Student Accommodations

General Information on Student Accommodations

What are student accommodations?

Accommodations are defined as "adjustments" or "modifications" that are made in order to benefit special needs students throughout their studies.

What is the purpose of student accommodations?

The purpose of student accommodations is to ensure that persons with disabilities are given an "equal opportunity" to succeed in the academic world. This does not mean that instructors are required to lower the regular academic standards or to omit course requirements entirely. It means that students living with a disability can overcome the everyday challenges that the average person would, only using different methods to do so.

Who will benefit from these accommodations?

Any student with a permanent disability will benefit from these accommodations; whether it be a learning disability, a physical disability, a mobility impairment, or any other form of deficiency that a student has who will want to use our services.

Available Accommodations

Class Accommodations

Note takers: Since some students have difficulty or are unable to take notes during class, we have trained note takers who are willing to take class notes for them.

Texts and assignments in alternate format: Arrangements are made to offer course material in alternate format (i.e. large print, printed overheads, etc).

Tape Recorders: With the permission of the instructor, a student is able to record what the instructor is saying during class.

Preferential seating: Some students are unable to see what is visible on the board or on the overhead. Therefore, up front seating is usually preferred.

Sign language interpreters: Interpreters are available for those with hearing and speech impairments.

Test and Exam Accommodations

Administered in alternate format: Not all students can read regular sized print, while others may experience difficulty with reading in general. Therefore, we have the option to administer tests and exams in other formats (i.e. oral, large print, etc).

Extended time period: "Time and a half" is the set standard for extra time to complete the assignment.

Proctor services: Students may wish to write their tests/exams in a quiet area under the supervision of a proctor in a separate room from their regular scheduled class.

Alternate scheduling: Scheduling an examination at a different time may be applicable in some cases.

Typists and scribes: Some students may require a writer to write down what is spoken.

Use of technology and other aids: For some students, use of technology is permitted to do the assignment. For example, laptops can be used for essay questions, while closed circuit televisions are used to increase the font size for reading. Other students may require the use of a dictionary or a calculator depending on their deficiency.

Readers: Readers are available to those who need text materials read to them orally.

Other Accommodations

Reduced course load: Although the course load for full time studies requires five courses, it requires only two courses for disabled persons.

Tutors: tutor services are available to assist students who may be experiencing difficulty in their coursework.

Parking: special reserved parking is available to students with disabilities.