FAQ: What if a student is receiving accommodations when a grievance is initiated?
A: The student should continue to receive accommodations throughout the grievance process, unless and until a final ruling is made that the accommodations the student is receiving are not appropriate...
FAQ: What types of things are "grievable"?
A: Whether they are general or disability-specific, formal or informal grievance processes need to be able to address a range of circumstances including:
a student who does not believe he/she has...
FAQ: What does federal law require with regards to disability discrimination-related grievances?
A: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act require every institution to provide informal and formal procedures for the resolution of disability...
FAQ: Do I have any recourse if I disagree about requested accommodations?
A: When a student and faculty member cannot agree on an accommodation, the Disability Support Services (DSS) office first determines what accommodations are appropriate to the student's needs and then...
FAQ: What possible accommodations and instructional techniques are there for different kinds of disabilities?
A: Reasonable accommodations help meet the mutual teaching and learning goals of students and faculty members. Accommodations allow a student to meet the same course requirements as his/her peers....
FAQ: What are invisible disabilities?
A: Invisible disabilities are the most common type of disability among college students. For example, students with learning disabilities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and/or...
FAQ: A student with a disability has requested to take an exam at Disability Support Services (DSS). How do I know that my exam will be safe and that the student will get no unfair advantage?
A: DSS has developed a very systematic and secure procedure for getting exams from faculty and returning them once the student has taken the exam. There are very rigid checking in and checking out...
FAQ: When I have a deaf student in class, am I required to have an interpreter or real time captioner in the class too? My class is very crowded and also, the students sometimes watch the interpreter instead of me.
A: There is no question about it. You are required by law to have what is essential for the student to have equal access to an education, and this includes a sign language interpreter or real time...
FAQ: I have a student who is blind in my chemistry lab. How is he/she going to participate and be graded in his/her lab work?
A: If possible, assist the student in getting a lab partner or assign a student assistant to work with the student with a disability. In either situation, the student who is blind should direct the...
FAQ: A student with a disability has asked me for a copy of my notes and overheads. Do I have to give this to the student?
A: Some students with disabilities have difficulty taking notes. Sometimes faculty notes are only a brief out line of the actual lecture given. These notes may not be too helpful. It is important that...
FAQ: I have a student who is having difficulty in my class. I think this student may have a disability. What should I do to help the student?
A: Talk privately with the student to discuss your observations. The student may reveal s/he has a disability. If this is the case and the student is registered with Disability Support Services (DSS),...
FAQ: I've been debating about what book I want to use for my class, but Disability Support Services (DSS) keeps asking me to select a book ASAP. Do I have to?
A: Yes you do. It often takes a trained reader at DSS an hour to read ten pages of a textbook and sometimes fewer pages depending upon the technical nature of the course. DSS has several books or other...
FAQ: Do I have a right to fail a student with a disability?
A: The student with a disability has the same right to fail as anyone else. Their work should be equivalent their peers. It may be a good idea to discuss your observations with this student just as you...
FAQ: Am I required to lower the standards of a required assignment because the student has a disability?
A: No, the standards should be the same for all students; however, some students with disabilities may exhibit their knowledge, production, and other course expectations differently than their peers....
FAQ: When should I involve Disability Support Services (DSS)?
A: As a faculty member, you have considerable latitude in making exceptions based on valid need for any student. In some instances, requests from students with disabilities are similar to those...
FAQ: When is an accommodation "reasonable"?
A: The difference between an accommodation that is reasonable and one that is not reasonable is the maintenance of course integrity. Accommodations should permit equal access to the curricula and not...
FAQ: I have a student in class who told me that he/she has a disability, but since that time has never requested any accommodations. Am I still responsible for accommodations?
A: No, you are only responsible for reasonable accommodations if requested. In these types of situations, however, it would be appropriate to speak to the student privately to let the student know that...
FAQ: What are some of the types of exam accommodations available to students with disabilities?
A: First of all, the exam accommodations are based upon the student's functional limitations and the documentation of disability that the student has provided the Disability Support Services office...
FAQ: Am I required to provide exam accommodations to students who request it?
A: Yes you are! Students with disabilities are protected by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504. This law requires that qualified students with disabilities get equal access to an education,...
FAQ: How are accommodations determined?
A: The Disability Support Services (DSS) office at your institution determines a student's eligibility for federally mandated accommodations. The student, DSS staff, and the faculty member each have a...
FAQ: Are all students with disabilities registered with Disability Support Services (DSS)?
A: No, it is likely that many students with disabilities have chosen not to be registered with DSS or they may not have met the eligibility criteria for services. In either instance, faculty do not...
FAQ: A student has asked for accommodations. How do I know the student truly has a disability and needs accommodations?
A: You may ask the student to provide you with a letter or form verifying that he/she has a disability. The student, if registered with the Disability Support Services (DSS) office, will be given a...
FAQ: What is a qualified student with a disability?
A: A student who has provided appropriate documentation of his or her disability to the Disability Support Services office (DSS), and has been approved for services based on that...
FAQ: How can I protect confidentiality?
A: Under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), all disability-related material is considered private. Disability-related information should be kept in a secure location with limited...
FAQ: Where can I ask about a student's disability?
A: Discuss disability-related issues, such as classroom accommodations, in a private setting. Never discuss a student's disability or accommodation needs in front of other students or colleagues....
FAQ: What can I ask about a student's disability?
A: If a student requires accommodations, the faculty member should not ask for information regarding what the disability is, rather only that Disability Support Services (DSS) has appropriately...
FAQ: When can I ask about a student's disability?
A: A faculty member does not ever have the right to ask a student disability-specific questions. Once a student has disclosed his/her disability to a faculty member, the faculty member may ask...
FAQ: What documentation is needed to determine eligibility for accommodations?
A: Documentation students with disabilities submit to Disability Support Services (DSS) to determine accommodation eligibility should be recent (generally within 3-5 years) and should consist of...
FAQ: Who is responsible for viewing documentation and determining student eligibility for accommodations?
A: The Disability Support Services (DSS) office or equivalent on your campus reviews a student's medical documentation and determines eligibility for accommodations. More specifically, DSS's role is...
FAQ: How can I verify a student's need for accommodations?
A: You have the right to ask the student who is requesting accommodations for an accommodation letter or form from the Disability Support Services (DSS) office on your campus. The student should be...
FAQ: What can I do to foster student disclosure / What would be the best way to inform students in the class that I would like to help in facilitating accommodations?
A: There are three recommended practices for encouraging disclosure and communication about accommodations:
Create a welcoming climate. As a good first step, it is important that all faculty...
FAQ: Why do students choose not to disclose?
A: The most common reasons why students are reluctant to disclose their disability are:
Role change. College students with disabilities are often just beginning the process of learning how to...
FAQ: What do I do when a student discloses late in the term?
A: Although faculty and disability service providers encourage students to disclose early in the semester, whenever students choose to disclose, they have a right to accommodations as long as the...
FAQ: What should I do when a student discloses that he/she has a disability?
A: You should first ask the student if he/she is registered with the unit or office on your campus that handles student accommodations, generally referred to as Disability Support Services (DSS)....
