Accessibility Services: Faculty Responsibilities

Faculty should not refuse to provide required accommodations, ask the student to disclose his or her disability, discuss in front of the class that the student is registered with SAS, or request to examine the student's documentation.

General

  • Privately address accommodation issues with students who have a letter from SAS. Although the student is responsible for discussing accommodation needs, faculty should establish a welcoming environment.
  • Accommodations allow the student to comprehend course material and communicate that comprehension to the instructor. Accommodations may not alter the fundamental nature of the course or program.
  • If a student requests accommodations but has no official documentation from SAS, the instructor should help student contact SAS. If the disability is obvious (use of a wheelchair, hearing aids, service dog, etc.) and the requested accommodation is appropriate, instructors should provide the accommodation while paperwork is completed. Otherwise, instructors are not obligated to provide requested accommodations unless notified by an SAS Accommodation Request Form.

Before the Semester Begins:

  • Provide course materials (syllabus, textbook list, handouts, etc.) to the SAS to be converted to the appropriate format for students with visual impairments or reading disabilities.
  • Include the following statement in your syllabus and make an announcement in class encouraging students who need accommodations to contact SAS:

Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented disabilities. Students with disabilities who need classroom, academic or other accommodations must request them through the office of Student Accessibility Services (SAS). Students are encouraged to request accommodations when they register for courses or at least three weeks before the start of the semester, otherwise the provision of accommodations may be delayed.

Students who have received approval for accommodations from SAS for this course must provide the instructor with the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from SAS before accommodations will be provided. Arrangements for academic accommodations can only be made after the instructor receives the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from the student.

Students with approved accommodations are encouraged to submit the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ to the instructor at the beginning of the semester because a reasonable amount of time may be needed to prepare and arrange for the accommodations.

Additional information about Student Accessibility Services can be found on their website.

 During the Semester:

  • Review and discuss with your class evacuation procedures for your classroom and building.
  • Make sure that audiovisual materials are captioned for deaf students. To request closed captioning, contact Ginger Bennett.
  • Contact SAS for help providing accommodations for any students with a disability in your classes.
  • Complete an Exam Assistance Request Form and attach exams to be administered and/or proctored by SAS at least one week before the scheduled date of the exam.