Faculty Guide
The following are frequently asked questions to assist faculty in their work with students with disabilities:
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where is the Office of Disability Services located?
- A student enrolled in my course claims to have a disability and has requested an academic accommodation. I have not received an official academic accommodation letter from Disability Services. Am I required to provide this accommodation?
- What steps should I take to familiarize students with the guidelines to receive academic accommodations?
- Am I legally required to honor a student’s request for an academic accommodation if s/he provides me with an official academic accommodation letter provided by Disability Services?
- What is my role in providing the academic accommodation of a note sharer for one of my students?
- A student in my course has provided me with an official academic accommodation letter indicating additional time for exams. How do I arrange for this accommodation?
- Should I evaluate students with disabilities any differently than I do the remainder of the class?
- If I have a student with a visual impairment enrolled in my course, what are my responsibilities in providing his/her academic accommodations?
- If I have a student with a hearing impairment enrolled in my course, what are my responsibilities in providing his/her academic accommodations?
- I recently had a conversation with one of my students about his/her academic struggles in my course. Does Disability Services offer on-campus evaluations for a potential disability?
- Does Disability Services provide assistance to students with temporary disabilities (e.g. broken leg, broken hand, etc.)?
Where is the Office of Disability Services located?
The Office of Disability Services is located within the Counseling and Student Development office, LaCava Campus Center, Room 166.
A student enrolled in my course claims to have a disability and has requested an academic accommodation. I have not received an official academic accommodation letter from Disability Services. Am I required to provide this accommodation?
Without an official academic accommodation letter from that student first provided by the Office of Disability Services, you are under no legal obligation to accommodate the student. Ask the student if s/he has registered with Disability Services. If the answer is no, refer the student to Disability Services to follow the appropriate procedures (visit Policy and Procedures for Requesting Academic Accommodations for more information). Even if the student claims to be registered with Disability Services, s/he must present you with the official academic accommodation letter signed by Disability Services. Until you receive this letter, it is not appropriate to provide the requested accommodations.
What steps should I take to familiarize students with the guidelines to receive academic accommodations?
Include a statement in your course syllabus informing students that they must meet with the Office of Disability Services and receive an official academic accommodation letter in the beginning of each semester. You’re encouraged to include one of the following statements on your syllabus:
- Bentley Univeristy abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 which stipulate no students shall be denied the benefits of an education solely by reason of a disability. Disabilities covered by law include, but are not limited to, learning disabilities, visual, hearing, and mobility impairments, medical conditions, psychiatric disorders, and temporary disabilities. If you have a documented disability that may have some impact on your work in this course and for which you may require academic accommodations, please speak with Stephanie Brodeur, Coordinator of Disability Services, in LaCava 166 so that such accommodations may be arranged.
- If you have a hidden or visible disability which may require classroom or exam accommodations, please see me as soon as possible during a scheduled office hour. If you have not already done so, please register with Stephanie Brodeur, Coordinator of Disability Services in LaCava 166, who is responsible for coordinating accommodations and services for students with disabilities.
- Students with a documented disability who wish to receive academic accommodations in this course must first meet with Stephanie Brodeur, Coordinator of Disability Services, in LaCava 166.
- Any students eligible for and needing academic adjustments or accommodations because of a disability is required to meet with Stephanie Brodeur, Coordinator of Disability Services, in LaCava 166, within the first three weeks of the semester.
Am I legally required to honor a student’s request for an academic accommodation if s/he provides me with an official academic accommodation letter provided by Disability Services?
There are two federal laws which protect students with disabilities from discrimination at the post-secondary level: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (visit Legal Compliance for more information). The laws function together to guarantee both physical and programmatic access to Bentley Univeristy courses, activities and events. The University is required to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals. The academic accommodations outlined in the accommodation letter have been negotiated between the student and Disability Services. If you believe the requested academic accommodations are unreasonable for your course, please contact, Stephanie Brodeur, the Coordinator of Disability Services to discuss your concerns.
What is my role in providing the academic accommodation of a note sharer for one of my students?
Notetaker Service is approved by the Office of Disability Services. It is provided as a reasonable academic accommodation for students with documented disabilities that interfere with the individual’s ability to take notes in class. The Office of Disability Services coordinates fellow classmates as note sharers. When permitted, it is the responsibility of the student approved for the note sharer accommodation to locate the person who will take notes for them. The student and the note sharer will fill out appropriate paperworkand return this to the Office of Disability Services. The faculty member may be asked to assist in this process by making the class aware of the need for a note sharer. In doing so, it is requested that faculty do not disclose the student’s name or disability. At the end of the class period, it is the responsibility of the the note sharer and the student receiving this academic accommodation to discuss the arrangments for the remainder of the semester. For more information, please visit Note Sharer Service.
A student in my course has provided me with an official academic accommodation letter indicating additional time for exams. How do I arrange for this accommodation?
Students who request additional time for exams are instructed to maintain good communication with their professors. The additional time may entail the student beginning the exam before class, finishing the exam after class, or completing the exam at a different time in the day. This is to be negotiated between the student and the professor. The student must make the request in a timely manner, at least one week in advance of the scheduled exam. Students understand that next-day or same-day requests may not be honored.
Although faculty are encouraged to manage testing accocmmodations, at times a need for an alternate site is needed. Bentley University does have a part-time exam space on campus for students with disabilities. Faculty should fill out an Exam Room Request Form available in the Disability Services Office, 166 LaCava. The exam and this form should be delivered to Disability Services at least 24 hours in advance of the exam. This option should only be used when all other options have been exhausted.
If a student receives the academic accommodations of additional time to complete exams AND a quiet, distraction-reduced location in which to take their exams, The procedures are basically the same. Due to room demands at certain times throughout the academic year, space in the testing center on a particular day and time cannot be guaranteed. The student must communicate with Disability Services and their professor to confirm that arrangement requests have been made and agreed upon.
Should I evaluate and grade students with disabilities any differently than I do the remainder of the class?
No. Academic accommodations are not provided to give a student an advantage or to raise or lower academic expectations. Rather, they are designed to “level the playing field” and compensate for any deficits in the learning process experienced by the student due to their disability. Academic accommodations may provide an alternative manner in which a student gains access to course information. All students, including those with disabilities, should be evaluated at the same level.
If I have a student with a visual impairment enrolled in my course, what are my responsibilities in providing his/her academic accommodations?
You are responsible for assisting students who are visually impaired or blind by providing reformatted instructional and exam materials in their accessible format, such as Braille, audio tape, disc, or enlarged print. Disability Services is available to assist you in this process.
If I have a student with a hearing impairment enrolled in my course, what are my responsibilities in providing his/her academic accommodations?
Your cooperation in the provision of academic accommodations for deaf and hard-of-hearing students is requested. Academic accommodations may include the presence of sign language interpreters, the use of FM listening devices which require the instructor to wear a wireless microphone, and the use of open captioned films and videos when applicable. Disability Services is available to assist you in this process.
I recently had a conversation with one of my students about his/her academic struggles in my course. Does Disability Services offer on-campus evaluations for a potential disability?
No. Disability Services does not offer diagnostic assessments for a potential learning disability, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD), or psychiatric disabilities. However, Disability Services does have screening tools available to students who have concerns about a learning disability or AD/HD. Disability Services has a list of off-campus diagnosticians to whom students may be referred for professional testing.
Does Disability Services provide assistance to students with temporary disabilities (e.g. broken leg, broken hand, etc.)?
Disability Services will work with students to ensure that they can overcome their temporary disability and continue to meet their academic requirements. Students with a mobility impairment may utilize Campus Police and its fully-accessible van for transportation between the residence halls and the academic buildings. Students with temporary difficulties with writing may work with Disability Services and their professors to ensure that they receive class notes and are able to complete scheduled exams, papers and presentations.
