| Accessibility
is a broad term not limited to wheelchair usage, but includes
such considerations as adequate light and sound amplification,
material format and presentation and a range of other physical
or psychological barriers. Suggestions for helping students
with disabilities include, but are not limited to the following:
Prepare a detailed syllabus early and include a disability
statement.
This will give students with disabilities some
lead time in acquiring accessible books and materials, planning
their study and time management strategies, and so forth. Syllabus
should include information on course objectives and requirements;
the material to be covered in class on specific dates; and exam
dates, due dates grading procedures and a textbook list. Also
provide information on how to get in touch with you outside
of class. Read selected portions of the syllabus to the class.
You should always include a statement on your syllabus that
reads: “If you have a disability and feel you will need accommodations
in order to complete course requirements, please contact the
Ross Center for Disability Services (Campus Center 2nd Floor Rm 2010) at (617) 287-7430.”
Order textbooks early - during the previous semester if
possible- to allow time for reformatting in alternative formats.
It would be helpful to have conversations with possible publishers
regarding availability of audio versions of the text or textbooks
on disc or CD Rom. If all faculty members made this a potential
criteria for choosing a book, publishers would need to give
it more serious consideration.
Alternate test formats - Potential formats of alternative
tests: multiple choice, essay, oral, etc.
Provide handouts and in-class exercises and examinations
in accessible formats.
You can bring your course materials and or exams to the Ross Center in advance and we will put the printed material in an accessible alternate format. For more information contact Ross Center at (617) 287-7430.
Help Recruit a Notetaker.
If a student requires a notetaker,
lab assistant or other in-class assistant, it’s preferable to
recruit someone already connected with the class, such as a
Teacher Assistant, or another student. A staff member from the
Ross Center will come to your class during the first few weeks
of class to make an announcement when such an accommodation
is necessary for one of your students. It is important that
you show support for the request, and perhaps even assist in
the recruitment process. Notetakers are given a $50 book store certificate for every semester they commit to taking notes for a student with a disability. Notetakers have the option of copying their notes or use NCR paper provided through the Ross Center.
Cooperate with sign language interpreters.
If a deaf
student comes to class accompanied by a sign language interpreter,
allow the interpreter to determine his or her best placement
for most effective communication with the student. The interpreter
may take focus initially, particularly if other students have
not experienced this accommodation before, but the novelty should
wear off shortly. When planning student meetings, field trips or other course related events please allow enough
lead time to arrange for an interpreter to be scheduled. The
same guidelines would apply for CART (computer-aided real time)
reporters.
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