Policy on Student Academic Accommodations
Federal law requires that instructors make reasonable accommodations for students with physical, mental, or learning disabilities. The intent of the law is to provide reasonable access at no extra personal cost to the student. Evaluation procedures should be tailored to reflect or measure the students academic performance, not to reflect their disability. Faculty must provide reasonable accommodations which:

• allow the most integrated experience possible;
• do not compromise the essential requirements of a course;
• do not pose a threat to the safety of others;
• do not impose undue financial or administrative burden on the College.

On the first day of class, instructors should announce to the class that any student who believes he or she may need a modification of seating, testing, or the like to privately discuss the matter after class or during office hours. A similar statement should be included on the course syllabus. Faculty should invite students who need academic accommodations to make an appointment to privately discuss needed modifications.

In talking with a student who needs academic accommodations, faculty should ask if he/she has registered with the Student Disability Services, 3101 Burge Hall (335-1462) and received a "Student Academic Accommodations Request" (SAAR) form. (Note: the student will need to provide current [no more than 3 years old] professional documentation of the disability). Students are encouraged to register with the University Office of Student Disability Services. Faculty members may also contact the Office of Student Disability Services as to general questions about academic accommodations.

If the student has the SAAR form completed by the SDS Office, faculty should work with the student to design the needed accommodations. Some examples of course-related accommodations are:

• allowing extended, but not unlimited, time for completion of examinations;
• allowing examinations to be written in a quiet, low-stimulus environment;
• permitting the use of dictionaries during in-class writing assignments;
• using alternative methods for students to demonstrate course mastery (e.g., narrative tapes instead of journals);
• allowing students to dictate essays to a scribe;
• allowing the use of taped materials and resources to assist the student in reading, listening, and speaking.

The SAAR form will specify what course accommodations are judged reasonable for the student. By law, it is the instructor's responsibility to arrange course-related accommodations. If the instructor cannot provide the accommodations specified, or has concerns about the accommodations. he or she must contact the Student Disability Services counselor who has signed the request form within 48 hours of receiving the form from the student.

(Note: in advising students, please be aware that the College of Liberal Arts permits students with specific learning disabilities to complete foreign language requirement by substituting other approved courses).