Instructor/Student
Responsibilities

Instructor Responsiblities

Sample Syllabus Statement

The University of Oregon is working to create inclusive learning environments.  If there are aspects of the instruction or design of this course that result in barriers to your participation, please notify me as soon as possible.  You may also wish to contact Disability Services in 164 Oregon Hall at 346-1155 or disabsrv@uoregon.edu

At a minimum, Instructors have the responsiblitiy to ensure Full access for students with disabilities by responding to a student's need or request for accommodations as outlined below.  Instructors can do so much more to create an inclusive learning environment for students with disabilities and for all students by incorporating principles of Universal Design for Instruction (see http://www.facultyware.uconn.edu/files/udi2_fact_sheet.pdf)  

1. If a student presents you with a notification letter from DS:
2. You have the responsibility to cooperate with DS in providing authorized accommodations in a reasonable and timely manner. The specific accommodation determines the amount of involvement required. Refer to the section below entitled "Examples of Shared Responsibility" for a description of your involvement in providing the most common accommodations.
3. If a student does not present you with a notification letter from DS:
4. If a student requests an accommodation without having presented you with the notification letter from DS, please refer the student to DS. If the student is already on file with DS, a request form just needs to be filled out. If the student is new to DS, the process to review documentation and meet with the student may take some time. If the disability is obvious and the accommodation appears appropriate, you may need to provide the accommodation while awaiting official notification. If you are unsure, please call DS for assistance.
5. If a student discloses a disability to you:
6. Ask to see the notification letter from DS. This letter describes the accommodations that the institution is legally mandated to provide. During an office hour or at another convenient time, discuss the letter and the accommodations with the student. Students MUST present a notification letter from DS to receive testing accommodations. If the student does not have a letter, please refer the student to DS. Appropriate accommodations will be determined after reviewing documentation of the disability and the student will be issued the notification letter.
7. If you have a question about the appropriateness of an accommodation:
8. Questions about the appropriateness of certain accommodations should be directed to the Director of DS.
9. If a disability is suspected:
10. Share your concerns with the student regarding his or her performance. If the concern seems disability-related, ask if he or she has ever received assistance for a disability. If it seems appropriate, refer the student to DS for further discussion and guidance. It is the student's decision whether or not to self-identify to DS; however, to receive accommodations, disclosure to DS with proper documentation is required.

Responsibilities of Students

Students with disabilities have the responsibility to:

• Provide DS with current and complete documentation of their disability.
• Talk with their instructors. Use office hours! Let instructors know of any accommodations they may need during the term. (DS will provide students with a notification letter to be presented to instructors.)
• If requesting accommodations from DS, students must fill out and turn in the appropriate request forms before the specified due dates.
• Students are strongly encouraged to notify their instructors or DS immediately if they encounter barrieres or are having difficulty in classes.

Shared Responsibilities

It is the student's responsibility to report disability-related needs to instructors through DS in a timely manner. It is not possible for instructors to anticipate all students individual needs, though designing instruction for the broadest range of students helps to eliminate potential barriers to access. It is important to encourage students who encounter barriers in your class to contact you as soon as possible so that you and the student can discuss options.  If a student is requesting a specific accommodation, she or he is expected to notify you early in the term or well in advance of when the accommodation is needed. You do not need to offer make up exams, or provide retroactive accommodations to students who have delayed notification to you.

When a student discloses a disability, it is important to ask what you can do to facilitate learning. It may be as simple as allowing the student to sit in the front of the class, or quite complicated if the student does not have a clear sense of her or his particular needs.

In advising or mentoring relationships it is important not to discourage students from specific fields of study based on assumptions that you may have about a disability. If the student meets the admission requirements, maintains the appropriate grades, and is otherwise qualified she should not be treated differently from a student without a disability. Your responsibility is to provide an education and the student must meet and maintain academic standards.

Examples of Shared Responsibility in the Most Commonly Requested Accommodations:

• Testing
• Initial Steps:
• Step 1: Student provides documentation to DS, and meets with a DS advisor to determine if and what type of accommodations are appropriate (e.g., extended time, distraction-free environment, scribe).
• Step 2: Student picks up notification letter from DS to present to instructor as needed.
• For Each Class:
• Step 1: Student meets with you early in the term and presents the notification letter. If DS has approved the student for exam accommodations, you may either make your own arrangements to accommodate the student or utilize DS.
• Step 2: If you are able to provide accommodations, such as ensuring that the student will have additional time to complete the exam, a request form does not need to be returned to DS.
• Step 3: If you are unable to be responsible for administering the exam, the student must submit an exam accommodation request form with your signature to DS. Please fill in specific instructions about exam delivery, allowed materials, and sign the form. DS will reserve an exam location and schedule a proctor, reader, or scribe, and secure any needed equipment.>
• Step 4: It is the student's responsibility to return the request form to DS at least one week prior to the exam.
• Notetaking
• Step 1: Student completes registration as soon as possible to finalize her schedule in time to allow accommodations.
• Step 2:Student submits a Request for Services form to DS no later than the second week of registration, indicating whether they will locate their own notetaker or require assistance in locating one.
• Step 3: If assistance is requested in a timely manner, DS attempts to locate a student enrolled in the class who meets specific criteria (over 3.0 GPA, upperclassperson, etc.). Selected students are paid for their notetaking services.
• Step 4: If DS is unable to find a notetaker, or if the student submits a request form after the deadline, the class instructor is asked to help locate a notetaker. Students may present to you a memo that outlines recommended language for an announcement to be read in class. Do not identify the student with a disability when reading the announcement. Students who are qualified and interested in serving as a notetaker are instructed to contact DS.
• Step 5: DS orients notetakers at the beginning of each term. Notetaker responsibilities are explained and notetakers are educated in disability awareness. DS is available to support and problem solve with both students and notetakers throughout the term to ensure an efficient and cooperative accommodation.
• Reading/Scanning
  • Step 1: Student uses priority registration to finalize her or his schedule in time to allow for accommodations.
  • Step 2: The reading coordinator notifies instructors that a student who uses books on tape is registered in their class. The instructor is asked to provide a list of required readings for the class. If a formal syllabus is not yet available, a list of readings for the first two weeks of class is extremely helpful. If at all possible, books will be read or scanned in their entirety.
  • Step 3: Student checks with Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic to see if prerecorded versions of texts are available. If not, the student delivers the texts and syllabus to the ATC Advisor to be recorded or scanned into electronic format.

Please note that it takes a minimum of one week for students to receive an audiofile of reading that is not available in an electronic format. The earlier you provide the reading information and materials to students with disabilities, the more prepared they will be for your class.