Faculty Guidelines

Purpose of Student Accessibility Services:

• Assist in the facilitation of reasonable accommodations for students
• Provide services and accommodations to students with disabilities and/or medical/mental health conditions
• Work closely with faculty and staff in an advisory capacity
• Provide equal access for individuals with disabilities and/or medical/mental health conditions

Laws:

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed July 26, 1990, as Public Law 101-336 and became effective on Jan. 26, 1992. The ADA is landmark federal legislation that provides civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities.

An individual with a disability and/or medical/mental health condition is defined by the ADA as a person who:

• Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of such person's major life activities
• Has a record of such an impairment
• Is regarded as having such an impairment
• Could have the terminology "substantially limits" applied to them, meaning they are unable to perform a major life activity that the average person in the general population can perform
• Is significantly restricted as to the condition, manner, or duration under which the average person in the general population can perform the same major life activity

Qualified Individual:

• Has a diagnosed and documented disability through Student Accessibility Services
• Has approved accommodations issued by Student Accessibility Services after a complete review of appropriate documentation by a qualified professional
• Is otherwise qualified to attend UT

Confidentiality:

• All disability-related information, including documentation and the nature of an individual's disability, is confidential information between Student Accessibility Services staff and the student unless the student chooses to reveal it
• Any explicit or implicit inference to a particular student and the disability is inappropriate

Tips that Facilitate Student Learning:

• Speaking at a clear and normal tone
• Visual aids
• Face the class
• Spatial awareness
• Learning style adaptations
• Guided lecture questions
• Study guides
• Frequent feedback
• Lecture outline/slides

Instructor Rights:

• Insist that all students adhere to the Spartan Code and the Academic Integrity Policy
• Require students to present letters of accommodation from Student Accessibility Services before allowing accommodations
• May request a signed agreement from students for audio recording of lectures and modified attendance accommodations. These forms are available to the student via Accommodate by Symplicity
• Challenge accommodations that fundamentally alter the academic integrity of a course. Please contact the associate director with any concerns regarding approved accommodations
• Accommodations are not retroactive. Accommodations can only be applied to situations from the time of approval, moving forward. 

Instructor Responsibilities:

• Shared responsibility for providing student accommodations with Student Accessibility Services
• Assist Student Accessibility Services with identifying appropriate accommodations for your course, when requested
• Provide reasonable accommodations when letter of accommodation has been received
• Include a Student Accessibility Services statement on your syllabus:
  If there is a student who requires accommodations because of any disability, please go to the Academic Success Center in North Walker Hall for information regarding registering as a student with a disability. You may also call (813) 257-5757 or email accessibility.services@ut.edu. Please feel free to discuss this issue with me, in private, if you need more information. 
• Consult with Student Accessibility Services whenever there is a question concerning a student with a disability

Examples of Accommodations Provided:

• Extended time on tests/quizzes
• Distraction-reduced test/quiz environment
• Notetaker, when requested
  • View our full Note Taker Accommodation Process and Policy (PDF)  
• Permission to audio record class lectures
• Use of a computer for note-taking, written assignments and tests/quizzes
• Adaptive equipment/assistive technology
• Test scribe
• Exams in audio format
• Enlarged print course materials
• Modified attendance

Want to be more involved with disability issues at UT?

• Become a part of the Accessibility Committee - we are a committee made up of faculty and staff who meet twice a semester and discuss hot topics in the disability world as well as campus disability issues and concerns
• Share your thoughts with the associate director regarding any questions or concerns you may have about Student Accessibility Services

Contact Information

Academic Excellence Programs
Student Accessibility Services
Academic Success Center, North Walker Hall
(813) 257-5757 
accessibility.services@ut.edu