Guidelines on How Faculty and Staff Can Assist Students with Disabilities
Equal Opportunity Services: Disability Resources is the designated campus office to determine appropriate accommodations and auxiliary aids for students with disabilities. The determination is based on the disability documentation provided by the student and the functional limitations presented by the disability. The student is responsible for providing appropriate documentation regarding his or her disability.
Students must alert faculty/staff to their needs for accommodations in a timely manor so appropriate arrangements can be made. However, they are not required to discuss their disabilities.
Accommodation Needs
Individual accommodation needs vary from student to student because a disability, even the same disability, may result in different functional limitations. Compensation skills and strategies vary from one student to another, just as instructional methods vary from one instructor to another. Students with disabilities need access to course materials and information presented in your classroom at the same time as all other students. However, students may need said material in a different format or presented in a different way.
Therefore, it may be necessary for faculty/staff to discuss specific accommodations that address the particular needs of the student. Treat all disability-related information as confidential. Conduct disability-related meetings in a private location. Disability Resources can assist you with this.
If a student with a disability does not request accommodations, you are under no obligation to provide them.
Syllabus Statement
You can facilitate the accommodation request process by including a statement on your syllabus that invites students with disabilities to meet with you to discuss their needs. Here is an example of a syllabus statement:
If you wish to request an accommodation due to a documented disability, please inform your instructor and contact Disability Resources at 412.268.2013 or lpowell@andrew.cmu.edu as soon as possible.
Notification for an Accommodation
Requests for accommodations are handled on a case-by-case basis. For classroom accommodations such as extended-time testing or a distraction-reduced environment, requests for exam accommodations must be submitted sufficiently early so that appropriate arrangements can be made. These arrangements often involve finding rooms, arranging proctors, etc. and cannot be done at the last minute. Therefore, students making requests for special accommodations for exams (e.g., extra time, quiet room) should do so in the following time frames:
- 1 week prior to the date an in-semester examination is given
- prior to the last day to drop a course for a request involving a final examination
Accommodations not requested within the above time frames may not be provided.
For alternative text format, interpreters, etc., a month's notice is appropriate.
Accommodation Memorandum
Students request classroom accommodations via an Accommodation Memorandum (.pdf). It is the student's responsibility to share this document with each of his/her instructors.
Individualized Accommodation Plan
Many students also have an Individualized Accommodation Plan (.pdf). This plan details specific physical and learning issues. Generally a copy is given to the individual to share with the campus community as the individual sees fit. The purpose of the Accommodation Plan is to provide a starting place for discussion of a disability as it relates to accommodations. Disability Resources may also share the Accommodation Plan with members of the campus community on a need-to-know basis.
Fact Sheets
Fact Sheets provide information on selected disabilities, and are intended to assist you in helping the students. The information provided on Fact Sheets is generic in nature and not specific to any student. If at any time you have questions or would like more information, please contact Larry Powell at 412-268-2013 or lpowell@andrew.cmu.edu.
