Faculty Resources
The Office of Student Support & Success (OSSS) staff would like to share the following guidelines with you to help facilitate communication with students needing accommodations through the OSSS. By keeping the lines of communication open, the needs of students with disabilities can be met in a collaborative effort.
Please review this brief presentation on accommodations here at the University. Academic Accommodations at Scranton
The responsibility of postsecondary institutions to provide accommodations to students with disabilities derives principally from two federal laws: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”).
Accommodate
OSSS reviews and maintains disability-related documentation and information in the most safe, secure, and effective way possible, by employing a widely-used software product called Accommodate by Symplicity. Student Faculty Notification Letters and exam requests submitted by students will all be located in Accommodate. From within Accommodate, faculty can verify if the information submitted by students who are requesting quizzing/testing accommodations is correct. Faculty can even upload exams in Accommodate, instead of emailing the file to the OSSS.
How to Review a Student Accommodation Letter
How to Review/Approve an Exam in the OSSS - Test Room Booking
Disability Accommodation Statement
The statement is emailed to you each semester by the OSSS and should be included in your course syllabi:
Request for Accommodations: Reasonable academic accommodations may be provided to students who submit appropriate and current documentation of their disability. Students are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Support & Success (OSSS) at disabilityservices@scranton.edu or (570) 941-4038 if they have, or think they may have, a disability and wish to determine eligibility for any accommodations. For more information, please visit www.scranton.edu/disabilities.
First Day of Class Announcement
As you review the syllabus for each class, please note the above statement and invite students to meet with you either during office hours or by appointment. These invitations are important in helping your students feel at ease and for encouraging self-identification. Due to confidentiality, the OSSS does not directly notify instructors of students’ disability unless requested by the students.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality of your students’ information is essential. At no time should the class be informed that any of your students has a disability, unless the student makes a specific request to do so. All disability related information that your student gives to you is to be used specifically for arranging reasonable accommodations for your student’s course of study.
Faculty Notification Letter
The OSSS will provide Faculty Notification Letters, also referred to as Semester Agreements, for all students whose requests have been processed and approved. This letter will not indicate the student's diagnosis but will include their approved accommodations. Students with approved accommodations are instructed to request their semester agreements via our Accommodate platform and are encouraged to schedule an appointment with a OSSS staff member at the beginning of each semester to discuss any changes to their accommodations. The OSSS also recommends that students discuss the management of their accommodations during their instructors' office hours or by special appointment.
*Students who request accommodations but do not have faculty notification letters should be referred to the OSSS to undergo a review process. *
Discuss Student Accommodation Request(s)
Once you receive a copy of the faculty notification letter, discuss with your student the specific accommodations requested for the course. Each faculty notification letter includes a list of approved accommodations, based on documentation provided by the student. These accommodations may not automatically apply to every course or every assignment. Appropriate accommodations should be based on the faculty notification letter, the course requirements, and the students’ needs. If the suggested accommodations cannot be implemented, faculty members are encouraged to consult with the OSSS. If you have any questions regarding a requested accommodation, cannot reach mutual agreement with a student, or need assistance, please contact the OSSS.
Evaluate Accommodation Success
Clearly, the student bears the main burden of evaluating whether an accommodation is succeeding. However, checking in with the student occasionally to monitor progress is helpful. Consistent follow through is important on any agreed-upon accommodations, such as forwarding tests to the OSSS in a timely manner, providing written instructions for assignments, or assisting in recruiting note takers.
Submitting Exams to the OSSS
It is the responsibility of the student to initiate the process to receive testing accommodations by completing the exam booking section on the Accommodate platform. Each faculty member will receive an e-mail with a link to follow requesting verification of the information submitted by the student. Faculty members also need to complete the testing instructions portion of the form. The information is then submitted electronically to the OSSS staff. The OSSS requests that faculty members send exams 24 hours prior to the time of administration.