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The following are accommodations granted by SAA that pertain to the submission of assignments:
Some disabilities require that instructors adopt flexibility regarding classroom attendance. Such accommodations can prove confusing for both faculty and students. In dealing with these accommodations, instructors should keep in mind that flexibility in attendance does not mean that students are exempted from other course requirements. Therefore, instructors may determine that a certain number of absences would make it impossible for a student to complete course requirements. SAA is there to help with deliberations on these matters.
Most accommodations in this category build on already existing absence policies adopted by instructors. Therefore, it is important that instructors provide students with clear expectations with regard to classroom attendance, and communicate them to all students in written and oral form.
The accommodation of flexibility in attendance (and also regarding due dates) is specially indicated in Accommodation Letters as “flexad” accommodations. The online form contains a series of questions that ask the instructor to establish an agreement between the instructor and student about the extent of flexibility, and notification requirements, for each course. When a student meets with you to discuss such accommodations, discuss and complete the questions on the form so that the instructor and the student have a clear plan for how they should be implemented. Instructors are given the following instructions regarding accommodation in attendance (and also due dates):
This student has a disability that may involve brief episodes of symptoms that could interfere with meeting due dates and attending class. Although the student is eligible to receive consideration of flexibility, as the instructor, you are asked to consider what constitutes a "reasonable" amount of flexibility. Therefore, considering your course objectives, syllabus, class activities and learning goals, please determine the amount of flexibility that will be allowed before penalties, outlined in the syllabus for all students, will be applied.
If you are receiving the Accommodation Letter after a student has already had multiple absences or late work, and you feel the student is not meeting the academic standards of your course, then you can deny further accommodation.
Communication requirement for an absence Communication requirement for an assignment extension Absence on exam or presentation day MAXIMUM # OF ABSENCES without grade penalty.
The following are instructions that students receive from the Office of Student Accessibility and Accommodation regarding accommodations pertaining to due dates and attendance:
The following are accommodations granted by SAA that pertain to specific management of the classroom environment:
Some students require note-taking in class to be done for them. This accommodation can address students with executive functioning, dysgraphia, dyslexia, motor and medical disabilities. Please note that this accommodation has been in flux during 2020-2021 in response to our shift to fully or partially remote learning. As matters stand in Spring 2021, there are several ways to address this accommodation:
The following is information pertaining to specific accommodations in this category:
Oral Presentation Assistance - OPA - Oral Presentation Assistance - Students with this accommodation have debilitating public speaking anxiety. They are told that public speaking is part of their education at Puget Sound, but they do need a gradual approach. Here are some options. 1. Allow the student to present a video of their presentation 2. Have the student present to you alone 3. Have the student present with a group. This is very effective at reducing anxiety and building confidence. 4. Refer students to The center for Speech and Effective Advocacy (CSEA) for individual support. The CSEA supports students and faculty, so that oral communication assignments can be completed in support of course learning goals. CSEA can be contacted via email to speechcenter@pugetsound.edu. Faculty can contact CSEA directly by emailing Anna Valiavska, Director, at avaliavska@pugetsound.edu
Record Lectures: Recording of lectures is an accommodation that some students require in order to address auditory processing and attention challenges. Instructors and students might find it disruptive to allow students to make an audio recording of the class. However, this accommodation relates to diagnosed disabilities. Moreover, under Washington State law, the student is permitted to record all of the students in the classroom as well as the instructor.
Use of Laptop in Classroom: Some students need to use a laptop in the classroom due to disabilities relating to the ability to write by hand. Writing on a computer also helps a student whose disability impacts spelling.
Some instructors have a “no electronics in the classroom” policy, making it awkward for both the instructor and accommodated student to use a laptop or other technology in class. Rather than announcing that a specific student has an accommodation, it is best practice to n such cases, it is best to provide an explanation in advance that exceptions to class policy are to be handled on a case by case basis and will likely be related to an ADA accommodation. You should include this statement in your syllabus after your "no electronics" policy. You could also announce in class that if anyone has a good reason for an exception to course policy they should meet with you to discuss it.
The following are accommodations granted by SAA that pertain to tests and exams:
Accommodations pertaining to tests and exams are logistically difficult and may prove frustrating for instructors, students and SAA. Therefore, instructors should always bear in mind that these accommodations are necessary in order to ensure students’ full access to the curriculum. In order to request a testing-related accommodation, they must have a disability and be registered with SAA.
Information related to testing at SAA: SAA seeks to make the process of proctoring tests outside of the classroom as straightforward as possible for instructors. Students must inform their professors, well in advance, of their intention to take each exam at SAA. These details should be discussed when the student meets with faculty and asks them to sign the accommodation form. Note that accommodation-related testing space on campus has proven limited. Instructors are permitted but not required to consider proctoring exams for students with testing-related accommodations independent of SAA. In these cases, instructors should communicate with SAA to ensure that the testing conditions are in line with accommodations in each individual space.
In cases where tests are administered at SAA, the following conditions apply:
The following are some questions instructors have asked regarding testing accommodations:
The following are accommodations granted by SAA that pertain to the provision of class materials:
On accessibility of course materials: Course packs and any readings that will be posted on a course management program, such as Canvas, should have optical character recognition (OCR). A document with OCR is readable by a computer program; enabling it to be read aloud by text to speech programs such as Zabaware, Google Reader, and Natural Reader (iOS). Documents created in Word have OCR. However, Images, scans and PDF’s do not - unless they have been converted.
It is important to make all course materials be rendered in a machine-readable format (OCR), as this is an important part of making the educational environment accessible to all students. Note that even if a student in a given course does not require such an accommodation, it is essential that the instructor be prepared in advance for such a possibility. A student who requires such an accommodation can fall behind in a class while materials are being updated.
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