DSPS Connection

May 1998

Academic Accommodations
 

It is important that faculty and staff be receptive to the needs of students with disabilities. Valuable enrollment can be lost and perhaps some students with disabilities could be discouraged from accessing higher education, if faculty and staff are not attuned to the needs of this special population. The College can avoid these negative effects by staff and faculty becoming familiar with the different types of disabilities, learning how to integrate students with disabilities into classroom activities, and creating and fostering a sensitivity for students with disabilities.

A student with a disability must be able to understand the course material and communicate that comprehension to the instructor. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that academic accommodations be made to give a student the opportunity to achieve that outcome, so long as the accommodation does not alter the fundamental nature of the course or program. In accordance with ADA, faculty cannot refuse to provide that required accommodation, question whether the disability exists when accommodations have authorized by the college, or examine a student's documentation. However, faculty members have input into the means of providing the accommodation within their particular classes.

If a faculty member has questions about the appropriateness of the required accommodation, he/she should consult with the Disabled Students Program and Services Counselor or a Learning Disabilities Specialist. In the meantime, the faculty member should continue to provide the accommodation. It is important to recognize that not providing the accommodation could place the institution and the faculty member in jeopardy of litigation.

SUGGESTED ACCOMMODATIONS: