Academic Accommodations Procedures

Testing Accommodations for Qualified Students with Disabilities

The process of determining reasonable and appropriate testing accommodations for students with disabilities is a collaborative one between Disability Resources (DR), faculty, and the student.

Procedures
Students should take the following steps to receive testing accommodations:

-Meet with assigned DR staff member each semester. If the student is eligible, an Accommodation Request Form (ARF) will be completed for each class for which testing accommodations are applicable. This should be done within the first couple of weeks of the semester or a minimum of two weeks before the first exam.

-It is the student's responsibility to arrange a meeting with the instructor to discuss accommodations and have the ARF form signed. During this meeting, students should ask how the instructor would like to handle testing accommodations.

Submission deadlines for Testing Accommodation Forms:

The student should fill out an online test request form at http://www.disability.ku.edu ONLY IF the instructor cannot make test arrangements.

-FIVE (5) working days PRIOR to the requested date for all non-final tests and quizzes.
-TEN (10) working days PRIOR to the LAST DAY of classes for final exams.

NOTE: The date of the exam and weekends DO NOT COUNT when calculating working days.

Once a student submits the online test request form, Disability Resources reserves a room, arranges for a proctor and contacts the instructor about the test exchange. A confirmation email will be sent to the student, the instructor, and the proctor to confirm all details approximately two to three days before the exam.

General guidelines for exams administered through Disability Resources:

-Exams will be administered at the designated class time unless an alternate time is authorized by the instructor. Disability Resources will adhere strictly to designated start times and time limits. An exam will be returned to the instructor 15 minutes after the start time if a student is late for the exam.

-If for any reason a student will not be taking a scheduled exam through Disability Resources (including withdrawing from a course), the student must notify DR in person, through a phone call (785-864-2620), or via email (drtestcoord@ku.edu) so that the space may be used for other students.

-Disability Resources will make every effort to provide accommodations on evening exams; however, students may need to seek accommodations directly from faculty or try to schedule the exam during business hours.

-Students may choose to not use the testing accommodations.
  Faculty do not have an obligation to allow a make-up exam to retroactively
    accommodate a student who chooses not to use accommodations.
 Students have a responsibility to request exam accommodations in a timely manner,
    typically five business days.
 If the instructor is not able to make arrangements for test accommodations,
    students may fill out a Test Accommodation form online through the DR website.

-Any instance of academic misconduct as defined by University Senate Article II, Section 6 will be referred to the instructor.

Note-Taking for Qualified Students with Disabilities

Students must provide required disability documentation to Disability Resources (DR) that clearly supports the need for note-taking accommodations. Notetakers are solicited, in class, on a volunteer basis. If a student is dissatisfied with notes for any reason, the notetaker will be terminated and a new notetaker found. If the student receiving notes withdraws from a class, he or she must inform the notetaker and DR in writing within 24 hours. If the student terminates the notetaker, he or she must submit the reason for termination in writing to his/her DR professional staff.

Note: Students must attend class to obtain notes

Procedures for students, staff and faculty

Students

-Meet with Disability Resources staff to request accommodations.
-Review note-taking procedures with Disability Resources staff and pick up Non Carbon Paper (NCR) and Note-taking Instructions for each class.
-Meet with instructor to discuss accommodations in a timely manner.
-Ask the instructor for assistance in selection of the most qualified note-taker from the students who volunteer. Select a primary note-taker.
-If no one volunteers, contact Disability Resources immediately.
-Inquire whether instructor has adequate notes that can be shared.
-Attend class.

Faculty/Instructor Responsibilities

-Discuss note-taking accommodation request with student.
-If necessary, clarify procedures with Disability Resources.
-Read the in-class announcement requesting a volunteer note-taker.
-When asked, review the quality and content of notes and recommend the most qualified note-taker.

Primary Note-taker Responsibilities
-Provide clear and concise notes for the student.
-Supply copies of notes when requested by the student or instructor.
-Notify the student and Disability Resources immediately if dropping the course so that
-Pick up a letter of commendation for serving as a note-taker at the end of the course.

Alternative Print Policy and Procedures

Disability Resources DR at The University of Kansas will provide alternative print for required course readings to qualified students with disabilities. Textbook/print conversion is a time-intensive process and can require up to three months (e.g., math or science texts) to complete. To ensure the availability of these accommodations from the first day of class, students must provide qualifying disability documentation, meet the accommodation request deadlines, and follow specified procedures.

Policy

DR will convert materials to alternative formats for in-class required readings first and then as time allows will work with students on research materials in collaboration with the KU Libraries.

Students are required to provide the books/materials (and a receipt for them) that are to be converted to alternative formats due to copyright laws; DR will provide a verification receipt of materials delivered for text conversion.

DR does not produce alternative print materials that are already available in the needed format at other sources (e.g., RFBD, internet public libraries).

Students are responsible for obtaining their own play back equipment (e.g., 4-track tape player, MP3 player) after the first semester.

Material that needs to be converted to e-text requires the removal of bookbindings and thus reduces or eliminates the potential for book resale at the end of the semester.

Disability Resources can Braille and edit books with plain text when the material to be Brailed is submitted at least 8 weeks in advance of when it is needed. Short items, such as syllabi and announcements, can be Brailed within 2 weeks of submission. Text with special features, such as music or math, must be sent to another facility, and can take 3 to 4 months to receive in Brailed form. It is crucial that Disability Resources have sufficient advance time for transcribing material into Braille, so students should notify this office the semester before the material is needed to ensure that their material is prepared for the upcoming semester.

Procedure

Meet with Coordinator

Students should meet with their DR coordinator to discuss eligibility for alternative formats. Students will be provided an orientation to the policies and procedures of requesting and using alternative formats. Students will be required to sign a Student Responsibility Agreement that verifies that it is the student's responsibility to bring the books to the DR office and that materials must be delivered to the Academic Aides Coordinator at least six (6) weeks in advance.

Obtain List of Textbooks

Obtain a list of textbooks you will need for each course in which you have enrolled. If DR needs to convert the textbook, students must provide all required readings to the Academic Aides Coordinator six (6) weeks before the semester begins. The list of required books can be obtained in multiple ways (see “How to obtain Your Reading List and Books” below).

Check with Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic

Check with Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic RFBD for availability. Students can search RFBD's on-line catalogue at View Catalogue. For each book requested you need: author's full name, complete title of the text, edition number, and copyright year.

If books are not available from RFBD, students need to fill out an Alternative Print Request Form and bring the textbooks with a copy of the receipt to the DR office for the conversion process at least six (6) weeks before the first day of class.

Disability Resources cannot guarantee availability of alternate formats by the time classes begin unless the deadline is met. Orders for materials in alternate formats will be completed on a first-come, first served basis once the deadline has passed. Students who miss the deadline will need to provide DR with a copy of each syllabus with reading due dates once they become available. Note: Alternative format materials are provided commensurate with the class reading list or syllabus until RFBD recordings arrive or if RFBD does not have the text available on tape.

Acquire Appropriate Equipment

Acquire appropriate equipment (e.g., four-track tape players, MP3 players) as necessary. Equipment is available for loan from DR in limited numbers, on a first come, first served basis. Students must provide their own equipment or make other arrangements to access their converted texts after their first semester.

Return Books

At the end of the semester all books obtained from RFBD through DR's institutional membership and any borrowed equipment must be returned. A hold will be placed on a student's record should any material not be returned to DR.

Student Resources/Using the Libraries

The University provides assistive technology that students can use themselves in order to access text materials. Flatbed scanners, conversion software, and screen readers (JAWS and Open Book) are available in Watson Library, Anschutz Library, and in computer labs in Budig and the Kansas Union. Voice-to-text software and hardware are available in the Joseph R. Pearson Learning Resource Center. A CCTV for enlarging print is available in Watson Library.

Information on using the libraries is available on the Libraries' website:Services for People with Disabilities Students doing library research should consult with library and DR staff regarding use of the Libraries' "Hawk Help" and "Web Retrieve" services. DR staff will assist students with making Web Retrieve requests for journal articles and chapters from books so that students can access that text from home. When necessary, DR can retrieve and edit text digitized by the library and send it to the student.

Another resource for students who need to obtain books and have either a computer or MP3 player is to try Audible.com. This is a web site where individuals can purchase books already convered to audio files such as MP3 files. Point your browser to: Audible.com

Students who want to order alternative print (4-track tapes or CD's) from RFBD in the first semester of their enrollment at the University of Kansas may use our institutional membership and DR will order any available materials. DR will also loan playback equipment for one semester as long as our limited supply lasts. During the first semester, students will need to secure their own membership to RFBD, and purchase their own player. DR will assist any person in this process, and also pay for the membership fees.

How to Obtain Your Reading List and Books

Contact the course instructors to obtain a copy of the syllabus or a list of required reading either in-person, by phone, or email. If the instructor is unavailable, call the academic department and inquire if they have the syllabus or reading list for your class.

Contact the KU Bookstore at the Memorial Union. You can search for your books on line at KU Bookstore; you will need to provide the course number and instructor. If your books are available, you may purchase them on-line and have them shipped to DR or to your home address. You may also contact the Jayhawk Bookstore 785.843.3826 or the University Book Shop 785.749.5206. Books are also available from Internet sources such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Half.com.

If you are still unsuccessful, contact your DR Coordinator immediately.