Services for Students
with Learning/Physical Disabilities
Requesting Reasonable Academic Adjustments
The following sections describe procedures for requesting specific types of services and accommodations. Please follow these procedures carefully. In all cases, giving the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities advance notice of your request is strongly encouraged. Filling last minute requests may not be possible. If, at any time, the accommodations/services being provided are not effectively meeting your needs or not being provided at all, please contact the office immediately.
| Notification to Professors | |
|---|---|
| Taped Textbooks | |
| Extended Time for Exams | |
| Obtaining a Note Taker | |
| Sign Language Interpreters | |
| Tape Recorders |
Memos to professors identify students with documented disabilities and their eligibility for “reasonable academic adjustments”. These memos will inform professors about your specific needs and what reasonable academic adjustments you qualify for in class. Please keep in mind that even though you may have registered with our office, memos to professors do not go out until the student makes the request.Due to confidentiality reasons, the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities does not automatically notify professors of specific needs of students with disabilities. Furthermore, it is the responsibility of the student to make the request EVERY semester, since professors and specific academic adjustments may change each semester.
To request notification be sent to your professors, please contact the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities in a timely manner. Letters will be mailed directly to the professor (or department), but it is advised that the student schedule an appointment to privately discuss their needs directly with the professor.
The Office of Services for Students with Disabilities utilizes the services of Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB & D) to obtain textbooks on tape. It is the student’s responsibility to notify our office as to which books they will need for the semester. The student will be expected to provide the book information including title, author, year and edition. If the student has their own RFB & D account, they are encouraged to order their books through their own account.
If the book is not available through RFB & D, arrangements will be made to scan the printed material onto disk, or provide a reader. In that case, a copy of the class syllabus will be needed to follow the assigned readings in class. Please allow a minimum of two weeks to provide this service. Recorded tapes may be picked up in the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities and should be returned at the end of the semester.
If students need extended time for exams, they may schedule their exams in the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. Taking the exam in our office must be agreed upon between the student and professor, since some professors will provide the extra time themselves in their offices.
To take an exam in our office, the student must:
- Discuss the need for extended time for your exam with your professor.
- Complete the yellow “Request for Test Accommodations” form. (Available in the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities.)
- Schedule the exam at least THREE days in advance.
- Be on time for the exam. If the student is more than 15 minutes late, the exam will automatically be returned to the professor and the student will have to re-schedule the exam with the permission of the professor.
- Students will NOT be able to take an exam without a completed request form.
- Exams will be administered on the SAME day/time as the rest of the class. If you need an alternative time due to other class conflicts, you must get the approval of the professor. The Office of Services for Students with Disabilities DOES NOT determine the new time or day of a test.
In the event a student needs a note taker in class, a request must be made to the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities at the beginning of each semester.
- A letter will be sent to the professor notifying them of this accommodation need. Schedule an appointment with your professor and discuss your need for a note taker.
- The professor should then make a general announcement (without saying the student’s name) during class for a volunteer note taker. After class, you should meet with the volunteer note taker and discuss how you will exchange notes after each class.
- Carbonless (NCR) note taking paper is available through the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (Science Center, 113). Students needing to photocopy their notes may also do so in the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities.
Please keep in mind that note takers are provided as a necessary “reasonable academic adjustment” and are not considered as a substitute for a student’s full participation in a course. Students are responsible for notifying the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities in the event suitable arrangements are not made in class or if difficulties occur during the semester with their note taker.
Interpreters must be requested as far in advance as possible. The Office will contact outside agencies/individuals to arrange for this service based on the student’s need and documentation
Students who may need to tape record lectures must first obtain the professor’s permission. Students may borrow tape recorders from the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities by signing them out. Tape recorders must be returned at the end of each semester or a “HOLD” will be placed on the student’s records. 4-track players are also available for use by students. These special players are needed for books on tape from RFB&D.
Students with a visual disability needing an alternative format for print materials may make the request to the Coordinator of disability services. Alternative formats may include enlarged print, Braille, or taped materials. In order to meet a student’s needs, requests for an alternative format must be made in a timely manner. A closed-circuit television (CCTV), which enlarges print, is available in Drexel Library and in the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. (See Assistive Technology section of this guide.)
The Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities can arrange for this service for eligible students. A list of qualified readers is available from the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities, where students may coordinate times to meet with a reader. If a student qualifies for this reasonable academic adjustment, readers/scribes may be available for assistance with library research or laboratory work.
Tutoring and study skills instruction is available to all students of the University. The Learning Resource Center (LRC) provides a wide range of services to support the academic needs of students.
To obtain a tutor for a particular class:
- The student must complete a blue “tutor request “ form (available in the LRC or the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities) and submit it to the Tutoring Coordinator in the LRC (302 Science Center).
- Individual tutors will be assigned based on availability. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule sessions with their tutor and meet on a regular basis.
- Please contact the Tutoring Coordinator or the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities if problems arise in meeting with the tutor.
A Learning Skills Specialist is also available for individual appointments in the LRC. Services include study skills instruction, learning styles assessment and assistance with time management/organizational skills. Contact 660-1846 to schedule an appointment.
Assistive technology/adaptive equipment is available for students with a variety of needs. Please contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities to arrange a time to utilize the equipment.
The following is available for students:
- Zoom Text 7.0 (Level 2): Screen magnification software with a screen reader
- Window EYES: A stand-alone screen reader to give students voice access to all Windows applications, including e-mail and the internet
- Optelec CCTV: A color closed-circuit television with a 20 inch monitor to enlarge all print materials
- Kurzweil 1000: A reading package for blind/visually-impaired students. Converts printed material to speech with editing capabilities
- Kurzweil 3000: A reading system for students with learning disabilities. Enables the user to edit, highlight and take notes along with the computer and the scanned text.
- Inspiration Software: Provides assistance for students in the writing process. Visual mapping, concept formation and organization for papers
- TextHELP: Word prediction software with phonetic spelling and grammar checks
- AlphaSmart Keyboards: Lightweight, portable keyboard to do word processing. Ideal for taking notes in class if handwriting is illegible
- FM Amplification System: Assistive Listening Device to enhance sound in the classroom.
- TTY: Tele-typewriter to relay phone calls for the deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired.
- Dragon Naturally Speaking-Preferred: Voice activation software to recognize speech and transcribe material without the use of a keyboard. Also provides text-to-speech function with dictation playback.
Most buildings on campus are accessible with elevators and electronic doors. However, if a class needs to be relocated due to inaccessibility, the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities will coordinate this with the registrar’s office. Accessibility maps that identify the accessible buildings/entrances are available from the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities or the Security Office in Barbelin.
Students requiring a handicapped parking permit must register with the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. Medical documentation will be required to issue a permit, along with vehicle identification information. Documentation should include limitations imposed by the disability and duration of need (for temporary disabilities). Please note that in addition to a handicapped parking permit, students must purchase the regular St. Joseph’s University Parking permit.
| Director's Desk | |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | |
| Documenation | |
| Registration | |
| Special Service Request | |
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