation does not replace attendance. Please email notes@dickinson.edu if a student eligible for receiving supplemental notes is inexcusably absent from class. #12: What if the student has an accommodation to use a calculator, but the course requires the student to know how to perform calculations? Use of a calculator (or any accommodation/ modification) is appropriate only if its use does not lower the standards of a course. If the student is being tested for calculations or is required to know how to calculate a mathematical equation, then use of a calculator is not appropriate. If you believe an identified accommodation is not appropriate for your course, please contact Marni Jones immediately, so other arrangements can be made.
#13: How should I advise a student with a disability who has severe physical or physiological impairments that I foresee would be pose a challenge to success in certain courses? In advising, methods that guide students with disabilities away from particular courses or majors for which they are otherwise qualified are deemed discriminatory and are not a recommended practice. Keep in mind, however, that general requirements for the degree and the various courses of study offered at the college allow students to choose from a wide range of courses in order to complete their degree or major. Students with disabilities should be advised about the academic requirements for each course they are considering, so as to enable them to make the appropriate decision in their selection. Students should be provided with accurate, detailed information regarding course expectations before selecting a class or a major. Help students to match course selections with their strengths and interests. #14: What if there is a problem with a classroom s physical design that potentially prohibits access to an enrolled student with a physical disability? For example, what if a student in a wheelchair cannot fit through a door, navigate a building, or the lab tables are too high? If a student enrolled in your course notifies you that he/she is disabled and cannot get physical access to the classroom or building, or, if the student informs you that certain physical limitations exist in the classroom that prevent him/her from participating, please contact the Marni Jones immediately. Section 504 and ADA do not require schools to physically alter historical buildings to accommodate students with disabilities; however, schools do need to provide access to courses and programs. If necessary, the physical location of a particular course may need to be moved to an accessible site. Also, if necessary, physical adjustments may need to be made to classroom equipment in order to allow access for an enrolled student with a physical limitation. #15: What if I plan an activity or assignment for my class, but a student in the class has a limitation due to his/her disability and the student may not be able to do the activity or assignment? For example, let s say it is an outdoor geology field trip, that includes climbing a mountain to obtain rock samples to examine in a lab, and I have a student in a wheelchair or who has a heart condition? According to ADA AA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, we may not prohibit students with disabilities from having access to a course or program. However, students with disabilities must also be otherwise qualified to take the class if he/she is to have any right to accommodations in the course or program. Thus, you should notify the student of any known course requirements and discuss any modification/accommodation that might be assistive, or any options that may be available so the student can meet the requirement. For this example, consider such questions as these: Is the student being assessed on his/her ability to climb the mountain and extract rock samples? Or is the student being assessed on his/her knowledge in examining the rock samples? If the answer to the latter question is yes, then perhaps the student could attend the outdoor field trip without having to go up the mountain; meanwhile another student could gather the rock samples, and the student with a disability could examine the samples in the lab. If you are not sure of what to do in these situations, please call the Director of Disability Services to assist you in the matter.
#16: What if a student has a medical condition or disability issue hindering his/her ability to attend class? Some students may have a "Reasonable flexibility regarding attendance" accommodation that indicates that the student may miss, be late for, or need to leave early from class if necessitated by a medical condition. Students with such an accommodation have medical conditions for which they cannot predict when flare ups will occur, but such flare ups would render the student unable to participate in class. Students with severe medical conditions should discuss with their professor how this may impact class expectations with regards to attendance. Modifications of an attendance policy is not automatically provided as an accommodation at Dickinson College, instead such issues are deferred to the specific faculty member involved since he/she is the one who sets the requirements and standards needed to complete the course. For this reason, students are instructed to sit down with faculty and devise (and record) a plan for the implementation of this accommodation. Requests for modification should be decided on a case by case basis and include how to address potentially missed critical lectures or discussions, as well as pop quizzes, tests, assignments and other graded work for the course. Please feel free to contact Marni Jones if you have any uncertainty about how to implement this accommodation. #17: If I am advising a student who is struggling in a foreign language course, what should I recommend? Some students may ask if there is an alternative to the foreign language requirement at Dickinson. For your reference, postsecondary institutions are not required to lower the standards of any course or program for students with disabilities, nor provide course substitutions. Although some colleges and universities offer alternatives for students whose ability to learn foreign languages is impaired, Dickinson College considers intermediate level mastery of a foreign language to be an essential component to a Dickinson education and a fundamental part of its commitment to prepare students for active roles in the global community after graduation. Consequently, no waiver of the foreign language requirement is available at Dickinson, nor the use of course substitutions to meet the language requirement. This point is publicized for the benefit of all prospective students and students of Dickinson College in the Academic Bulletin. A copy of the current version can be found on the *Requirements for the Degree* page of the Bulletin. Dickinson will provide appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities to support their access to success in the foreign language curriculum, including encouragement of tutoring. Students struggling with mastery of a foreign language should be advised that an alternative for them is to enroll in courses in American Sign Language. Such courses are not currently taught at Dickinson, but can be transferred in to fulfill the foreign language requirement. Students wishing to pursue this option should be directed to speak with Marni Jones and to learn more about How to Fulfill the Language Requirement using American Sign Language (ASL) (which can be found in www.dickinson.edu/ods under Student Resources ) #18: Is it possible for me to seek guidance regarding particular concerns or challenges with students with disabilities? Yes! We encourage you to do so. Students are not required to inform you of their particular disabilities, so you may not know whether a student s difficulty with organization may be due to an executive functioning deficit, AD/HD, a traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, or perhaps a co morbidity with Asperger s syndrome. Marni Jones is happy to provide you with assistance with strategies that may optimize an individual student s participation and academic potential in your class.
Quick Links: www.dickinson.edu/ods Main Page www.dickinson.edu/ods Faculty Faculty Resources Page www.dickinson.edu/ods NT How to Implement a student s Note taking Accommodation Who to Contact Regarding General inquiries about notes and accommodations: Program Coordinator Stephanie Anderberg at disabilityservices@dickinson.edu First Floor of Biddle House; 245 1734 Guidance regarding a specific student or accommodation protocol: Director Marni Jones at jonesmar@dickinson.edu (or by phone via 245 1734) Exam proctoring: Proctoring Coordinator, Susan Frommer: proctoring@dickinson.edu The Proctoring Center is located in 105 Dana Hall. Phone: 254 8107