Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

A Faculty Members' Guide

(* This page is still being updated...)

In addition to the existing support services provided by the University, faculty and staff also play an integral role in the success of students with disabilities.  The Faculty Members' Guide for Accommodating Students with Disabilities is designed to help faculty members, staff, and administration heighten their awareness about disabilities and to provide basic information to assist in accommodating the needs of students with disabilities.

For answers to specific questions, please see below:

What is a learning disability?

What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?  Is a learning disability?

How is a learning disability diagnosed and documented?

How does Tufts assess the documentation?

How are students identified at Tufts?

How do I know if I have a learning disabled student in my class?

What kind of accommodations am I expected to make?

How should I grade such students?

What is the procedure for eligible students to obtain accommodations?

What is my role?

What if I suspect that a student may have a disability that is affecting the quality of the student's work?

If it is my responsibility to provide appropriate accommodations for eligible students, what are the student's responsibilities?

Confidentiality

The intention of ADA legislation is to make it possible for students with disabilities to take advantage of the educational opportunities for which they are otherwise qualified.  Thus, a student who has met the university's requirements for documentation of disability must be granted the level of accommodation that meets his or her need, so long as the accommodation does not substantially alter the learning expected to be demonstrated as the outcome of the course.  Tufts sets graduation requirements and establishes what alternatives may be permitted without undermining the quality of the educational experience.  Similarly, the faculty member, in consultation with the academic department, must decide what accommodations can be made in an individual course without compromising expectations for student learning or the faculty member's ability to evaluate the student's performance in comparison to his or her classmates.  Accommodations must necessarily be individually determined, not to advantage the student but in order to level the playing field.

Students with a range of physical, psychological or learning differences - including physical mobility, hearing and vision impairments;   the effects of brain injuries or chemotherapy;  psychological conditions;  brain disorders, such as bipolar disorders and clinical depression; or visual and motor impairments - may require accommodation.

At Tufts, most students seeking accommodations under the ADA are diagnosed with learning disabilities.

A learning disability is a perceptual handicap, presumably the result of a central nervous system dysfunction, which affects the ability to process information in people of average or above average intelligence.  Examples of specific diagnoses are dyslexia or dyscalculia.  They may affect only one academic area, such as math or foreign language, or may affect a student's performance across several subject areas and disciplines.

An essential feature of ADHD is a persistent pattern of inattention (distractibility)  and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that is more frequent and severe than for most individuals at a comparable level of development.  Technically, ADHD is not a learning disability, although it can affect a student's ability to learn.  In some cases, the symptoms of ADHD can be lessened with the use of medication.  It has been the practice at Tufts to allow accommodations for students diagnosed with ADHD, even if they are using medication to reduce symptoms.

At Tufts we base requirements for diagnosis and documentation of a learning disability on guidelines developed by the Association on Higher Education and Disability:  a neuropsychological or psycho educational evaluation conducted by a qualified professional and providing clear and specific evidence that a learning disability exists; an assessment of the student's information processing ability; and an interpretation of the scores from a battery of aptitude and achievement tests.

How does Tufts assess the documentation?

Recommendations of outside professionals are referred to one of several campus committees, who make an independent assessment of the documentation.  Only after a student's need for accommodation has been assessed by the appropriate people at Tufts would you be expected to provide an accommodation.

Learning Disabilities

The Committee on Learning Disabilities reviews petitions to determine whether a learning disability qualifies a student for an accommodation for the foreign language requirements.  Eligible students are ordinarily allowed to substitute three culture courses in a single culture for Part I of the foreign language requirement.  These courses must be taken for a letter grade.  (Petitions for requests of the committee may be obtained from Sandra Baer, Program Director of Disability Services in the Academic Resource Center).

Other Disabilities

Requests for accommodations for a physical disability or for psychological reasons are assessed by the Health Accommodations and Medical Leave Committee, a committee composed of medical and counseling professional staff, academic deans, and professional staff from the Office of the Dean of Students.

How are students identified at Tufts?

Some students inform us of their learning disability in response to a request sent to all entering students during the summer before they matriculate.  However, many students choose not to tell us, with the intent of trying to succeed without accommodations.  After all, they have developed effective compensation techniques that enabled them to do well enough in their course work to be accepted into Tufts.  Sometimes, though, these students discover - usually after the first exam - that they do need to request accommodations.

How do I know if I have a learning disabled student in my class?

You may not know.  A student who requests accommodations for one class might not need accommodations in another (extend time on exams in one course as opposed to a course for which the grade is based on papers).  Therefore, the Program Director meets individually with students to determine the appropriate accommodations - if any - for each course.

What kind of accommodations am I expected to make?

The most common accommodation for a student with a documented learning disability is extended  time on examinations (usually time and a half or double time).  In addition, many students require note takers so they can listen attentively while taking their own brief notes, knowing the note taker will take more thorough notes.  Often students benefit from taping lectures, with the professor's permission  In some cases, Tufts faculty have provided copies of their lecture notes or alternative forms of evaluation for students (for example, a paper instead of a multiple choice exam).

You may also be asked to welcome a sign language interpreter or Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART) provider into your class, or you may be asked to move your class to a wheelchair-accessible room.

How should I grade such students?

All students in your class should be graded by the same standards; you should not lower your standards in grading the student with a learning disability.  The accommodations are made for the purpose of allowing students with disabilities to compete at the same level as other students and they must meet the same criteria for evaluation as you expect from all your students.

Learning Disabilities

Students meet with the Program Director of Disability Services at the Academic Resource Center (ARC) to discuss their needs and the appropriate level of accommodation.  The Program Director then notifies the faculty member to make the requests.  If students approach you directly with requests, please direct them to the ARC, both to verify the student's eligibility and to discuss what accommodations seem consistent with the demands of the course.

Other Disabilities

Students meet with the Program Director of Disability Services in the Academic Resource Center to discuss their needs and the appropriate level of accommodation.  Generally, the Program Director will act to have those needs met or will advise the students how to proceed with the next steps.

Tufts students often develop close and trusting relationships with faculty members, a circumstance we value and want to preserve.  Once eligibility for accommodation is established, students are encouraged to speak directly with their instructors about their need for accommodations and, when possible, negotiate the details of the arrangements.

You should always feel free to ask advice from Sandra Baer regarding academic accommodations or Michelle Bowdler regarding non-academic accommodations.

Faculty members who are unfamiliar with disabilities should not hesitate to consult with the Disability Services Office in the Academic Resource Center.  Faculty members who are more knowledgeable about disabilities may wish to raise the issue of disability with the student and refer the student to the appropriate provider of services.  However, this conversation should be handled with great sensitivity.  Please speak directly to the student; do not write on a paper or exam that you suspect the student has a learning disability.  Always feel free to consult with the Program Director of Disability Services before having such a conversation.

To assure that there is time to implement an accommodation (e.g. arranging for a proctor for an extended-time exam), students should give the Program Director of Disability Services as much notice as possible, using the course syllabus to plan ahead, but with at least one week's notice before the accommodation is needed.  (Some accommodations, such as class room changes, equipment purchase, and text conversion, are more difficult to arrange and require much more lead time.)  Since accommodations are made only for students whose documentation has been reviewed and accepted, students are encouraged to identify their needs as early in the semester as possible.

Confidentiality

Information about a student's learning difference is confidential and the only notification made is to faculty members from whom the student is requesting accommodations.  Nor are the contents of the documentation that the student presents to determine eligibility disclosed to faculty members - only the level of accommodation needed.

A student's disability should also not be discussed openly or disparagingly.  Office staff must also be trained to deal sensitively and confidentially with special needs students.  A student receiving accommodations should never be singled out in any way.  For example, if you choose to proctor an extended-time exam yourself, the student could take part of the exam with the class.  At the end of the scheduled time, you would collect all the examinations and then you and the student could move to your office or another quiet room where the student would complete the exam.

Many of us lack experience interacting with people with disabilities.  We may feel awkward around them for fear of inadvertently saying or doing the wrong thing.  Even our best intentions may be thwarted by our misperceptions about people with disabilities.  Furthermore, as educators, stereotypes and unfounded attitudes we may hold might color our expectations for their academic performance.  Thus, in a university setting, the first step towards positive interactions, which will result in a supportive academic environment, is to evaluate, and possibly revise, our perceptions and attitudes.  In addition, observing the following principles may help to ease discomfort and contribute to having more successful interactions with students with disabilities both in the classroom and one-on-one.

• Keep in mind that students with disabilities are often hampered more by other people's attitudes and by physical and methodological barriers than by any functional limitations they may have.
• Maintain an open mind about what a student with a disability can or cannot do.  Often we assume that because we have not met someone with a disability in a given field, it cannot be done.  Let the student determine her or his own capabilities.
• Act as an advocate for treating students with disabilities with the same dignity and respect you would any student.  Allowing jokes about people with disabilities, discussing a student's disability with others without prior consent, expecting a student to represent the views of all people with disabilities, and other forms of tokenism are inappropriate.
• Understand that there is a joint responsibility for successful interactions.  Instructors must work with students in a partnership to find solutions to issues that confront them.
• Plan to have classes, sections, and office hours in consistent and accessible locations.  Also make yourself accessible in a variety of ways:  e.g. telephone, email, and open office hours.
• Always address a student with a disability directly.  Speak clearly, at a moderate pace and volume, and allow the student time to respond.  Do not address the student's companions, including interpreters and aides, rather than the student.
• It is okay to offer assistance to a student with a physical disability but be sure to respect the student's personal space and dignity by asking before assisting.  A good way to ask if you can help is, "May I give you a hand with that?" or "Do you want/need me to do anything?"  Even if the student refuses, it is still not wrong to ask.

The following are some general tips for teaching and working with students with disabilities.

• Standards for academic credit should not be modified for students with disabilities.  All students must meet the required level of understanding and performance competencies for a given course.  There may need to be modifications in the evaluation or testing method, but the content should not be changed.
• It is unnecessary to rewrite an entire course to accommodate students with disabilities; simply modify the presentation of materials to make it accessible to them.  If a specific task is impossible for these students to carry out, consider an alternative assignment unless the task is deemed an essential element of the course.
• Treat students with disabilities as individuals.  Be careful of making assumptions based on stereotypes.  If one student with a particular type of disability has difficulty with a specific task, do not assume that the next student with the same type of disability will experience similar problems.
• Announce on the first day of class the desire to speak individually with students with disabilities as soon as possible.  Ask these students how their disability affects them and how their learning may be facilitated by you.
• Provide students with a course syllabus in advance, if possible, or at the very beginning of the semester.  Placing the syllabus on-line will enhance its accessibility.  Detail all course requirements, including the material to be covered, grading methods, and due dates.
• Announce on the first day of class your policies regarding attendance and makeup work.  Reinforce this information by clearly stating them in the syllabus.  These measures will allow students with disabilities who may anticipate being absent from class to make informed decisions about which courses to take.
• A syllabus statement, addressing students with disabilities, will let them know that while you are approachable and willing to work with them, it is their responsibility to communicate their needs to you in advance.  The syllabus statement might read, "Tufts University is committed to full inclusion of all students.  Students who, by nature of a documented disability, require academic accommodations should contact the professor during office hours.  Students may also speak with the Program Director of Disability Services x72000 to discuss the process for requesting accommodations."
• Announce reading assignments well in advance since it can take several weeks to get a book tape-recorded.  Also consider using a textbook that has a companion study guide which students have the option of using.

While it is not expected that instructors become an expert on any disability, it is important to have a working knowledge of issues that may affect the students.  Awareness of these issues will ensure that appropriate accommodations can be provided in order for students with disabilities to reach their potential in an academic setting.

Please feel free to contact the Program Director of Disability Services at x72000 if you would like more information about a specific disability.

1. Submit documentation from a licensed practitioner to the Office of the Program Director of Disability Services (located in the ARC).
2. Set up a meeting with Program Director Sandy Baer (617-627-2000) to discuss accommodations.
3. Fill out the required forms:
   • Intake form
   • Request forms for:
     • Extended time
     • Tutors (online at http://ase.tufts.edu.edu/arc click on Tutor Finder)
     • Note-takers
4. Pick up and deliver the Introduction/Reminder letters to your professors.
5. REPEAT STEPS 3 AND 4 FOR EVERY SEMESTER ACCOMMODATIONS ARE NEEDED.

* Feel free to set up appointments with Program Director Sandy Baer throughout the year regarding any concerns or questions.

In referring to people with disabilities, it is preferable to use language that focuses on their abilities rather than their disabilities.  Therefore, the use of the terms "handicapped," "able-bodied," "physically challenged," and "differently abled" is discouraged.  It may also be helpful to keep the following points in mind when communicating with or about people with disabilities:

• Never use the article "the" with a specific disability to describe people with that disability.  The preferred term, "people with disabilities," stresses the humanity of the individuals and avoids objectification.  If it is appropriate to refer to a person's disability, be sure to use the correct terminology for the specific disability.  Example:  NOT "the blind"  USE "people who are blind"
• Be wary of implying that people with disabilities deserve to be pitied, feared, or ignored, or that they are somehow more heroic, courageous, patient, or "special" than others who do not have a disability.
• Never use the word "normal" to refer to people who do not have a disability in contrast to people with disabilities.  Use "non-disabled" instead.  Example:  NOT "Jane did as well on the exam as the normal students."  USE "Jane did well on her exam."
• Avoid using terms that define a person's disability as a limitation.  Example:  NOT "confined to a wheelchair" or "wheelchair bound" USE "wheelchair user" or "uses a wheelchair"
• Terms such as "victim" or "sufferer" should not be used to refer to people who have a disability or disease as this is dehumanizing and implies powerlessness.  Example: NOT "AIDS sufferer" USE "person with HIV/AIDS"

Students with disabilities are a growing - and successful - population on our campus.  You may increase your understanding of them as a group and improve your ability to respond to their needs as individuals by making use of campus resources.  Any of those on the resource list below will be glad to offer information or advice, or, if you wish, arrange for a visit to a department meeting.

Sandra Baer, Program Director of Disability Services, 617-627-5571

Carmen Lowe, Director of Academic Resource Center, 617-627-3724

Jean Herbert, Associate Dean (Last Names A - E)
Carol Baffi-Dugan, Associate Dean (Last Names F - K)
Karen Garrett Gould, Associate Dean (Last Names L - Ri)
Jean Dillon, Associate Dean (Last Names Rj - Z)
Kim Knox, Associate Dean (Engineering)

Maryanne Wolf, Chair, Committee on Learning Differences, 617-627-5020

Julie Ross, Director of Counseling and Mental Health Service, 617-627-3360

Office of Equal Opportunity, 617-627-5571

Michelle Bowdler, Senior Director Health & Wellness Services, 617-627-3350

Marisel Perez, Health Accommodations and Medical Leave Committee, 617-627-2000