Request Faculty Accommodation Notice at the beginning of the semester

• For tests to be taken at the DRC (Northwest Campus), the faculty will complete an Alternative Testing Contract in response to the Faculty Accommodation Form.
• The faculty will not need to complete a contract for online tests that do not need to be proctored at DRC or for testing at other SF centers.

Exam Options

• Take the exam with approved accommodations at a pre-arranged location and time, coordinated with the instructor.
• Schedule and have exam proctored at DRC (Northwest Campus) with approved accommodations.
• Students taking classes at other SF Centers should contact their respective DRC Center Liaisons for testing arrangements.
• Take the exam with your class without accommodations.
• Online tests, that do not need to be proctored on campus, can be taken from any internet connected computer.

Schedule Exams Proctored by DRC at the Northwest Campus

1. Login to your DRC Portal (https://york.accessiblelearning.com/SFCollege/), select the Alternative Testing link and sign up for each exam and quiz that you need DRC to proctor at least three (3) school days in advance of the exam. If you require the exam to be Brailled, you must register for the exam at least ten (10) school days in advance of your exam.
2. Discuss testing arrangements, including the proctoring conditions noted in the Alternative Testing Contract, with each of your instructors to ensure a mutual understanding about arrangements.
3. Come to DRC on your scheduled test date and time to take your exam.

Policies for exams proctored by DRC

• DRC will follow the proctoring conditions outlined in the Alternative Testing Contract sent by your instructor regarding materials allowed in the exam, restroom breaks, etc.
• You are responsible for personal exam materials, (i.e. calculators, Scantron sheets). If you forget a personal exam item and need to leave to retrieve it, your exam time will start to elapse when the exam is scheduled to begin. You will only receive the time remaining when you return to take your exam.

No Show, Lateness, Cancelling, and Rescheduling an Exam

• If you fail to show for your scheduled exam, you will be responsible for working with the instructor on possibly rescheduling the exam. Do this as early as possible.
• If you are late for an exam, you will only receive the balance, from the scheduled exam start, of the remaining time to complete the exam. For example, if you have an exam scheduled from 1 – 2:30 p.m. (1.5 hours) and you show up at 1:20 p.m., you will only have 1 hour and 10 minutes to complete the exam. The exam will still end at 2:30 p.m.
• In order to take your exam at a time other than the originally scheduled time, authorization (verbal or written) from your instructor must be received by DRC.
• If the test is cancelled or re-scheduled by the faculty member, please login to the DRC Portal, go to Alternative Testing and find the test and select either Modify Request or Cancel Request. If you have any questions about these functions, please contact the DRC office.

Final Exams

• The above procedures and protocols of this policy also apply to final exams.
• The schedule for final exams may be different from the time frame of your other class exams. You are responsible for knowing and adhering to the time frames set and required by your instructors.

Pop Quizzes

• If you need alternative testing arrangements for pop quizzes, it is important to discuss these needs in advance with each instructor so that terms and conditions can be made. Ideally, this should be addressed within the first week of classes.
• Should you and your instructor determine that your quizzes must be administered at DRC, you will need to sign up to be proctored for each quiz.

Exam scribing services are defined as the physical act of writing or recording answers on behalf of students who are unable to do so. This service is a testing accommodation that must be pre-approved.

Scribe Qualifications

A student may not have a family member or guardian of the student act as his or her scribe.

• The scribe shall be an employee of the college for purposes of the examination.
• The scribe shall sign a test security affidavit acknowledging among other things that he or she will not interfere with the independent work of any student taking the examination which includes not coaching, altering, or interfering with the student's responses in any way.
• On the date of testing and before the administration of the exam, the DRC testing coordinator or appropriate staff shall give the scribe no more than one hour to become familiar with the directions and format of the test. (This will help facilitate the scribe's ability to record the student's answers easily.)
• To the extent possible, the scribe should have previous experience in transcribing information given by students during educational instruction and assessments.
• The scribe must have the ability to produce legible text.

General Information

Before the examination, the scribe will review the DRC Scribe Guidelines and procedures with the student in preparation for the administration of the examination. The student using this accommodation or modification will be tested in a quiet room apart from other students to avoid interruption while testing. The guiding principle in scribing is only to assist the student in accessing the test and responding to it. The purpose of scribing is neither to penalize the student nor to enhance the student's constructed response.

The scribe shall not:

• Correct what the student dictates.
• Alert the student to mistakes during testing.
• Prompt the student in any way that would result in a better response or essay.
• Influence the student's response in any way.

Using a Scribe as an Accommodation

A scribe may be used as an accommodation when the following apply:

• The student's Individualized Accommodation Plan (IAP) specifies the need for this accommodation for use during testing and/or for use during classroom instruction.
• The scribe ensures that the work, including all spelling and language conventions, is the work of the student being tested.

Multiple-Choice Exams

The scribe should confirm the student's response before recording the student's answer on the score sheet. If the scribe cannot understand a student's pattern of speech, or it is barely audible, large cards, each indicating one of the response options, can be used. The student can then choose the card that indicates the student's desired response to the test item.

Constructed-Response Exams

The scribe shall determine the preferred mode of recording the student's response before the date of the test. At testing time, the student may then dictate the constructed-response using any one of the two listed methods:

1. Into an audio recorder
2. Directly to a scribe

A student with disabilities shall be given the opportunity to plan, draft, and revise the constructed response. The scribe's responsibility is to be both accurate and fair, neither diminishing the fluency of the student nor helping to improve or alter what the student asks to be recorded. The scribe may write an outline or other plan as directed by the student. The scribe shall write the words of the student exactly as dictated.

Scribing the Student's Constructed Response (Writing Task)

The student does not have to repeatedly specify spelling and language conventions once the student has demonstrated knowledge and skills in the use of these spelling and language conventions. The scribe may apply these conventions automatically. Examples:

• Once a student has demonstrated the knowledge of indicating the beginnings of sentences with a capital letter, the student does not need to specify this throughout the remainder of the constructed response.
• The student must spell every word in the constructed response the first time it is used. When a word is used on more than one occasion, the student does not need to spell it again.
• Homonyms and often-confused words such as "to," "two," and "too," or "there," "their," and "they're," or "than" and "then" should be spelled by the student each time they are used.

Scribing the Student's Constructed Response (Mathematics)

The student does not have to repeatedly specify basic mathematics conventions once the student has demonstrated knowledge and skills in the use of basic mathematics conventions. The scribe may apply these conventions automatically.

Examples:

• Once a student has demonstrated the knowledge of indicating the correct number alignments and set-up of the seven basic functions, the student does not need to specify this throughout the remainder of the constructed response.
• The student must demonstrate or dictate out numbers greater than 999 in the constructed response the first time it is used. When the student has demonstrated the knowledge of this convention on more than one occasion, the student does not need to continue demonstration or dictating out the numbers.

To maintain the student's fluency of thought and to allow the student to demonstrate the requisite knowledge and skill in English-language arts and Mathematics conventions, the scribe shall adhere to one of the following processes.

Audio Recorder

Student dictates response into audio recorder (e.g., tape recorder, etc.)

• The scribe allows the student to dictate the entire response without interruption.
• The scribe does not prompt the student in any way that would result in a better response.
• The scribe transcribes a draft of the student's recorded response exactly as dictated.
• The student provides letter-by-letter spelling for each word in the draft of the written response according to the section labeled Scribing the Student's Constructed Response (Writing Task).
• The scribe edits the draft of the response as dictated by the student.
• The student views the draft and/or listens to the scribe as the scribe reads the draft of the written response.
• The student indicates edits (e.g., paragraph structure, punctuation, capitalization, number alignment, etc.) to the scribe.
• The scribe edits the final written response and transfers it verbatim onto the student's answer document.
• The scribe returns the audiotape and all drafts and test materials to DRC proctor or testing coordinator.

Direct to Scribe

Student dictates response directly to scribe.

• The scribe allows the student to dictate the entire response without interruption.
• The scribe does not prompt the student in any way that would result in a better response.
• The scribe transcribes a draft of the student's response exactly as dictated without including any conventions other than spelling.
• The scribe reads the draft to the student without vocal inflection that would indicate punctuation or alert the student to possible mistakes. The student then provides letter-by-letter spelling for each word and specific number dictation and conventions in the response according to the section labeled Scribing the Student's Constructed Response.
• The scribe edits the draft of the response as dictated by the student.
• The student views the draft and/or listens to the scribe as the scribe reads the draft of the written response.
• The student indicates additional edits (e.g., paragraph structure, punctuation, capitalization, etc.) to the scribe.
• The scribe records the final written response and transfers it verbatim onto the student's answer document.
• The scribe returns all drafts and test materials to the DRC proctor or testing coordinator.

Guidelines for Requesting and Utilizing Interpreter Services

In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, no qualified student with a documented disability shall, on the basis of the disability, be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any academic program or activity at ÇàÇà²ÝÊÓƵ. SF will provide, at no direct cost to the student, interpreter services for classes, related academic requirements, and non-academic out-of-class activities sponsored by the college.

Request for Services

At the time of the first request, each student will meet with a staff member in the Disabilities Resource Center (DRC) to discuss his or her needs and to sign an agreement acknowledging familiarity with these policies. Students needing interpreter services are encouraged to register during the early registration period. Students are urged to finalize their schedules far in advance of the first class day so that interpreters can be scheduled according to student preference and interpreter availability. DRC staff members will assist with arranging schedules and with registration, if needed. It is important that requests for interpreters be submitted to DRC as soon after registration as possible.

Students are encouraged to submit any non-classroom interpreter requests at least three business days in advance, but more notice is preferable. Interpreter coverage for last minute requests cannot be guaranteed, even though attempts will always be made to find coverage. All interpreting services must be requested through the DRC, including meetings with professors or group meetings with other students for projects or assignments. Tests taken outside of regular class time will be treated as a special request, and students should submit requests for reviews and final exams as far in advance as possible.

"No Shows" or Class Cancellations

Students and interpreters should notify DRC at least 24 hours in advance if they will not be in class due to illness. If scheduled interpreting services are not needed, or if the student is canceling for reasons other than illness, then the student is required to notify the DRC at least 48 hours in advance.

After three student "no shows" during one semester (if a class is missed three times without 24 hours of advance notification),interpreting services may be canceled. The student must then meet with a DRC Counselor to explain why the absences are occurring and to determine how they will be avoided in the future in order to have interpreter services reinstated.

Late Arrival

When a student is not present at the beginning of class, the interpreter will wait outside the classroom for a time period equal to five minutes for every half-hour of the class period. If the student does not arrive within the allotted time, this will be considered as a "no-show" and the interpreter will leave. The interpreter will notify the DRC within one business day of a "no show."

Final Exam Week

During final exam week, all interpreter services are by request only. If the student would like an interpreter for a final exam, the student should contact the DRC and request an interpreter two weeks in advance.

Requests for Interpreter Preference and/or Replacement

Student and interpreter preferences will be considered when determining scheduling assignments; final responsibility for assignment of interpreting resources lies with DRC. Students and interpreters share the responsibility for the provision of high quality interpreting services. Should difficulties arise that cannot be resolved, either party may contact the DRC for assistance.

Monitoring of Interpreters

Interpreters will be evaluated by students and the DRC each semester. If the student is not satisfied with the interpreter service, or if the interpreter wishes to be replaced, the DRC should be contacted as soon as the problem arises so that appropriate action may be taken.

Interpreter's Role

The interpreter's role is to facilitate communication between the hearing-impaired student and the hearing persons in the student's educational environment. If the student talks with other students during class, the interpreter may voice the conversation. The interpreter cannot answer a student's question during class. If the student has a question, the student should raise his/her hand. The interpreter will speak for the student, if requested. The interpreter cannot participate in the class. Students should not socialize with interpreters while they are on the job. Interpreters will keep all information confidential.

Guidelines for Students Using Personal Assistants (PA'S)

Personal assistants hired by students to assist with activities of daily living may accompany students to college classes, services, and other college programs and activities. PA's are not enrolled in the courses and are not responsible for course work.

Student Responsibilities

• Participate in Early Registration through Disabilities Resource Center (DRC) and meet with a DRC counselor to discuss the use of a personal assistant.
• Meet with your instructor(s), ideally at the start of the semester and during published office hours, to discuss the use of a personal assistant in the classroom.
• Notify DRC if you plan on visiting Student Life facilities (e.g., Recreation Center, Gym, etc.) which require student IDs for admission. DRC staff will notify Student Life Director to obtain entry pass for PA's.

Personal Assistant Guidelines

• PA's are not class members and not employees of the Disabilities Resource Center.
• PA's should sit quietly in the classroom and/or educational setting and provide the student with assistance in the least obtrusive manner possible.
• PA's should not "do the work" but simply facilitate the student's ability to participate. PA's are not permitted to involve themselves in classroom/learning environment activities and interactions, except where appropriate based on student's disability.
• PA's are not permitted to serve as a scribe for testing purposes.

Some disabled students may experience absences from class or lab and request flexibility of attendance. Federal law requires higher education institutions to consider reasonable modification of attendance policies, if needed, to accommodate a student’s disability by providing reasonable accommodations to support access.

Disabilities Resource Center Responsibilities:

• Determine if the disability entitles them to protection under the ADA and would significantly impact the student’s ability to satisfy attendance requirements.
• Provide relevant guidelines and information related to the accommodation
• Support and collaborate with student and instructors in determining how to implement this accommodation in the class or lab setting.
• Provide guidance and support to student/instructor when questions or difficulties arise due to this accommodation.

Student Responsibilities:

• Request accommodation each semester. Please note that absences and missed work are not automatically granted for all work or assessments.
• DRC students are responsible for communicating with their instructors about their attendance accommodation as early as possible in the semester. Be clear in communications. Ideally, this meeting should be during a time and in a setting that will allow for a structured confidential conversation to occur.
• You are required to complete all coursework. When you miss class, please notify your instructor (and your Access Specialist) as soon as possible. You are responsible for completing missed course work within a timeframe that you and your instructor agree upon.
• You are responsible for notifying instructors about the inability to attend class session and about on-going absences (e.g., hospitalization, prolonged treatment, etc.).
• If you need support when discussing this accommodation with your instructor, contact the DRC as soon as possible.

Instructor Responsibilities:

• Discuss the accommodation with the student. Ideally, this meeting should be during a time and in a setting that will allow for a structured confidential conversation to occur.
• Instructors should develop a contingency plan to accommodate any disability-related absences that may occur for a student.
• Instructors who determine that attendance is fundamental to course objectives and need to deny or restrict relaxation of attendance should consult with the DRC to document in writing the alternatives considered and the reasons for the final decision.

If you have questions regarding any of the above policies and procedures mentioned above, please contact DRC.

A memory aid is a testing accommodation for students with documented cognitive processing deficits resulting in challenges with memory retrieval. It helps prompt recall of learned information affected by cognitive processing deficits, allowing students to demonstrate their knowledge without giving them the answers.

Understand that this accommodation may not interfere with the essential requirements of the course. If memorization is deemed an essential standard of learning and assessment/evaluation of learning, a memory aid may not be appropriate.

Disabilities Resource Center Responsibilities:

• Through a student-centered interactive process, determine if the disability impact necessitates a memory aid accommodation.
• Provide relevant guidelines and information related to the accommodation.
• As needed, support the interactive process of engaging with all concerned to develop a Memory Aid plan in the class/lab. In many cases, it will just be the instructor(s) and the student(s), but in some rare cases, chairs and/or directors may be involved.
• Support and collaborate with students and instructors as requested to determine how to implement this accommodation.
• Provide guidance and support to students and instructors when questions or difficulties arise.

Student Responsibilities:

• Request Alternative Testing accommodation each semester.
• Discuss the accommodation with the instructor. Ideally, this meeting should be during a time, and in a space that will allow for a confidential conversation.
• Develop a written memory aid plan with the instructor as early as possible in the semester.
  • The plan should include the format of the memory aid and timeframe(s) needed for creation, instructor review, revision and approval before an assessment takes place.
• Submit the memory aid within the timeframe that you and your instructor agreed upon in the plan.
• Seek timely support of Access Specialist when needed.

Instructor Responsibilities:

• As needed, engage with the DRC in an interactive process to discuss the essential requirements of the course and the role of memorization in learning and in the assessment.
• Discuss the accommodation with the student. Ideally, this meeting should be during a time, and in a space that will allow for a confidential conversation.
• Develop a written memory aid plan with the student.
  • The plan should include the format of the memory aid and timeframes needed for creation, instructor review, revision and approval before an assessment takes place.

It is important that instructors who believe that the accommodation would impact essential standards contact the DRC and engage in an interactive process before denying the accommodation.

Some disabled students may need extensions on coursework (assignments and assessments) due to disability impact. Federal law requires higher education institutions to consider reasonable modification of deadlines, if needed, to accommodate a student’s disability by providing reasonable academic adjustments to support access. Understand that not all coursework may be able to have extended deadlines. Common extensions are within 24-48 hours of a due date but may vary due to health-related impacts and nature of assignment or assessment.

Disabilities Resource Center Responsibilities:

• Through a student-centered interactive process, determine if the disability impact necessitates a Coursework Extension accommodation, and under what circumstance.
• Provide relevant guidelines and information related to the accommodation.
• Support and collaborate with students and instructors on how to implement this accommodation.
• Determine accommodation eligibility through an interactive student-centered process.
• As needed, collaborate with the student and instructor to address any questions or concerns related to the accommodation or provide support with developing a Coursework Accommodation plan.

Student Responsibilities:

• Request accommodation each semester.
• Using the Coursework Accommodation guide, develop a Coursework Accommodation plan with your instructor as early as possible in the semester. Ideally, this meeting should be during a time and in a space that will allow for a confidential conversation.
• Develop a plan on how to notify instructor(s) in case of a need to use this accommodation.
• Notify your instructor(s) in advance of specific deadlines if you need to utilize this accommodation. If more than one instructor, notify your DRC Access Specialist and seek help to notify all courses that may be affected.
• You are responsible for completing missed course work within the timeframe that you and your instructor agreed upon in the Coursework Accommodation plan.
• If you need support when discussing this accommodation with your instructor, contact your Access Specialist as soon as possible.

Instructor Responsibilities:

• Discuss the accommodation with the student. Ideally, this meeting should be during a time and in a space that will allow for a confidential conversation.
• Develop a Coursework Extension plan with the student to accommodate disability-related coursework extensions.
• Collaborate with the DRC for support in developing a Coursework Extension plan if needed.
• Instructors who believe that the accommodation would impact essential standards should contact the DRC before denying the accommodation.

This guide is for students that SF’s DRC has determined that class attendance or coursework deadlines may be a barrier due to the impact of their disability.

This guide will help students and instructors through developing a Coursework Accommodation plan for students who have the attendance modification as an approved accommodation and/or an extension on coursework accommodation. Creating this plan early in the semester is ideal as it helps define the expectations that the student is required to meet.

Accommodations are designed to increase access and allow students to participate without a disabling condition creating a barrier. All requests must be reasonable for the student and the instructor and not fundamentally alter the course. If questions arise from a student or a professor, please contact the DRC so we can discuss options.

Considerations for student:

• Please review and complete page 2 of this guide before meeting with the instructor. Please contact your DRC Access Specialist if you have questions or need assistance.

Considerations for instructor:

• Please review and complete page 3 of this guide before developing a Coursework Accommodation plan with a student. Please contact the DRC if you have any questions.

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Guide for the student - please think about the following questions and formulate your responses.

Review the syllabus for each course. Due to disability impact, do any of the courses have attendance policies/deadlines that may be a barrier and require an attendance modification accommodation and/or a coursework extension accommodation?

Yes     No

If Yes,

• What are those barriers?
• What flexibility or accommodation may be needed to remove those barriers?
• Once you have thought about and answered the above questions, please meet with your Access Specialist if you need to discuss further. If not, please meet with the instructor to develop a Coursework Accommodation plan.
• It is the recommendation of the DRC to have a plan in writing.

Guide for the Instructor - please complete:

Given the information provided by the student on page 2, how will the student feedback be applicable to your course and how will a Coursework Accommodation plan be applied?

• What does the course description and syllabus say about attendance and deadlines?
• Has the policy been modified for others or any exceptions made to the policy for non-disabled students?
• To what degree does the course rely upon student participation as an essential method for learning?
• To what degree does a student's failure to attend and/or submit timely coursework constitute a significant loss to the educational experience of other students in the class?
• How many days can the student be absent and still meet the course requirements?
• During absences, what would the expectation be for the student to make up missed coursework?
• How many days will the student have to complete any of the missed coursework?
• If the student has an absence, what options are available to complete the work that is missed in class, labs, or during group activities?

Based on the information from the above questions, develop a Coursework Accommodation plan with the student. The plan should be as specific as possible to avoid confusion. Be sure that you and the student have a copy of the Coursework Extension plan. You are not required to send a copy of the plan to the DRC.