ACCESS Rochester

University Resources

Library Services

Guidelines for Faculty

Publications

Classroom Accommodations

Workplace Accommodations

ACCESS Rochester

Things to Keep in Mind

The Faculty—Student Relationship

Dialogue between the student and the instructor is essential early in the term and follow-up meetings are recommended. Faculty should not feel apprehensive about discussing the student's needs as they relate to the course. There is no reason to avoid using terms that refer to the disability such as "blind", "see", "walk". However, care should be taken to avoid generalizing a particular limitation to other aspects of a student's functioning. Often, for example, people in wheelchairs are spoken to very loudly, as if they were deaf. Students will probably have had some experience with the initial uneasiness the instructor may bring to the relationship. It can be helpful to keep in mind that the student's own suggestions are invaluable in accommodating disabilities in college.

Attendance and Promptness

The student using a wheelchair or other assistive devices may encounter obstacles or barriers on campus. Students should discuss the prospect of encountering such barriers with the instructor so that flexibility can be negotiated when necessary. Instructors should remain flexible and open to negotiation regarding attendance and promptness when existing barriers have an impact on the timeliness of a student with a disability. Instructors are reminded to exercise flexibility when attendance and promptness are beyond the student's control.

Classroom Adjustments

Students with disabilities can be easily accommodated by making book lists available prior to the beginning of the term, by thoughtful seating arrangements, by speaking directly toward the class, and by writing key lecture points and assignments on the board.

Functional Problems

In addition to the adjustments discussed later in detail for each category of disability, some understanding is required in working with subtle and sometimes unexpected manifestations of disability. Chronic weakness and fatigue characterize some disabilities and medical conditions. Drowsiness, fatigue, or impairments of memory and speed may result from prescribed medications. Such difficulties with the student's ability to perform should be distinguished from the apathetic behavior it may resemble.

Note Taking

Students who can not take notes or have difficulty taking notes adequately can be helped by allowing them to tape lectures, permitting them to bring a note-taker to class, making an outline of lecture materials available to them, or assisting them in borrowing classmates' notes.

Testing and Evaluation

Depending on the disability, the student may require the administration of examinations orally, the use of readers and/or scribes, extension of time for the duration of exams, a modification of the test format, or in some cases, make-up or take-home exams. For some out-of-class assignments, the extension of deadlines may be justified. The objective of such considerations should always be to accommodate the student's learning differences, not to dilute scholastic requirements. The same standard should be applied to students with disabilities as to all other students in evaluating and assigning grades.

Service Animals

Service animals are sometimes used by students with disabilities and are permitted under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The common examples are guide dogs for blind or visually impaired individuals and service dogs for people with physical disabilities and hearing impairments. Petting or attempting to communicate interferes with the service animal's concentration and should be avoided.