Accessibility, Resources

Classroom Accommodations

Students may be approved for accommodations to allow them equal access to the information, material and interaction that takes place during class. The classroom accommodations listed below are commonly approved classroom accommodations but do not represent an exhaustive list of accommodations. All accommodations are individually approved based on the student’s need and supporting documentation. 

     Notetaking Accommodations

Students with a disability may need additional support with taking notes during class because of the impact of their disability. Students should still take their own notes, if possible, and use the notetaking support to fill in any gaps in their own notes. Different types of notetaking support may be used depending on the student’s disability or course structure. Any notes, slides, or audio recording received as part of an accommodation are for a student’s personal use only and should not be shared with others in any format (in person or electronically). If absent, the student will need to make arrangements for missed assignments and notes as any other student would. Notes are not provided for classes that are missed. 

 

Permission to Record Classes

Recording class lecture in audio format (or taking snapshots of the board) is allowed when the student provides notification of the accommodation to the instructor. The student may check out a recorder from SAR or provide their own recording device and may discuss with the instructor the best placement of the recording device. SAR can serve as a resource for questions regarding the recording accommodation.

 

Permission to Leave or Move About in Class

For some students with disabilities, sitting for long periods of time or remaining in the same position for the duration of a class period can exacerbate symptoms of the disability. Similarly, some students may need to leave class for brief periods to attend to medications or other medical or mental health needs. SAR encourages these students to move around or leave class in the least disruptive manner possible. Students should discuss seating arrangements and the timing of breaks with their instructors.

 

Preferential Seating

Students with disabilities may request an instructor’s assistance in obtaining appropriate classroom seating. While reasons for accessible seating vary widely, common disability-related requests include seating near the front of the room, seating near the board or overhead projector, seating near an interpreter or microphone, seating near (or away) from windows, seating near the door, and seating on the entry level of a multilevel classroom. SAR staff can assist with any modifications to classroom furniture that are necessary due to an accessible seating request.

Missing Class Due to a Disability

Students with disabilities may be more prone to missing class due to medication concerns, chronic illness, mobility difficulties, or other disability-related circumstances. Students should read their syllabus to find out the attendance policy for each class and then schedule a meeting with their instructor to discuss what additional flexibility can be provided based on the nature and structure of the course. This conversation is critical in helping the student and instructor understand how absences will be handled for the class. The student’s SAR coordinator is available to discuss options related to accommodation issues. All agreements for flexible attendance should be memorialized in writing and sent to your SAR coordinator to be added to your SAR case file. It is important to note that there are courses in which class participation and attendance are essential (e.g., labs, theatre, music, practica, etc.) and flexibility with attendance may be limited.