Disability Accommodations in Your Class

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Accessibility Services and Academic Success at UMA

Who we are.

The Division of Academic Success

Director–Kristin McLaren

Accessibility Services–Sydney Olson

Tutoring–Wendy Rolfe

Academic Success Coaching–Jennifer Boynton Allen

Neurodiversity Liaison–Dylan Sullivan

Administrative Specialists: Shani Hardy (Bangor campus) and Kariann Woolf (Augusta Campus)

Accessibility Services

Our role is to manage student accommodation requests, help implement accommodations, and communicate accommodation needs.

Our mission is to enable equal access to courses and campus programs for students with disabilities, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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Terms to know.

Terms

• Accommodate–online system for managing and implementing student accommodations.
• Students submit requests in Accommodate.
• Accessibility Services processes these requests.
• Faculty view accommodation information for students in their classes in Accommodate.
• Approved
• An accommodation is approved if the student has completed the accommodation process and our office has determined that they are eligible to request specific accommodations.
• Requested
• Students request to use their approved accommodations each semester.

Who our students are.

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Getting to know UMA students with accommodations by diving into Spring 2024 data.

Spring 2024

Total students enrolled

• 3,316

Number of enrolled students with approved accommodations

• 158
• 4.8%

Number who requested to use their accommodations

• 128
• 3.9%

% of Americans with disabilities (Pew Research Center, 2023)

• 13%

The majority of students with disabilities do not have accommodations.

If the number of UMA students with disabilities is close to the national average, only about 17% of students with disabilities actually used accommodations in Spring 2024.

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What types of disabilities do UMA students report?

What accommodations do UMA students use?

How do we determine what accommodations to approve?

The Accommodation Process

• Submits request.
• Provides proof of eligibility.
• Meets to discuss needs.

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• Evaluates students needs based on student’s self-report, documentation from medical provider, and professional standards.
• Determines what accommodations will be approved.
• Communicates student accommodations needs (upon request)
• Helps implement accommodations.

Student

Accessibility Services

Faculty

• Reads accommodation letter.
• Seeks clarification if necessary.
• Helps implement accommodations.

Students request to use their approved accommodations each semester.

• Simple online process.
• We send several reminders.
• Protects student privacy.
• We do not send disability information to instructors without a direct request from the student.
• If a student tells you they have accommodations, but you haven’t received a letter from them, it is likely that they haven’t completed their semester request.

How will faculty know if students in their course/s have accommodations and what needs to be done to implement the accommodation?

When a student completes their semester request you will receive an email.

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From: umaine-accommodate@symplicity.com

Titled: Accommodation Letter Notification

Containing

• Student name
• Course number (including campus code)
• Link to view letter in Accomodate
• Contact information if you have questions

If you are teaching multiple students with accommodations, you will receive an email for each of them.

Next steps.

• Follow the link https://umaine-accommodate.symplicity.com/
• Or log in to Accommodate via your MyCampus Portal

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Accommodation Letter Screenshots

What does the professor who received that email need to do now and who can help if she needs support?

• Add extra time to assessments.
• Contact FDC or IT for help adding time in Brightspace.
• If assessments are in-person, make a note of the extra time and a plan for how to implement it.
• Students can schedule a test-proctoring appointment if they need to take an assessment outside of the classroom.
• For GLEAN, you don’t need to do anything, just be aware that student is recording lectures via this software.
• Communicate with the student if there are assignments in the course that cannot be extended.
• Electronically sign the accommodation letter.

Extended deadlines: a closer look.

Occasional assignment extensions of 1–3 days. The student has a disability that is chronic and episodic. They may experience unpredictable periods of illness during the semester and need extra time to complete assignments. Accommodations related to deadlines are intended to create a reasonable modification, where appropriate, to the classroom assignment deadline policy in your course with consideration of the essential components of the course and the course schedule. Disability office professional staff discusses the importance of meeting the class expectations, including deadlines, while balancing the need for students with disabilities to have an equitable educational experience and not be penalized for disability-related lateness when it is determined to be a reasonable accommodation. The student will contact the instructor if there is an exacerbation and they need to make use of this accommodation. The student is not required to provide a doctor's note in order to make use of this accommodation.

What do we know about this student based on this accommodation letter?

• Needs extra time on assessments.
• Will be using GLEAN.
• May occasionally notify you that they need to use their extended deadlines accommodation.
• Has a learning disability.
• Has ADHD.
• Has a mental health diagnosis.
• Will struggle to keep up in class.

Why might a student be approved for extended deadlines?

• Episodic condition, usually medical or neurological.
• Flare ups result in a brief exacerbation of symptoms that prevent the student from being able to complete coursework.

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Note: If a student has a flare up that impacts an assignment that cannot be completed at a later date, please follow your course policies for making up work that was missed due to illness.

Alternate Format Text: A Closer Look

Student requires alternative format texts. Generally, this includes digital instructional materials or e-books that are compatible with text-to-speech software or a screen reader. If the student is unable to purchase accessible texts they will work with the disability/accessibility office to acquire necessary materials.

Alternate Format Texts: A Closer Look

• There are many reasons a student may be approved for this accommodation.
• Most students with this accommodation do not have impaired vision.
• If a student enrolled in your class uses a screen reader, I will let you know.
• Students may reach out to you or me or both if they encounter materials that are not accessible for them.
• The goal should be for all materials to be accessible.
• FDC has resources on digital accessibility, including ACCESS module and Ally Tool, both in Brightspace

If you have a question or concern about an accommodation email me.

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sydney.olson@maine.edu

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What if an accommodation does not apply to my class?

Examples of accommodations that do not need to be implemented.

• 1.5x on tests, but the class has no timed tests.
• Calculator for basic functions, but your class contains no math.
• Many accommodations do not apply to asynchronous classes:
• Ability to take breaks during class
• Food and drink in class
• Preferential seating

What if an accommodation conflicts with course objectives?

Fundamental Alteration

• A fundamental alteration is a change so significant that it alters the essential nature of a course.
• Approved accommodations may be fundamental alterations for certain types of courses:
• Ex. Ability to turn of Zoom camera in a counseling skills or communications skills course.
• In most cases, the student will understand this and will not expect to use the accommodation in that course.
• If you believe that an accommodation constitutes a fundamental alteration, please contact sydney.olson@maine.edu and/or kristin.mclaren@maine.edu. This determination is a collaborative process. We will work together to develop a plan for the student to meet course objectives.

What should I do if a student is struggling in my class and I think they might need accommodations?

We love referrals!

• umasuccess@maine.edu is a general inbox for The Division of Academic Success
• Please encourage all students to reach out to us if they are struggling. We will gather information and triage them to resources we think will help.
• Refer students to our website as well, if they have questions about how to request accommodations.
• You may want to do your own information gathering.
• Is there a structural barrier that is impacting other students?

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What else should I know?

UMA students are resilient.

• There is still significant stigma associated with disability and accommodations.
• Most students who come to Accessibility Services have been struggling for some time before they ask for help.
• Many students try to “do it on their own,” because they want to prove to themselves and others that they do not need any “extra” help.
• The goal is not for students to not need or use accommodations.
• The goal is for students to not be limited by unnecessary barriers.