The Accommodation Letter

At the beginning of the semester you may be approached by a student with a disability, who has a letter written by staff at the Office for Student Disability Resources (SDR). This letter will provide an explanation of how the student's disability impacts their learning. The letter will also contain suggested classroom accommodations for the student based on their disability. It is the student's responsibility to present this to you early in the semester so that accommodation procedures are clear from the start. It is best to meet with the student individually to discuss the accommodations and how they will be carried out. If you have any questions or need clarification regarding the suggested accommodations, you may contact the staff that has signed the letter.

NOTE: University faculty and staff do not have the right or a need to access diagnostic or other information regarding a student's disability; they only need to know that accommodations are necessary or appropriate to meet the student's disability-related needs. If a student has requested an accommodation, the student will be informed as to what information is being provided to the faculty or staff regarding the request. To protect confidentiality by assuring limited access, all disability-related information must be filed with Student Disability Resources.

Typical Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Information on typical accommodations is available on this site.

Testing Accommodation Procedure for Students with Disabilities

Office for Disability Service’s responsibilities:

  • Review written documentation of the functional limitations and associated educational recommendations for each student
  • Prepare an “accommodation letter” summarizing the appropriate educational accommodations
  • Proctor exams which require any of the following:
    • Reader
    • Writer
    • Sign language or oral interpreter
    • A computer for word processing
    • Tape recording
    • Barrier-free site
    • An extended time of greater than “time and a half”

Student’s responsibilities:

  • Provide written documentation from a qualified practitioner that describes the nature of their disability, functional limitations due to the disability, severity of these limitations, and reasonable accommodations.
  • Review accommodation request with the Student Disability Resources Coordinator
  • Share the “accommodation letter” with each course instructor early in the semester and explain what accommodations are required
  • Appear on time and complete exams in accordance with University policies on academic integrity (Senate Policy 40-20 in 1995-96 Policies and Rules, pg. 43)
  • Notify Student Disability Resources if the accommodations are not satisfactory
  • Notify Student Disability Resources promptly if you are scheduled to take a proctored exam and the exam is canceled or if you are not taking the exam for some reason.

Course Instructor’s and Academic Department’s Responsibilities:

  • Review the “accommodation letter” and discuss educational recommendations with the student
  • Discuss options to accommodate the student’s testing needs including addressing issues related to the provision of a distraction limits space and quiet location
  • Contract Student Disability Resources to resolve any questions about disability documentation and testing recommendations made.
  • Provide a copy of the exam, to be proctored, within 48 hours of the scheduled exam date.

Other Issues:

  • Time of testing: Student Disability Resources administers exams as specified times indicated on the online request form.
  • Test materials: Student Disability Resources will ask the faculty about other materials that are allowed for the test such as calculators, textbooks, notes, formulas, etc. Only those items, which have been approved by the faculty, will be allowed.
  • Canceled test: in the interest of conserving our resources, it is critical to notify Student Disability Resources immediately if the test is canceled.
  • Alternate test formats: Example: Enlarging exams
  • Academic honesty: Students Disability Resources instructs its proctors to write a description of any behavior that is questionable, and which may breach policies regarding academic honesty. Proctors are instructed not to confront students