Suggestions for Faculty
The Law
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) state, "No otherwise qualified individual with disabilities in the United States.. shall solely by reason of his/her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination or harassment under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
Purpose of Student Disability Services Office
- Provide services and accommodations to students with disabilities so that they can freely and actively participate in all facets of University life.
- Provide and coordinate support services that enable students with disabilities to maximize their educational potential.
- Increase the level of awareness among members of the University so that students with disabilities are able to perform at a level limited only by their abilities, not their disabilities.
Student Responsibilities
- Register with the Disability Services Office (DSO) and provide appropriate documentation to establish that a disability exists under the law.
- Obtain appropriate paper work and meet with the professor at the start of classes to arrange for accommodations.
- Be proactive. Meet with the professors to discuss any problems with the accommodations.
Faculty Rights
- To be notified in writing about the student's need for and types of accommodations at the beginning of the term.
- Receive requests for exam accommodations five (5) days before exam.
- Accommodations asked for may not alter the integrity of the course.
Faculty Responsibilities
- Provide accommodations as requested by the DSO.
- Meet with the students to discuss their disability to determine how they can work together to implement accommodations effectively.
- Refer students to DSO for further discussion if you suspect that he/she has a disability.
- Direct questions about appropriateness of accommodations to the DSO.
General Disorders
- Learning Disorders
- Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity
- Blind/ Visually impaired
- Deaf/ Hearing Impaired
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Mobility Impairments
- Psychiatric/Psychological Disorders
- Temporary medical condition
- Chronic medical conditions
Tips that Facilitate Student Learning
-
Include a statement in the syllabus such as:
"If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you have medical information to share with me, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible. My office location and hours are _____________________." - Provide student with detailed course syllabus.
- Clearly spell out expectations before the course begins (e.g., grading material to be covered, due dates etc.).
- Use visual aids whenever possible.
- Face the class.
- Present new or technical vocabulary on the blackboard or use a student handout.
- Give assignments both orally and in written form to avoid confusion.
- Facilitate the use of tape recorders for note taking by allowing students to tape lectures.
- Encourage students to use campus support services, which include the:
General Accommodations
- Extended time
- Notetakers
- Reader/ Scribe
- Testing in a quiet area
- Taped recorded lecturers
- Lap Top Computers
- Assistive technology
- Special seating
What If a Student Approaches Me For Accommodations?
Disability Services will verify the documentation submitted by the student. This office will identify the appropriate accommodations and help facilitate adaptations. Appropriate accommodations will be listed on a form from the DSO. If a student requests a particular accommodation from you, this form will verify that he/she has a properly documented disability. If a student does not have this form when asking for accommodations you should refer them to the Disability Services Office.
Confidentiality
The nature of an individual disability as well as the documentation is confidential between the student and the DSO.
Resources
- The Faculty Room
- Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology, at the University of Washington. This site has pages dedicated to accommodation strategies, faculty rights and responsibilities, and resources for faculty.
- Academic Resources
- The director is available to consult with faculty, administrators and staff concerning appropriate services for students with disabilities. The Center is located in Daniels Hall and can be reached by calling ext. 5235
- Academic Advising
- The Office of Academic Advising, located on the first floor of Daniels Hall, provides support services to both students and faculty.
- Student Development and Counseling Center
- Student Development is located at the West Street House and can reached by calling ext. 5540.
Student Disability Services Coordinator
JoAnn Van Dyke, +1-508-831-5235, dso@wpi.edu
Maintained by webmaster@wpi.eduLast modified: August 29, 2007 16:27:12