Academic Accommodation
Adjustments, alterations, and/or modifications that allow a student with a documented disability to have equal access to course information and college activities and is
- If a student needs academic accommodations, then it is recommended to register with the Disability Resource Center {Set up as hyperlink) as soon as possible
- Please note that an accommodation may be necessary beyond an accessible environment. Accessibility pertains to any action that may be set up prior to an accommodation request to ensure equal access.
What is Accessibility?
"Accessible" means that individuals are able to independently acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services within the same time frame with substantially equivalent ease of use. A few examples of accessibility are, accessible web pages, accessible instructional materials, accessible apps and an accessible eReader.
You are compliant if:
- Content must be usable without additional modifications
- Content is available in more than one way – instructors provide transcript, review notes, video, captioning and learning activities for students to learn in accessible format
- Appropriate functionality is designed into the content, learning object, application, media, etc.
What is an Accommodation?
“Accommodations” are reasonable academic adjustments or auxiliary aids that provide equal access to programs and services on an individual basis. A few examples of reasonable academic adjustments or auxiliary aids are, extended time on tests, taking an exam in a minimal distraction area, recording a lecture and having a note-taker.
You are not compliant if:
- Content requires additional modifications before use
- Provided "ad-hoc; after-the-fact"; that may involve a delay as to when content is available for actual use
What is the difference?
Accessibility is achieved through the use of identified standards to design environments to be used by everyone, including persons with disabilities. Oversight is often provided by an accessibility manager and/or a coordinator. Providing your students with diversified ways to access course information and to demonstrate learning is beneficial to all students.
Accommodations are requested by a person with a disability and determined to be reasonable on an individual basis by an appointed representative, often, in a disability services office. Accommodations may be needed beyond an accessible environment for equal access to programs and services because of the individual nature of the disability not due to an environment’s inaccessible design.