Frequently Requested Accommodations

Students with permission to leave class typically have a disability that impacts their ability to remain seated for long periods. They may need to use the restroom, get a drink, remove themselves from a large group or otherwise leave for medical reasons. Please understand that the student does not intend disrespect.

The flexible deadlines accommodation requires a conversation between the instructor of the course and the student. Together they must establish an agreement in changing, adjusting, altering or extending assignment deadlines or due dates. The main purpose of this conversation is to provide understanding between the instructor and the student. We encourage instructors to view the Flexible Attendance and Flexible Deadlines Guidance (PDF) sheet to assist with this process.

Our staff encourages students to schedule meetings with their instructors as soon as possible, ideally in the first week of classes, to discuss these mutual expectations. These mutual expectations are to be documented through the Flexible Deadlines Agreement Form (submitted by the student via DocuSign) to ensure appropriate communication and to implement the accommodation. This accommodation is not retroactive and can only be applied to assignments and due dates after the agreement form has been completed.

This accommodation is intended to apply to the student in a supportive capacity. This accommodation does not:

• Change the expectations, objectives, goals or requirements set forth by the instructor and the degree department or program. If the instructor feels that this accommodation would impact these aspects, the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources welcomes conversation about providing different means of support or accommodations in place of flexible deadlines.
• Allow the student to turn in assignments whenever they choose. The agreement between the instructor and the student is to be used as guidance.
• Allow the student to use previous agreements from other courses or instructors and apply them to your course. This accommodation is built to be adjusted per semester as new classes begin. Instructors and students are welcome to use previous agreements if that is a mutual agreement. The agreement form should be updated per course, per semester.

Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources staff can sit in the meeting to facilitate the conversations if requested.

The flexible attendance accommodation is similar to the flexible deadlines accommodation, as it is also established through a conversation between the instructor and the student. They work as a team to come to an agreement for course attendance. We encourage instructors to view the Flexible Attendance and Flexible Deadlines Guidance (PDF) sheet to assist with this process.

The flexible attendance discussion should also include when absences occur for exams, presentations or other important attendance requirements. Students who are absent are still responsible for the work from that class. This accommodation is not retroactive and can only be applied once the agreement form is completed.

Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources staff ask that students speak with their instructors regarding this form during the first week of classes. Because its main purpose is to provide understanding among faculty and students, it is designed so that adjusted attendance expectations can be outlined and discussed. These mutual expectations are to be documented through the Flexible Attendance Agreement Form (submitted by the student via DocuSign) to ensure appropriate communication and to implement the accommodation.

This accommodation is intended to apply to the student in a supportive capacity. This accommodation does not:

• Change the expectations, objectives, goals or requirements set forth by the instructor and the degree department or program. If the instructor feels that this accommodation will impact these aspects, the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources welcomes conversation about providing alternate means of support or accommodations.
• Allow the student to be absent from class whenever they choose. The agreement between the instructor and the student is to be used as guidance.
• Allow the student to use previous agreements from other courses or instructors and apply them to your course. This accommodation is built to be adjusted per semester as new classes begin. Instructors and students are welcome to use previous agreements if that is a mutual agreement. The agreement form should be updated per course, per semester.

Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources staff can sit in the meeting to facilitate the conversations if requested.

When it comes to memory aids, there are a few components that Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources staff consider when approving the accommodation. Many times, the provision is a result of processing disorders or traumatic brain injuries. To implement the accommodation, the student will need to speak with their instructor on what may be reasonable within the specific class. In addition, students should provide a created memory aid to their instructor for approval prior to the exam (typically 2-3 days before).

Working with Memory Aids in the Testing Environment

To implement the accommodation successfully, we suggest the following:

1. Communicate with instructors: Similar to all accommodations, students should request to utilize their accommodation for a memory aid to their instructors (preferably, as soon as possible). Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources staff reminds students to do this during intake appointments.
2. Creating Guidelines of Memory Aid: When students and instructors create guidelines, we suggest that the following components are considered:
   1. When should the proposed memory aid be presented so that ample time can be given to consider the words/phrases/terms listed on the sheet? We recommend having students submit the memory aid for review 48-72 hours prior to an exam.
   2. In what format should the memory aid be written (e.g., note card, small piece of paper, typed sheet, etc.)?
   3. Once approved, how will the aid be submitted to the testing center? Some options could be provided with the exam by the instructor, emailed to the testing center, or signed and provided to students. All aids will be returned to the instructor at the conclusion of the exam by the testing center.
3. Memory Aid Provides Direct Connection: If there is a direct connection between the aid and the exam, then the instructor will have the discretion to revise the document. The two-to-three-day period of submitting the document allows instructors and students the ability to discuss what information is reasonable to have placed on the aid.

Reasonable v. Unreasonable

Given the nature of a memory aid, it is understandable that this accommodation may not be reasonable within certain classes. When determining the reasonable nature, accommodations are unreasonable if they will fundamentally alter the objectives or the curriculum of the course.

The use of a memory aid is not a typical resource provided to all students taking a course (regardless of disability). The purpose behind the accommodation is to support deficits with long-term memory.

If a student is eligible to use a scribe or reader for an exam, the person either writes exactly what the student asks or reads exactly what is written. Neither scribes nor readers supply help during the exam.

When a student is approved for allowing the use of a lecture-recording device, the student is required to complete a Lecture Recording Agreement Form (submitted by the Student via DocuSign). This form is used to notify instructors that the student will be using a recording device in their course. This form outlines that the student will only use your class recordings for academic purposes and that you will destroy any recording files at the end of the term. This form was created to ensure that instructors are aware their academic and intellectual property will be protected.

Saint Louis University has a voluntary note-taking system. To utilize this accommodation, students must first speak to their instructor about needing a note-taker for the class.

Process

1. The student seeking the accommodation makes a request to the professor for a volunteer student note-taker prior to class. The student can discuss with the instructor on how they wish to get the notes and if they want to be connected with the note-taker. Some students like to remain anonymous and some students like working closely with their note-takers.Additionally, it's possible for the note-taker to bring/send notes to the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources. Those notes will be forwarded to the student.
2. The instructor will make an anonymous announcement in the class, asking for a volunteer to share their notes with a classmate who needs a copy of a peer’s notes.
3. Students interested in being a volunteer note-taker can approach the instructor. The instructor can let the eligible student know which students have indicated they are interested in volunteering to share notes. The student eligible for accommodations can then connect with the student to exchange notes, if that is desired.

Key Information

• It is important to keep the student's name requesting the use of this accommodation confidential.
• The Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources does inform students that a volunteer note-taker may not be available, or no one volunteers for that task. If no student volunteers come forward, the instructor will communicate that to the student.
• The Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources also emphasizes that, at times, notes that are given may not be to their particular "liking" and differ from student to student. Students should use the notes as a point of reference to modify their learning style/preference or compare to their own notes.

The Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources at Saint Louis University provides temporary academic accommodations for students with temporary illnesses and injuries. The following examples are common temporary illnesses and injuries disclosed through the center that are given temporarily approved academic accommodations:

• Bone fractures
• Muscle tears/injuries
• Concussions
• Surgery
• Temporary side effects due to medication
• Recovery stage with potential setbacks and/or prolonged conditions
• Temporary illnesses such as infectious mononucleosis (mono)(only if symptoms are continuous after three months from infection)

Temporary academic accommodations are approved for a certain amount of time given the estimated recovery/prognosis of the temporary condition. If the temporary condition/symptoms are continuing beyond what was assigned in previous documentation, new documentation is needed to extend the temporary academic accommodations.

Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources staff will notify the student’s professors about the temporary academic accommodations once they have been approved. It will then be the student’s responsibility to connect and communicate with their professors about the temporary academic accommodations and how they will work in the course.

Temporary Illness and Injury: A Quick Reference Guide

Alternative Text Format allows for a student to have accessible textbooks, which they can use in text-to-speech software. Students should contact the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources regarding this request at the beginning of the year. However, if students have additional texts assigned, our office can work to provide alternative texts.

Zoom has captioning and transcription features. Should you choose to use Zoom for lectures, students will be able to use those tools. However, if you are using another method to deliver your lecture, it is advised that you consider whether a captioning option is available. If in doubt, you can post your lectures on YouTube, which allows for closed captioning.

If you are using visual aids during lectures, please be mindful of those who are visually impaired by describing those visual aids in detail. If you are providing visual aid handouts, you could include a description of the visual aid in accessible text. Please make sure that the text is accessible and can be used via screen reader (see our website for further details on this).

Materials that are provided to students (i.e. handouts, notes, etc.) should include large print if a student has this accommodation.

If you use PowerPoint slides for lectures, please provide those by posting them to Blackboard or sending them directly to the student with this accommodation.

It is advisable that you continue to offer “office hours” online if that is feasible for you. Because you will not be in class to provide clarification to students, perhaps you can schedule Zoom appointments or office hours that allow for discussions regarding the class material.

Flexible deadlines on assignments can be implemented. If you have agreements with a student regarding flexible deadlines, it is advised that you continue to use that agreement when arranging for extensions.

Students should discuss their needs for extensions in advance of an assignment’s initial due date.

Captioning is available on Zoom. It is advised that you use Zoom for lecture delivery, as it is accessible for students with visual and hearing impairments.

If you plan to use Zoom to capture live lectures, please invite interpreters to your Zoom meeting. This will allow interpreters to sign while you are delivering the lecture.

If you are using other methods of lecture delivery/class discussion, we advise that you contact the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources to discuss options for using an interpreter.

Volunteer student note-takers can continue to send a copy of their notes to ds_notes@slu.edu. This allows the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources to retrieve the notes and send them to the student with this accommodation.

If the volunteer student note-taker cannot provide the notes, it is advised that the professor provide a copy of their lecture notes, if available.

Depending on the method used to facilitate tests, you might have the ability to use stop-time testing for students with this accommodation. If your testing method does not have stop-time testing, you can provide the student with additional time (i.e. time and a half). This could allow for a break in the middle of the test.

If students may use a memory aid while testing, they still need to create the aid and send it to their instructor at least 72 hours prior to the test. The instructor can then review the memory aid and make any necessary edits. To ensure that the student has not added any additional information, the professor can sign the aid and ask that the student turn it in with their test.

Please refer to the memory aid accommodation for information on how to implement this accommodation.

Paper-based exams might not be a reasonable accommodation in an online course. It is advised that the instructor talks with the student ahead of time to discuss any concerns about taking a test electronically. If there are any existing alternative solutions (i.e. use of a scratch paper to write down thoughts), please consider implementing them.

It is advised that instructors determine whether screen reading is available via the test delivery method chosen. If so, the student can use that feature.

If screen reading is not available, instructors can provide students with a Word copy of the exam. This will allow the student to use Microsoft Word’s text-to-speech software while taking the test online.

Please contact the Center for Accessibility and Disability Resources for more information regarding this accommodation if needed.

Most test delivery methods will allow for time extensions. Please determine how to extend time on tests using your selected methods.