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Services for Students with Disabilities

Facutly Information and Resources

Faculty and Staff interact with students registered with SSD on a daily basis, here is some useful information to assist you while working with your students registered with SSD. 

Reasonable Accommodations

Under both the Americans with Disabilities Act, as recently amended , and Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, a reasonable accommodation is considered to be a modification or adjustment to a course, program, service or facility, which ensures that a qualified student with a disability is not excluded, segregated, or otherwise treated differently. It should not fundamentally alter the nature of the course, curriculum, or program. 

  • Accessible Furniture in the classroom can be tables, chairs, back supports, standing desks, etc. These are labeled and should be made available for the eligible student(s) to use.  
  • Faculty are asked to notify SSD if the furniture is missing, damaged or has been relocated to an unaccommodating location in the classroom.  

  • Alternate media for instructional materials are media sources that differ from established types of media.  For example:  A student who will use an “audio book” as opposed to reading the physical copy of a book.  
  • Faculty assist in processing and producing accessible instructional materials by preparing materials ahead of time and sending required materials to the Kennel Bookstore as soon as possible.  

  • This allows a student to audio record lectures for their own educational purposes. Recordings are not to be shared with other students, posted to any online forum, or otherwise disseminated in any way.

  • Flexible Time on Assignments is a time for extension on SOME assignments for disability related reasons (ex: hospitalization, medical complication, periodic flare up or episode, etc.)
  • If an extension on a given assignment would negate the purpose of the assignment, or have implications for other students in the class, this accommodation may not be reasonable.

  • Flexible Attendance is a modification to the attendance policy for SOME days for disability related reasons. 
  • If absences would negate the purpose of the learning objectives of the course, this accommodation may not be reasonable. 

  • An FM system is an assistive listening device. 
  • You may be asked to wear a wireless microphone with a transceiver that will transmit the sound to the student wearing the headset with a receiver. 

  • On campus, class to class transportation via Traffic Operations for students with mobility disabilities. 
  • Faculty should be aware that due to service limitations (speed of golf carts, amount of drivers, students who only have 15 minutes or less in between classes) students may be a couple minutes late to class. 

  • Volunteer Notetaking is another student who can provide a copy of their own class notes for the eligible student to use as a supplement to the student’s own notes. 
  • Faculty are asked to request for a volunteer either as an announcement in class, on Canvas or via Email.
  • You only need 1 volunteer per course, even if there are multiple SSD students.
  • Digital Campus or Virtual Asynchronous courses do not require Volunteer Notetakers. 

  • Alternative Testing accommodations are primarily facilitated by SSD. Types of accommodations could includ:e reduced distraction environment, additional time, use of technology, etc. 
  • Faculty are asked to submit a copy of their exam to SSD if requested by SSD. 
  • Faculty are asked to extend an individual student's time on Canvas, if hosting an online exam.  

  • UDL Tips from the Office of IDEAS

Emotional Support Animal vs. Service Animal Service Animals 

  • Service Animals do not have to be registered with the SSD office.  They are not required to wear a harness or vest.  
  • Only two questions can be asked of the individual with the service animal:
  1. Is this a service animal? 
  2. What tasks is the animal trained to do in regards to the disability? 
  • Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are approved only for housing/residence halls. Students are required to connect with the SSD office for ESA approval as per the CSU policy on Service and Emotional Support Animals on Campus.

  • The primary role of the interpreter is to facilitate communication between the D/HH student and faculty member, staff or peer(s). 
  • There may be at least two interpreters assigned depending on duration and content of the class or event. 
  • Please do not involve interpreters in the course activities as a participant. 
  • The student will primarily be watching the interpreter during lecture or presentation in order to access the information being shared. 
  • The interpreter will speak in first-person while interpreting the student’s comments into English. For example, when the interpreter says "I have a question," it means the student has a question, not the interpreter.
  • When distributing handouts, please include the interpreter(s) and provide access to any class materials beforehand so they can prepare adequately. 
  • Real-Time Captioners (RTC) transcribe all communication content that is said in class into a written format; words are displayed on a laptop screen or iPad for the student with the use of a stenotype system.
  • The RTC may need to be seated near the student. 
  • The RTC may sit at a designated table on a level surface, or near the end of an aisle and have access to an electrical outlet.
  • When distributing handouts, please include the captioner(s) and provide access to any class materials beforehand so they can prepare adequately.