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Testing
Accommodations
Notetakers
Audio
Format
Course
Substitutions and Modifications
Eligibility
for Reduced Courseload and Full-time Status
Assistive
Technology
Other
Requests (Auxiliary Aids and Services)
Testing
Accommodations:
A
student with a disability may be eligible for test accommodations,
determined on an individual basis after review of documentation
of disability. Test accommodations may include things like: extended
time to compete exams, a testing location free of distractions,
special equipment such as a word processor, readers and scribes,
and/or alternative formats such as oral or taped tests.
A
student should discuss his/her specific needs for testing accommodations
with the Coordinator of Specialized Support Services and faculty
in a timely manner BEFORE tests are to be administered.
Student
Responsibilities:
1. Contact
the Coordinator of Specialized Support Services (Coordinator)
to request testing accommodations as early as possible each
semester.
2. Provide
the Coordinator with documentation of disability in order
for the Coordinator to determine appropriate testing accommodations. Documentation
3. Meet
with professors to inform them of testing needs, preferably
at the beginning of the semester. If requested, the
Coordinator will provide the student with a Disability Accommodation
Approval Form to give to the professor outlining needs.
4. Notify
the Coordinator before each exam to schedule testing accommodations.
5. Remind
professors to make arrangements to deliver exams to the Office
of Academic Support (Learning Center) before scheduled exam time.
The
Coordinator will administer and proctor each exam taken in
the Office of Academic Support (Learning Center) and will return
the exam to the faculty member once the student has completed
the exam.
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Based
on documentation of disability, the Coordinator of Specialized
Support Services will determine on a case-by-case/course-by-course
basis the use of notetakers as an appropriate accommodation.
Students who need this accommodation may have difficulty translating
spoken information into a written format, maintaining attention
needed for the completion of multitask activities, and/or writing
quickly and/or legibly.
Student
Responsibilities:
- Contact
the Coordinator of Specialized Support Services (Coordinator)
to request notetaking services as early as possible each semester.
- Provide
the Coordinator with documentation of disability and needs in
order for the Coordinator to determine if notetakers are an appropriate
accommodation. Documentation.
- A
returning student who knows someone in classes or someone who
is willing to take notes should identify that person to the Coordinator. If
a new or returning student does not know anyone in the class,
the Coordinator will locate a student enrolled in the course
qualified to take notes. Currently, qualified notetakers are
paid a $75 stipend per course per semester. The
Coordinator will provide the student with carbonless notepaper
or access to a copier to make a copy of the notes.
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Audio
Format (i.e.
textbooks on tape, electronic format)
Students with print disabilities,
such as visual impairments and learning disabilities, may require
textbooks and material in audio format. Determination
of need is made by the Coordinator based on the appropriate documentation
the student provides. Documentation.
Student
Responsibilities:
- Getting
information quickly: Each student will contact the academic
department or the campus store for the title, author, and edition
of the textbooks for the courses in which they plan to enroll. This
must be done as far in advance as possible. The
student is still expected to purchase the textbook(s). If the
student has trouble obtaining this information from the course
instructor, the student must contact the Coordinator of Specialized
Support Services (Coordinator) as soon as the delay is known. The
Coordinator will assist the student in getting this information
as quickly as possible.
- Locating
existing textbooks in audio format: Students should contact
the Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RDB&D) and/or
other agencies as suggested by the Coordinator to determine
if required textbooks are already available on audio-tape or
electronic format. Students
will be encouraged to order their books from RFB&D and/or
other agencies.
- RFBD: The
annual sign-up fee will be paid by the state Commission for the
Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH), Vocational and Education
Services for Students with Disabilities (VESID), or Niagara University. The
student is responsible for the lifetime membership fee. Recording
for the Blind and Dyslexic.
- Textbooks/materials
NOT available in audio format: The student will give the
bibliographic information to the Coordinator for any textbooks
or materials that are not currently available in audio format
from RFB&D or another agency. The
Coordinator will obtain the required copies of the textbooks,
convert the print into electronic text and then save the text
on CDs. The student
will then chose from the following options for accessing audio
format: 1) Computer-generated
voice read-back of text using a screen reader on his/her own
computer. This
option also provides visual cuing of text on a computer screen,
2) Computer-generated
speech saved on CDs. This
option will allow the student to hear the speech using a portable
CD player.
The
final decision as to which accommodation to use is the University’s;
student preference will be taken under consideration, but not
necessarily determine the final decision.
- Conversion
deadline: The
deadline for converting textbooks into electronic text is at
least two weeks before the student needs the first reading
assignment. When
course materials are delivered to the Coordinator with less
than two week’s notice, the Coordinator will inform the
student how much of the material can be converted in the time
available. Although
every effort will be made to accommodate student needs, the
Coordinator cannot guarantee conversion of materials without
two week’s notice.
- Defective
materials: If for any reason a CD or assistive technology
is defective, the student should contact the Coordinator immediately. The
Coordinator will investigate the problems and suggest solutions
as soon as possible.
- Copyright
issues: Because the Coordinator does not have copyright
clearance for books, she cannot distribute tapes to students
unless they own a print copy of the material. Students
who use electronic materials MUST sign a contract indicating
that they owe a print copy of the textbook, are using the materials
in order to access their textbooks, and will
NOT duplicate the materials in any way.
- Returning
tapes: The student will return all CDs borrowed from the
Coordinator by the end of the semester.
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Course
Substitutions and Modifications:
Recognizing
that the nature and severity of a documented disability may preclude
learning in specific courses even with reasonable accommodations,
the University will permit the substitution of another course
or a modification of the course as an accommodation in some instances. The
University will not waive or substitute any course or requirement,
which is found to be an essential component of the academic program.
The petition process should begin as soon as there is strong
objective evidence (e.g., previous documented difficulties) that
the student will be unable to fulfill the requirement. Students
must follow the following procedures in order to request a course
substitution or modification.
Student
Responsibilities:
- The
student must initially contact the Coordinator of Specialized
Support Services (Coordinator) to review the procedures for a
course substitution or modification.
- The
student must request, in writing, a course substitution or modification
from the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean, and Department
Chairperson and must include the reasons for the request and
prior experiences with the subject matter as appropriate.
- The
student must provide the Coordinator with current, relevant,
and comprehensive documentation of disability from qualified
professionals. Documentation. A
complete case history is also required to document the student’s
history of problems in the subject area from high school until
the date of petition. This
case history should include a) the names and description of courses,
as well as grades, indicating the student’s attempt(s)
to master the subject matter as appropriate and b) OPTIONAL,
BUT RECOMMENDED: letter(s) from high school and/or college personnel
attesting to the student’s effort and diligence in attempting
to master the subject matter as appropriate.
Coordinator's
Responsibility:
The
Coordinator and or the designated Service Provider must provide
a written report to the student’s Dean and Chairperson
detailing the impact of the student’s disability-related
functional limitation(s) and how the functional limitations(s)
may or may not impact the student’s performance in the
course in question.
Dean
/ Chairperson Responsibility:
The Dean of the
student’s college, upon consultation with the Department
Chairperson, must review the student’s petition for a course
substitution or modification and the Coordinator’s and/or
Service Provider’s report in light of the essential requirements
and technical standards of the program in question. If
the requirements for the course are determined to be essential
to the program, then
the Dean will deny the student’s request. If
the requirements for the course are determined not to be essential
to the program, then the Dean will approve the student’s request. IN
EITHER CASE, the Dean will forward the student’s request
for substitution, the Coordinator’s and/or Service Provider’s
report, and the Dean’s justification for his/her decision
to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for a final decision.
Vice
President of Academic Affairs Responsibility:
The
Vice President of Academic Affairs, upon reviewing the student’s
request for substitution, the Coordinator’s and/or the
Service Provider’s report, and the Dean’s justification
for his/her decision, will make the final decision. The
student will be notified of the final decision by the Vice President
for Academic Affairs in a timely manner.
NOTE: The student has the opportunity to grieve the Vice President’s
decision following the University’s 504/ADA Grievance Procedure.
Any student who receives approval for a course substitution or
modification is expected to fulfill the University’s specific
course requirements according to his/her college’s guidelines.
Any substitution or modification is valid only for the curriculum in
which the student is matriculated at the time of petition. Change
of academic program or institution renders the action void.
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A
student with a documented disability may enroll in a less than
full-time courseload as an academic adjustment to accommodate
his/her disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act
of 1990 and the regulations accompanying Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973. A student
whose disability warrants the adjustment of carrying less than
a full-time load per semester, but who enroll at least half time,
can be determined eligible for full-time status. A
student must follow these procedures in order to request eligibility
for full-time status.
- A
student must discuss reduced courseload requirements with his/he
academic advisor, the Coordinator, and the Financial Aid Office
to determine the potential consequences on progress towards graduation,
financial aid, billing, etc. This must be done either:
a) NO
LATER THAN the last day of the University’s ADD/DROP period
if the student needs to carry less than a full-time credit load
the entire semester because of a disability, OR
b) NO
LATER THAN the last day to withdraw from a course without academic
penalty if the student must carry less than a full-time credit
load after the semester has begun because of a disability.
- A
student must provide the Coordinator with appropriate documentation
regarding his/her disability that substantially limits one or
more major life functions and that supports the reduced courseload
and full-time status adjustment. . The
student may be referred to an additional Service Provider as
needed. Documentation.
- The
Coordinator must verify the need for either the student to register
for less than full-time courseload or to withdraw from a course
in order to accommodate a disability.
- The
Coordinator will notify the appropriate office(s) when requested
by a student with a disability regarding his/her need to carry
less than a full-time courseload and eligibility for full-time
status (e.g., the need for prorated financial aid and billing
consideration under these procedures).
- The
appropriate offices (e.g., Records, Financial Aid Office, Housing)
are responsible for making the necessary adjustments to appropriate
records regarding the student’s eligibility for a reduced
courseload and full-time status (e.g., the Financial Aid Office
determining the type/amount of aid each student is eligible for).
Students
should be aware that, as always, eligibility for financial aid
depends upon satisfactory academic progress. It is imperative
that students check with their Financial Aid Counselor to determine
the effects of dropping below full-time status before taking
any action to drop a course.
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The types of assistive technology
currently available are listed below. The
technology is housed in the Office of Academic Support on the
first floor of Seton Hall. Students
are encouraged to contact the Coordinator of Specialized Support
Services for more information. CONTACT
Information.
Computer Lab:
- Six
computers with the following specifications will be available
in the Office of Academic Support: Windows 98 / ME/NT
2000, Pentium III 500 or greater MHz processor, 10 Gig Hard
Disk Drive, 256 MB RAM, CD ROM Drive (writeable CD Drive for
high speed scanning), Creative Labs SoundBlaster AWE Live.
Assistive
Technology for Reading and Writing Support:
Kurzweil
3000: Scanning
software that provides audio feedback and visual cues. Dual
highlighting increases students’ ability to understand
words and concepts. Spell
checking and word prediction promote independent writing. Other
features include: reads
text on the Internet, talking word processor, highlights
and reads word by word, word prediction, study tools, can
be used in conjunction with scanner to create textbooks
on tape.
TextHelp
Screen Reader: provides
speech-synthesized screen-reading of menus, icons and screen
objects in all Windows applications. Can
be configured to speak and/or block text as you type. The
mutual reinforcement of auditory and visual cues helps
some people concentrate more easily on written information. These
features can be helpful to those who have difficulty reading
and editing their own written work for content, grammar,
spelling and correct use of word endings.
Dragon
Naturally Speaking: enables
the user to use voice input for creating written material.
Co-Writer: Talking
word prediction program provides support for individuals who
have limited grammar, spelling, and vocabulary skills, and
those who use phonetic approaches to spelling, are auditory
learners, and can’t visually recognize words.
AlphaSmart
3000: Battery
operated portable word processor compatible with any PC
and most printers. Can
type, edit, and electronically store text without having
to be at a computer (or expensive laptop). Text
can be transferred via cable to any computer for formatting
and printing. Availability
is limited.
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Auxiliary
aids and services include interpreters, or other effective methods
of making orally delivered materials available to students who
are deaf or hard of hearing; readers for students with visual
impairments; classroom equipment adapted for use by students
with manual impairments; and other similar services or equipment.
While
funding for accommodations to ensure equal access is available
from Niagara University, funding for auxiliary aids is often
the responsibility of state vocational rehabilitation agencies. However,
some students with disabilities may not be eligible to be clients
of the vocational rehabilitation agency. These
state agencies also set limits on the amount of assistance they
provide for auxiliary aids. The
University does not provide prescription devices, or devices
and services of a personal nature.
The
need for auxiliary aids and services is deemed appropriate by
the Coordinator of Specialized Support Services based on the
documentation provided by the student. The
student must follow these procedures in order to request auxiliary
aids and services:
- The
student must initially contact the Coordinator of Specialized
Support Services (Coordinator) to request auxiliary aids and
services as early as possible each semester.
- The
student must provide the Coordinator with documentation of
disability, which supports the need for auxiliary aids and
services. The Coordinator will then determine which auxiliary aids
and services are appropriate accommodations. Documentation.
- The
student must meet with professors or administrative personnel
to inform them of needs, preferably at the beginning of the
semester. If requested,
the Coordinator and/or designated Service Provider will provide
the student with an Accommodations Request Form to give to
the professor or to the administrative personnel outlining
needs.
- Students
may be encouraged to apply for funding from outside sources (e.g.,
New York State Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals
with Disabilities, New York State Commission for the Blind and
Visually Handicapped, New York State Readers Aid Program). Contact
Information.
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