Syllabus Statement

A syllabus statement is a statement placed on course syllabi indicating a faculty member's willingness to provide reasonable accommodations to a student with a disability as well as to serve as a reminder to students who have not yet registered for accommodations with the Accessibility Services office. The statement should be an invitation to students who have disabilities to meet with you, in a confidential environment, to review course requirements and to discuss their need for accommodations.

General Syllabus Statement

An example disability statement that can be used/adapted for course syllabi: 



Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the Accessibility Services office immediately to register for services and receive a Notification of Disabilities form. Once you have this form, we will meet privately, to discuss your specific needs. Although you may register for services at any time, please attempt to make arrangements within the first two weeks of the semester so all appropriate academic accommodations can be set. For additional information, contact the Office of Accessibility Services.

Temporary Disability Syllabus Statement

Students who are recovering from an injury, serious illness, or medical procedure may wish to use temporary academic accommodations during their recovery. Accommodations may be arranged by contacting the accessibility services office on the campus that you attend.

Accommodations are determined on a case by case basis. You are encouraged to meet with one of the Accessibility Services Staff to discuss your needs.

Accommodating your own tests

Over the past few years increasing amounts of faculty have been accommodating their own tests for students with disabilities. Because this allows a student to have access to the instructor during testing, as any other student would, this practice has been received with positive response from both students and faculty. The majority of students with disabilities utilize very simple accommodations such as extended time for tests and being able to complete tests in a separate location with fewer distractions. Students who need to access special equipment, or require their entire test be read to them should complete the exam with us; with the exception of language classes or those tests containing subject specific vocabulary. 



There are two prerequisites to accommodate your own tests:

  • Having time enough in your schedule to arrange testing with the student.
  • Having a place that offers few distractions. Having a student complete a test in the school office with an administrative assistant serving as proctor is not an appropriate or effective accommodation. The student should take their exam in or near your office or classroom.

Testing should occur at a time that works for both you and the student. A student should never miss another one of their classes to make up a test. If you do not have the time or the place to accommodate the needs of the student with the disability they should take their test in the Accessibility Services office. 

Using the Accessibility Services office to accommodate tests

When you send a test to the Accessibility Services office please do so at least 48 hours before you are scheduled to give the test to students. This gives me appropriate time to accommodate both you and the student. All tests must be completed the same day the test is scheduled. Any other arrangements must be made by agreement between the student and instructor. 



Tests taken in the Accessibility Services office must include the following information to assist us in providing test accommodations. Test cover sheets are available on-line or in the Accessibility Services office at both campuses but as long as the following information is included accommodations can be appropriately made: 

  • How long do they have to take it? (A typical time frame is to have the student complete the test some time on the same day it is given. Instructors, particularly those who are administering essay exams, may give a longer extended time frame.)
  • Is the exam open book or open notes? (What can they bring into the test?)
  • Can formula sheets be used?
  • Can the test be taken in parts? (Our policy is that the exam is to be completed in one setting unless other arrangements have been made or accommodation documentation has been deemed appropriate.)
  • Are you using bubble sheets, if so which style?

How do I get a test to the Accessibility Services office?

Tests can be sent in a variety of ways.

The preference is to have the exams e-mailed, but if you have material on your exam that will not e-mail, providing hard copies is fine.

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