Be sure to include in your course syllabi a statement similar to the following: Special Needs and Accommodations: In order to receive appropriate accommodations, students with disabilities must register with the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence and provide relevant documentation. Students should contact Mary Ellen Pichiarello (Extension 4039) or Jim Muniz (Extension 4218) to schedule an appointment.

As you review the syllabus for each class, note the above statement and invite students to meet you either during office hours or by appointment. These invitations are important in helping the student feel at ease and for encouraging self-identification. Due to confidentiality, the CTLE does not directly notify instructors of a student’s disability unless requested by the student.

A student needing an accommodation(s) must provide the faculty member with a faculty notification letter from the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE). All students are instructed to schedule an appointment with a CTLE staff member at the beginning of the semester and meet with the faculty member after the next scheduled class or during office hours to review the accommodations. Students who ask for accommodations but do not have faculty notifications letters should be referred to the CTLE.

Once the student provides the faculty member with a copy of the faculty notification letter, discuss with the student the specific accommodations requested for the course. Each faculty notification letter includes a list of recommended accommodations, based on documentation provided by the student. These accommodations may not automatically apply to every course or every assignment. Appropriate accommodations should be based on the faculty notification letter, the course requirements, and common sense.

If you have any questions regarding a requested accommodation, cannot reach mutual agreement with a student, or need other assistance, please contact the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE). The responsibility of postsecondary institutions to provide accommodations to students with disabilities derives principally from two federal laws: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”).

Clearly, the student bears the main burden of evaluating whether an accommodation is succeeding. However, checking in with the student occasionally to monitor progress is helpful. Consistent follow through is important on any agreed accommodations, such as forwarding tests to the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE) on time, providing written instructions for assignments, or assisting in recruiting note takers.