Students with Disabilities
In accordance with university policies and state and federal regulations, the university is committed to full academic access for all qualified students, including those with disabilities. Students must be registered with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) to receive an accommodation. The ODA collects proof of disability and recommended compensation techniques from the licensed or certified professional who made the diagnosis of disability. Students who have disabilities that are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and who have been properly registered with the ODA are called “qualified students.” Instructors are expected to make reasonable and appropriate adjustments to the classroom environment and the teaching, testing, or learning methodologies in order to facilitate equality of educational access for such qualified students with disabilities.
Qualified students must notify the instructor that disability accommodations will be needed. A qualified student should present an Accommodation Request Form that contains information relative to the needs of the student and assures the instructor that proof of disability is on file with the ODA. Students who do not present such a form can be referred to the ODA for assistance in registering with the ODA.
The qualified student and the instructor will attempt to reach mutual agreement on how accommodation is to be achieved. The ODA can be called upon to give assistance in determining the accommodations that shall be provided and in providing some of those accommodations. (See: Other Helpful Facilities and Services.)
Helpful Hint 3: While some accommodations are relatively easy to implement (such as providing extended time for exams or allowing students to sit near the front of the class), others may be harder to implement without either drawing attention to the student with the disability or causing other students to question the fairness of procedures. If a student presents you with a list of accommodations, ask the student to privately discuss how that accommodation will work in the context of your class. If you still have questions, contact the ODA for assistance (disability.unt.edu/). Make sure you inform TAs of any necessary accommodations. Finally, while you should keep all paperwork relating to accommodations, you should also carefully protect the privacy of that information.
It is essential for many accommodations that course materials, syllabi, reading lists etc. be available as early as possible. Significant time is required to convert textbooks to Braille/e-text, arrange Sign Language Interpreters and schedule accommodated exams. Students needing such accommodations may fall behind if such content is not made available by faculty with as much lead time as possible.