Disability Services

For Faculty - Frequently Asked Questions

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What should I put on my course syllabus regarding students with disabilities?

Disability Services encourages you to include a statement on your course syllabus that instructs students with disabilities to see you at the beginning of the semester. It should also instruct students to schedule an intake meeting with the Coordinator of Disability Support Services. Please see the Disability and Support Services Syllabus Statement [pdf]

What do I do if a student requests accommodations but does not provide me with an accommodation letter from Disability Services?

Refer the student to Disability Services immediately. Explain that documentation of a disability is required in order to receive accommodations and that all accommodations are handled through Disability Services in the Office of Academic Advising & Assistance. You are not obligated, nor encouraged, to provide accommodations to students who have not registered with Disability Services. 

Doesn’t providing accommodations to some students give them an advantage over their peers?

No. Accommodations are designed to level the playing field and allow equal access to educational opportunities. 

What do I do when a student hands me an accommodation letter?

Try to set up a time to meet with the student in a private setting to discuss her/his needs. Bring up any potential problems you foresee in your specific course. 

What do I do if a student in my class requests a note taker?

If a student in your class has a note taker listed as an accommodation on her accommodation letter, you may be asked to assist in identifying an appropriate person. The recommended method for doing this is to announce that a student in the class needs a note taker and that anyone who is interested should see you after class. Briefly review the student’s notes to check on their quality. If the notes are acceptable, provide the contact information for the student in need of notes. The two students will arrange a system for making copies. Do not, under any circumstances, announce the name of the student with a disability in front of the class. 

What do I do if a student with a disability requests testing accommodations?

If you are able to provide the requested accommodations yourself, feel welcome to do so. If you are not able to provide the accommodations, ask the student to bring you a Testing Accommodations Request Form from Disability Services. It is the student’s responsibility to have this form completed in advance of the test date. 

If a student with a disability gives me an accommodation letter in the middle of the semester, do I need to make changes to assignments and tests I have already given?

No! Accommodations are not retroactive and are only effective from the date of the accommodation letter. 

What do I do if I think a student has a disability but he or she has not disclosed this to me?

Talk with the student about your concerns about his/her performance in your class. If it seems the problems may be disability-related, ask the student if he or she has ever received assistance for a disability. If appropriate, refer the student to the Coordinator of Disability Services for assistance. Remember that the choice to disclose a disability is an individual one. It is important to remind the student that he or she does not need to disclose a disability but that accommodations may only be provided when documentation of a disability has been provided. 

What do I do if a student with a disability is failing my course?

Treat the student as you would treat any other student having difficulty. Invite him or her to meet with you and suggest campus resources to use for assistance. Students with disabilities should be held to the same academic standards as other students on campus.