In this section we have provided information based on the most common questions we receive from instructors. Please review this information carefully. Remember that accommodations are provided on a case-by-case, flexible basis so the procedures and guidelines discussed below are fluid and are subject to individual student and course circumstances.
Instructor Notification Forms
Retroactive Accommodations
Timely Notice
Documenting Your Efforts To Accommodate
Essential Course Elements
Communicating With The Student
Confidentiality
Course Syllabi
Field Trips & Other Out of Class Activities
Videos, Films and Other Types of Audio-Visual Technology
Accessibility of On-Line Information
Disability Access Statement
Where To Go For Assistance
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The Instructor Notification form is provided to the instructor in order to verify that a student is registered with the Office of Student Disability Services (SDS). The form also details for the instructor what classroom and testing accommodations have been approved for the student. Please be aware that the student may choose not to use one or more of the accommodations listed on the Instructor Notification form. For this reason, we encourage students to meet with their instructors in order to discuss which accommodations they will use in each class.
Instructors are not required to provide accommodations to a student until the student submits to the instructor an Instructor Notification form from SDS.
Once a student has submitted an Instructor Notification form, that student has given the instructor notice that he/she may be using accommodations in that class. At that point, it becomes the instructor's responsibility to ensure that, if the student chooses to use accommodations, arrangements have been made. While we encourage students to communicate carefully and frequently with instructors about the need for accommodations, they do not always do so. Instructors should assume that once a student submits an Instructor Notification form, the student will be using accommodations, and should proceed accordingly.
Instructor Notification forms may be delivered at any time during the semester. We cannot legally set a specific date by which the student is required to request accommodations. We have students who are not verified until close to the end of a semester. We also have students who do not pick up their Instructor Notification forms from SDS until late in the semester. Because of this, instructors should be prepared to provide accommodations at any time throughout the semester.
Instructor Notification forms are valid for one semester only. Students requesting
accommodations are required to meet with SDS staff each semester in order to
pick up new forms. Please check the academic term listed on the Instructor Notification
forms submitted to you. If the term is not current, please send the student
to SDS for updated forms.
Students who are provided temporary accommodations because of an injury are
given accommodations for only as long as the physician states is necessary.
The Instructor Notification forms given to these students will include the date
that accommodations expire. Please make note of that information.
We have built several security measures into the Instructor Notification forms. If you have questions about whether or not the form submitted by a student is valid, please contact us at 915-7128. (top)
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The University is not legally required to provide retroactive accommodations. Direct classroom and testing accommodations will begin as soon as the student delivers an Instructor Notification form to the instructor. Instructors can provide retroactive accommodations if they choose, but this is not required. (top)
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Students are required to give "timely notice" of the need for an accommodation. The law does not allow us to set a specific deadline for "timely notice." Because of this, students are told that they need to disclose the need for accommodations to instructors as soon as possible. The instructor will determine if timely notice has been provided; however, that determination must be reasonable. For example, if a student delivers an Instructor Notification form a week before an exam, it is not reasonable for the instructor to say that timely notice was not given. On the other hand, if the student delivers the Instructor Notification form to the instructor an hour before an exam, the instructor may make a case that timely notice was not given.
Please be aware that the law REQUIRES that we make a "good faith effort" to accommodate students even if they do not give timely notice of the need for an accommodation. Because of this, instructors are asked to attempt to accommodate even when timely notice is not given. (top)
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Documenting Your Efforts to Accommodate
It is in the best interest of the University for instructors to document their efforts to provide accommodations. Lengthy, detailed documentation is not necessarily needed; however, some documentation may be very helpful. It is advisable to keep a record detailing the following information:
• the date you receive an Instructor Notification form;
• the method by which it is delivered to you;
• details of conversations you have with the student, especially if those conversations involve the provision of accommodations or concerns about the impact of the student's disability in class.
• copies of electronic mail you receive and send to the student requesting accommodations;
• any other information that you believe may be relevant.
Keep all documentation for at least three semesters after the student has left your class. You will likely never be asked to provide documentation of your contact with a student; however, if a situation arises in which we may need to talk to you about a student who is/was in your class, it will be very helpful if you can provide us with specific information about your contact with that student. (top)
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Instructors and academic departments determine the essential elements of courses and programs of study; however, federal regulations require that those essential elements be reasonable and practical within the context of the curriculum and evaluation standards of the course or program of study. There must have been a "determinative effort" made when deciding essential elements and decisions regarding essential elements should not be arbitrary or capricious.
The information below is copied directly from page 9 of the University's Policies and Procedures for Students with Disabilities:
Instructors and other University staff will be expected to assist in the provision of accommodations when reasonable and necessary; however, they are not expected to compromise "essential elements" of a program, course or activity or the evaluation standards of a program, course or activity.
If it is believed that a particular approved accommodation will fundamentally alter the essential elements of a program, course or activity, the University staff member responsible for the program, course or activity (i.e. the instructor) should contact SDS to discuss the ways in which the accommodation causes a fundamental alteration. The accommodation in question should continue to be provided to the student while the issue is resolved. If SDS finds that the accommodation in question does fundamentally alter the essential elements of the program, course or activity, the student will be notified that the accommodation is unreasonable in this specific situation and the accommodation will be discontinued. SDS will work with the student and instructor to try and identify an alternate accommodation that does not cause a fundamental alteration of the essential elements of the program, course or activity. (top)
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Communicating with the Student
Students are asked not to hand an Instructor Notification form to an instructor and then walk away. They are also asked not to slide forms under office doors or put them in instructor mail boxes. We strongly advise students to make an appointment with each instructor in order to discuss accommodation needs in each class. We recognize that not all students follow this advice. You, as the instructor, have the right and the responsibility to meet with any student who is requesting accommodations in order to discuss how accommodations will be arranged in your class. Communication between instructor and student is the key to avoiding any confusion about how accommodations will be provided in each individual class. In addition, the student is the best person to answer questions you may have about other ways in which you can assist the student in class. We encourage students to communicate frequently and clearly with instructors about accommodations. We encourage instructors to do the same. (top)
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The confidentiality of students with disabilities is protected in order to maintain privacy for students with disabilities and, more importantly, to prevent discrimination against students with disabilities based on their specific diagnosis(es). Because of this we ask that you:
• maintain all Instructor Notification forms and other documentation in a secure location.
• do not make announcements in class that may inadvertently identify students with disabilities. For instance, do not announce before a test, "All students who get extended time please come with me."
• discuss a student's need for accommodations only with the student or with SDS staff. If you must talk with others about an accommodation request, please do not use identifying information about the student.
• do not ask the student to disclose his/her specific diagnosis. You can ask about the impact of the diagnosed disorder, but you cannot ask for the name of the diagnosed disorder. (top)
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Many of the complaints we hear from students and parents can be traced back to basic misunderstandings regarding course objectives and policies. Sometimes these misunderstandings are caused by students who do not pay attention in class or do not read the syllabus. Other times, the misunderstandings are caused by perceptions of vague, confusing or incomplete explanations regarding course requirements and expectations.
Howard B. Altman, University of Louisville, and William E. Chashin, Kansas State University, in their paper "Writing a Syllabus," state that "...the primary purpose of a syllabus is to communicate to one's students what the course is about, why the course is taught, where it is going, and what will be required of the students for them to complete the course with a passing grade." The way in which a syllabus is written can drastically reduce confusion about instructor expectations and course requirements. This is especially true for students with disabilities who may need more detailed information so that they can better arrange their time and resources.
With this in mind, it is advisable to include the following in your syllabus:
1. Course Information: Course title, course number, credit hours, prerequisites, classroom location, meeting days and class times, department locations, web page, are there necessary prerequisites? Is the permission of the instructor required?
2. Instructor Information: Full name, title, office location, office telephone number, home telephone number (if you allow students to call you at home), email address and clearly stated office hours. If you allow students to call you at home, you may want to detail any restrictions. For instance, no phone calls between 9:00pm and 9:00am.
3. Course Description/Objectives/Goals: General course content and/or the course catalog description of the course; instructional methods (lecture only, group work, small discussion groups in addition to lecture, etc.); detailed information about learning goals, observable outcomes, expectations, etc.
4. Required/Recommended Textbooks and Materials: There are many students with disabilities who require their reading materials in an alternate format. Having detailed information regarding the title, author and edition of all required textbooks will assist the student, and Student Disability Services, in arranging for alternate format reading materials.
5. Course Policies: It is recommended that you include in your syllabus detailed course policies. These policies should include information on WHY the policy is written as it is and what the consequences are of non-compliance. Having detailed policies regarding the following issues is especially important for students with disabilities who's decision to take a class may rest with how certain issues are dealt with in class. If relevant, you should have a detailed classroom policy to cover the following issues:
• Attendance/tardiness - Is attendance required? If so, why? How will attendance be monitored? What is the impact on a student's grade if the attendance policy is not followed? Why is tardiness a problem? Is it because you give out important information on homework within the first 10 minutes of class or because it causes a distraction to the lecture?
• Classroom behavior - What is your policy about interruptions during the lecture? What are your thoughts on having food or drinks in class? How will you handle disrespectful communication between students? What are your feelings regarding the rattling of newspapers during class or the packing of backpacks before class has ended?
• Class participation - Is class participation expected and required? If so, why? How will class participation be evaluated? What are the possible consequences of not fully participating?
• Missed assignments - Are you flexible with assignment deadlines? Why or why not? What is the procedure to follow if a student wants to request an extension of a deadline?
• Make-up exams - Do you allow make-up exams? If yes, what is your policy about arranging make up exams? If you do not allow make up exams, why not? Are there any situations under which you may approve a make up exam?
• Class/lab safety (if applicable)
• Academic integrity - What are your expectations regarding academic integrity? What are the consequences should a student be caught cheating or plagiarizing? You may want to include an explanation of what plagiarism entails because many students seem not to know.
• Grading - How will students in your class be evaluated? What is the grading scale you will be using? What factors will be used in determining grades? You may want to include information on the process for appealing grades for those students who may believe an error was made.
• Extra credit - Do you allow extra credit? If so, how does a student arrange extra credit assignments or projects?5. Course Calender: It is helpful for students, especially students who may have a disability that requires the careful management of time, if they have some idea regarding when assignments, readings, projects, exams, quizzes, etc. are due. Instructors often are hesitant to put a schedule in writing fearing that this will bind them to the schedule and will not allow for flexibility. Instructors can avoid this by including a statement that says the schedule is tentative and may change at the discretion of the instructor depending on how the class proceeds over the course of the semester.
6. Campus Support Services - Many students are unaware of the support services that are available to them. You may want to include a list of campus support services, with telephone numbers. Some support services available at the University of Mississippi include the Academic Support Center, the Writing Center, Student Disability Services, and Student Counseling Services. It may also be helpful to include information regarding where students can get tutoring for your class.
7. Disability Access Statement - The Provost's office has requested that all instructors include on their syllabi a disability access statement. The disability statement created by the Provost's office is as follows and should be included on every syllabus:
"It is University policy to provide, on a flexible and individual basis, reasonable classroom accommodations to student who have verified disabilities that may affect their ability to participate in course activities or meet course requirements. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact their instructors to discuss their individual needs for accommodations."
PLEASE NOTE: It may be helpful to some students with disabilities to have early access to the course syllabus. This is especially true for students who have disabilities that may require alternate format reading materials or who may require other kinds of advanced preparation before classes begin. Instructors are encouraged to develop their course syllabi in advance of the start of class just in case there is a disability-related reason that a student may need an advanced copy. (top)
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Field Trips & Other Out of Class Activities
If you require that students participate in field trips or other out of class activities, it is your responsibility as the instructor to ensure that those activities are accessible to all students in your class.
For instance, if you will be taking your students on a field trip and you are arranging transportation, you must ensure that the transportation is physically accessible if you have a student in your class who uses a wheelchair. Another example would be if you require your students to attend a presentation given at the Ford Center and one of your students is a profoundly deaf user of American Sign Language. It would be your responsibility as the instructor to ensure that an American Sign Language interpreter is available for the presentation.
If you have a situation like this arise and need guidance, please do not hesitate to contact SDS for assistance. We will assist instructors in arranging such accommodations if needed. (top)
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Videos, Films and Other Types of Audio-Visual Technology
If you use video, film or other types of audio-visual technology to supplement your teaching in the classroom, it is your responsibility as the instructor to ensure that those materials are accessible to all students in your class. For instance, if there is a student in your class who is deaf or hard of hearing, it may be necessary to ensure that any videos or films used in your class are captioned for the hearing impaired. Also, students with visual disorders may need special accommodations when the viewing of videos or films is required for a class.
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have questions about this issue or if you need assistance in finding captioned materials. (top)
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Accessibility of On-Line Information
More and more instructors are moving towards including web-based components in their courses. This may include something as complex as the use of Blackboard or as simple as putting outlines or notes on-line for student access. Instructors who use web-based components as an integral part of their class are encouraged to work closely with the Department of Information Technology to ensure that their web-based information is fully accessible to those with disabilities. How a web-site is written will determine if that site can be accessed by students who may require assistive computer technology or other adaptive equipment to view on-line information. (top)
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As was explained above, the Provost's office has requested that a disability
access statement be included on all syllabi. Once again, that statement is as
follows:
"It is University policy to provide, on a flexible and individual basis, reasonable classroom accommodations to student who have verified disabilities that may affect their ability to participate in course activities or meet course requirements. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact their instructors to discuss their individual needs for accommodations." (top)
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The Office of Student Disability Services is here to assist any instructor who has questions or concerns regarding students with disabilities and the provision of accommodations. Instructors are strongly encouraged to contact us to discuss these questions or concerns. We are located in room 234 of the Martindale Student Services building. Our telephone number is 915-7128 and our email address is sds@olemiss.edu . Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of assistance. It's only by working together that we can provide students with disabilities an equal opportunity to succeed in class while maintaining the academic integrity of the University.