Colleges and universities are expected to provide very different services to students with disabilities than are high schools. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) applies to elementary and secondary schools but not to colleges. Under IDEA, high schools must provide do the following:

• Identify students with disabilities

• Provide assessment of learning disabilities

• Classify disabilities according to specified diagnostic categories

• Involve parents or guardians in placement decisions

• Provide certain nonacademic services

• By placement committee with parental participation and approval, place students in programs where they can benefit

• Structure a large part of the student’s weekly schedule

• Modify educational programs

• Prepare Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs)

• Provide a free and appropriate education

• Provide appropriate services by school nurse or health service

Note the differences between the above list and the responsibilities of colleges:

• Protect a student’s right to privacy and confidentiality

• Provide access to programs and services

• Inform students of the location of the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and the procedures for requesting accommodations

• Accept and evaluate verifying documentation

• Determine (via documentation) that an impairment causes a substantial limitation of a major life activity

• Determine for students who are otherwise qualified for participation in the program or service whether a reasonable accommodation is possible

• Make reasonable accommodations for students who meet the above criteria

• Provide reasonable access to program and service choices equal to those available to the general public

• Suggest reasonable adjustments in teaching methods that do not alter the essential content of a course or program

• Assure that off-campus and contracted program facilities also comply with Section 504 (Subpart E) and ADA

• Inform students of their rights and responsibilities. Often college faculty assume that they must provide much more support than actually required. In addition, disabled students first entering college may assume that they will receive the same support they received when they were in high school. Most institutions try to prepare these students for the differences between high school and college, but it is not unusual for a student to expect more from the college than the college is bound to provide. A problem point in this area is often the assumption that a college will reduce or waive any of the essential requirements of a course or program. But such is not the case.

The above is a commonly asked question, both by students and by faculty. It’s probably best to define the term with examples of typical reasonable accommodations. For example, the following accommodations may be provided for individuals with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder:

• Providing the student with copies of the material presented on overhead transparencies

• Early registration

• Note sharing

• Use of a tape recorder to facilitate note taking

• Priority seating in the classroom

• Proctored testing in a distraction-reduced environment

• Textbooks on tape

• Alternative testing format

• Extended time for tests in most appropriate setting

• Supervised breaks during exams

  

• Use of low vision aids such as a magnifying glass, monocular, or CCTV

• Use of computer with programs like JAWS or ZoomText which enables visually impaired persons to read computer monitors

• Duplication of overhead transparencies

• Early registration

• Enlarged print for testing

• Note sharing

• Priority seating in the classroom

• Readers for tests

• Scribes for exams

• Tape recorder in the classroom

• Textbooks on tape

• Written materials provided in an alternative format

• Alternative testing format

• Extended testing time in most appropriate setting – classroom, OSD, or Testing Center

• Occasional extension of assignment due dates

Types of alternate format of printed material for students with blindness/visual impairments include:

• Audio tape: Most textbooks can be ordered on tape from Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (1-800-221-4792).

• Large print: Standard sized materials can be enlarged on a copier using 11" x 17" paper.

• Computer disk: Convert the text of materials to ASCII format.
  
• Braille: Adaptive equipment will be necessary to provide alternate format in Braille. Braille is probably the least requested alternate format for students who are blind.

  

• Providing a sign language interpreter

• Insuring that an interpreter is located where the student can see both the interpreter and the lecturer

• Early registration

• Note sharing

• Priority seating in the classroom

• Use of captioned videos, when available

• Alternative testing format

• Extended time on oral tests that require an interpreter in most appropriate setting

  

• Special seating in classroom (i.e., chair, larger desk, wheelchair accessible desk)

• Duplication of overhead transparencies

• Early registration

• Learning assistant

• Note sharing

• Scribe for exams

• Tape recorder in classroom

• Extended testing time in most appropriate setting

  

• Use of computer with spell check/grammar check during essay exams

• Duplication of overhead transparencies

• Early registration

• Note sharing

• Tape recorder in the classroom

• Testing in a distraction-reduced environment

• Use of textbooks on audiotape for students with reading disabilities

• Use of a calculator during testing for students with math calculation or math reasoning disabilities

• Course substitution for nonessential course requirements in student's major

• Extended testing time that is proctored in most appropriate setting --

• Extended time for in-class assignments to correct spelling, punctuation, grammar

• No penalty for misspellings on assignments written in class without dictionary/spell check

• Written materials provided in alternative format

• Reader for tests for students with reading disability

It is important to keep in mind that reasonable accommodations will vary greatly with each student. The recommendations will be made by the Office for Students with Disabilities at your campus. And, it’s important that you know you are obligated to provide only the accommodations suggested by that office.

A Note of Caution - Faculty do not have the right to refuse to provide required accommodations, ask the student to disclose his or her disability, question whether the disability exists when accommodations have been authorized by OSD, or request to examine the student's documentation. Accommodations give the student an opportunity to comprehend the course material and communicate that comprehension to the instructor. Accommodations may not alter the fundamental nature of the course or program. If a faculty member has questions about the appropriateness of a required accommodation, he or she should consult with the OSD. If a student requests that an instructor provide accommodations for a disability and the faculty member has had no official notification from that office, it is important that the instructor assist the student in contacting the OSD. If the disability is obvious (use of a wheelchair, hearing aids, service dog, etc.) and the requested accommodation is obviously appropriate, the faculty member should provide the accommodation while paperwork is being completed. Otherwise, instructors are not obligated to provide requested accommodations unless properly notified by the OSD.