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Student Policy and Procedures Guide
Mission Statement The mission of the Enhancement Program – Disability Services at the University of St. Thomas is to make reasonable effort to provide all qualified students with disabilities equal access to all university courses, services, programs, employment and facilities. Our goal is to enable students with disabilities to maximize their educational potential and to develop their independence and self-advocacy skills to the fullest extent possible within the standard university curriculum.
Table of Contents Page
Page 1 Program Overview The University of St. Thomas understands that students come to the learning environment with various learning styles. The staff of the Enhancement Program acknowledges that individuals with documented disabilities have unique needs which often can be reasonably accommodated through a variety of services. Upon reasonable request, St. Thomas will provide qualified students with a documented disability academic accommodations to facilitate equal access to the learning environment. Qualified students are responsible for identifying themselves and making all requests for accommodations known to the Enhancement Program staff in a timely manner. Such reasonable accommodations and adjustments are made available in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (see Page 6 ). These accommodations vary with individual students and their particular disabilities. Reasonable academic accommodations depend upon the nature and severity of the student’s documented disability. Eligibility for academic accommodations does not necessarily imply that a particular accommodation must be granted if it is deemed unreasonable and other suitable techniques are available. Reasonable academic accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis and should not alter academic standards in any way or cause undue burden to the university. Enhancement Program – Disability Services Students qualify for services through the Enhancement Program upon self-disclosure of a disability that substantially limits a major life activity, and upon presentation of appropriate documentation. Students work collaboratively with staff to determine reasonable and appropriate academic accommodations. Students with disabilities who require accommodations must identify themselves to the Enhancement Program staff and present appropriate documentation of their disability. (see Page 8). In cases where the student’s disability is extremely evident, the Enhancement Program may determine it unnecessary for him or her to provide documentation. Students should request accommodations at least two weeks before courses, programs, or activities begin for accommodations such as notetakers or extended time to complete exams. Requests for accommodations that take extensive time to prepare such as alternate format texts, sign language interpreters, or computer aided real-time transcription should be made immediately following the assigned registration date during the early registration period for the upcoming semester. Failure to comply within the stated time frame may result in a delay or denial of the accommodations. In a meeting with staff of the Enhancement Program to determine and verify the request for reasonable academic accommodations, an Accommodations Request Form will be completed. Students are expected to proactively participate in obtaining and arranging their accommodations. Students are responsible for presenting the Accommodations Request Form to their professor(s) and discussing with them any academic accommodations(s) at the beginning of the semester. The Enhancement Program does not automatically inform professors about students’ eligibility for accommodations or arrange academic accommodations; it is students’ responsibility to make an appointment each semester to facilitate this process.
Page 2 What academic accommodations are available? Although this is not a comprehensive list, academic accommodations may include:
What academic services are available?
Other campus resources: Teletypewriters (TTS) for the hearing impaired are available in the following locations: St. Paul Public Safety and Parking: (651) 962-5133 Minneapolis Public Safety and Parking: (651) 962-4019 Enhancement Program - Disability Services: (651) 962-6336
Page 3 Rights, Responsibilities, and Laws Student Rights To the extent possible, the University of St. Thomas makes reasonable effort to provide qualified students with disabilities equal access to all the courses, services, programs, job activities and facilities available through the university. Students have the following rights: 1. Appropriate and reasonable academic accommodations provided in a timely manner, determined on an individual, as-needed basis.
2.
Confidentiality of records and communication except where disclosure
is necessary to arrange accommodations, required by law, or
authorized by the 3. Evaluation of academic achievement based on ability, not disability.
4.
The right to appeal a decision concerning academic accommodations
according to the university’s grievance policy (please refer to the
Student Student Responsibilities Every qualified student with a documented disability has the responsibility to: 1. Meet and uphold the university’s qualifications and institutional standards as outlined in the Student Handbook and university catalog.
2.
Contact the Enhancement Program in order to arrange for appropriate
academic accommodations in a timely manner. Requests received prior
to or
3.
Inform professors at the beginning of each semester about the need
for any necessary and reasonable academic accommodations. The
student may
4.
Provide the Enhancement Program with appropriate documentation from
a qualified professional (see Page 8), which verifies the
diagnosis of the
5.
Follow specific procedural guidelines set forth by the Enhancement
Program for obtaining and arranging reasonable and appropriate
academic
Page 4 Rights, Responsibilities, and Laws Institutional Rights The University of St. Thomas has the right to:
1.
Request current and appropriate documentation (see Page
8) from
a qualified professional to verify the need for reasonable academic
2.
Consult with students in making the final determination regarding
the selection of effective, appropriate and reasonable academic
accommodations.
3.
Deny a request for accommodations
if the documentation does not identify a valid disability, fail to verify the need for the
requested accommodations, The University may also refuse to provide any accommodation that is inappropriate or unreasonable, including any that:
Institutional Responsibilities The University of St. Thomas has the responsibility to: 1. Maintain and uphold the academic standards and requirements set forth by the university.
2.
Provide information regarding university policies and procedures to
students with disabilities and assure availability in accessible
formats upon 3. Evaluate students’ academic achievement based on their abilities, not their disabilities. 4. Provide reasonable and appropriate academic accommodations for students with disabilities in a timely manner.
5.
Maintain and uphold confidentiality of records and communication
concerning students with disabilities except where disclosure is
necessary for the 6. Provide accommodations free of charge. Appeals Process Students with disabilities are responsible for contacting the Enhancement Program if they feel reasonable accommodations are not implemented in an effective or timely manner. The staff of the Enhancement Program works with students to resolve disagreements regarding recommended accommodations. If students feel that a professor or staff person is not providing accommodations to which they are entitled, they should contact the Enhancement Program to discuss their concern. Students who have a disagreement with the Enhancement Program – Disability Services may discuss their concerns with the Enhancement Program director’s immediate supervisor.
Page 5 Rights, Responsibilities, and Laws Laws Concerning Students with Disabilities The University of St. Thomas is committed to compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Accordingly, the university has used these legal mandates as guidelines for developing policies and procedures for students with disabilities at the University of St. Thomas. What is the law? Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability against people in programs or activities receiving or benefiting from federal financial assistance. Accordingly, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 states: “No otherwise qualified disabled individual in the United States shall solely by reason of his or her {disability}, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 upholds and extends the standards for compliance set forth in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to employment practices and communications, and policies, procedures and practices that impact the treatment of students with disabilities. It prohibits discrimination for qualified individuals on the basis of disability. Who is protected under the law? Under federal law, a person with a disability is any person who: 1) has a physical or mental impairment. 2) has a record of such impairment.
3)
is regarded as having such an impairment. To meet the definition of a
disability a person’s disability must substantially limit one or more
major life A “qualified” person with a disability is defined as one who meets the requisite academic and technical standards required for admission or participation in the postsecondary institution’s programs and activities. Example of possible disabilities include:
Page 6 Rights, Responsibilities, and Laws
Page 7 Documentation Requirements and Program Procedures Documentation Requirements In order to determine if students are eligible to receive academic accommodations, students must submit documentation as mandated by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and other pertinent state and federal regulations (see Page 8). It is the responsibility of students requesting accommodations to present documentation in a timely manner in order to determine eligibility for the requested accommodations. Students requesting accommodations must meet with the Enhancement Program staff and present documentation prior to receiving services. If the student’s documentation does not meet the program requirements, the cost of obtaining appropriate documentation is borne by the student. If the documentation is incomplete, not current, or not completed by a qualified professional, the Enhancement Program may exercise the right to require additional information. Again, the cost of obtaining any additional documentation is borne by the student. Pending receipt of appropriate documentation it may be warranted in some circumstances to provide accommodations on a provisional basis. The Enhancement Program has the right to evaluate these situations on a case-by-case basis. The following requirements will assure that the documentation verifies eligibility and supports requests for reasonable accommodations on the basis of a disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities (see Page 6). The Enhancement Program reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of submitted documentation. Requirements Students must submit documentation that is comprehensive, current, and completed by a qualified professional in order to have their accommodation requests considered by the Enhancement Program –Disability Services staff. What is comprehensive documentation? The type of documentation that is required depends on the type of disability the student has. Following is a description of the documentation that must be submitted for different types of disabilities. Learning Disability Documentation Requirements Comprehensive documentation is comprised of pertinent information from a diagnostic interview, which includes background information about the student’s educational, medical and family histories that relate to the disability; aptitude (such as the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised or the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test); and achievement testing (especially in the areas of reading, math, and written language, such as Part II of the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-educational Battery-Revised or the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test); and information processing (such as Part I of the Woodcock-Johnson). Standard and/or percentile scores must be provided. The tests used should be reliable, valid and standardized for use with an adult population. The test findings should document both the nature and severity of the disability. This includes a narrative summary that provides both qualitative and quantitative information that supports the diagnosis. This summary should explain all test scores and results and other clinical observations, explain the current symptoms and how they meet the specific criteria for the diagnosis, and finally, describe the functional limitations of the disability in an academic environment. If there are any medications involved, the diagnostic report must indicate and explain the impact the medication may have on the student’s ability to fulfill the requirements of the post-secondary environment.
Page 8 Documentation Requirements and Program Procedures If the disability is listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (American Psychological Association), the specific diagnostic code should be provided. Individual “learning differences” and “learning styles” in and of themselves do not constitute a learning disability. Documentation such as an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan is an educational record that, in and of itself, rarely serves as documentation of adult disability. Often an IEP or 504 Plan is created with goals specific to high school courses. Because college presents different demands than high school, the accommodations that students need to meet these new demands may be different. While an IEP or 504 Plan may provide supplemental information, a comprehensive adult assessment will better address the current impact of the student’s disability. The assessment results should support the student’s request for specific accommodations. The Enhancement Program reserves the right to review the request for specific accommodations on an individual basis. The University makes the final decision about which accommodations the student is eligible to receive. A suggestion for an accommodation by the professional completing the assessment will be considered, but the appropriate accommodation is within the sole discretion of the Enhancement Program staff. The staff may provide an alternate, but equivalent, accommodation in order to provide equal access. The Enhancement Program will make reasonable effort to provide the student’s preferred accommodation. Essential course requirements cannot be compromised in granting accommodations. Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder The Enhancement Program also requires current and appropriate documentation by a licensed clinical psychologist or medical doctor to certify a student as having ADD/ADHD and to determine reasonable accommodations. The documentation should include the assessments described above. In addition, the evaluation should address those standardized test scores related to attention, concentration, organization and impulse control. Again, a full educational and behavioral history, any developmental information, clinical observation and medication trials should be highlighted in the diagnosis. What is current documentation? Current documentation is testing that has been conducted within the past three years at the time of enrollment. Outdated information may not address the student’s current level of functioning or need for accommodations because changes may have occurred in the student’s performance since the previous assessment. College presents different demands than high school and the accommodations students need to meet those demands may be different. In such cases, it may be important and appropriate to update the evaluation report. Since the purpose of the update is to determine the student’s current need for accommodations, the update conducted by a qualified professional should include a rationale for ongoing services and accommodations. Current documentation also includes an assessment report with clear and specific evidence and identification of a learning disability or Attention Deficit Disorder. Who is a qualified professional? The professional must be qualified to recommend reasonable accommodations as they support the functional limitations of the student’s disability which manifests itself in the academic environment. Students may not submit documentation from a professional who is a relative. The documentation also must include the names, titles and professional credentials of the evaluator(s) as well as the date(s) of testing. The following professionals would generally be considered qualified to diagnose specific disabilities and recommend appropriate academic accommodations, provided they have training and experience in the assessment of adults.
Page 9 Documentation Requirements and Program Procedures *Learning disabilities: clinical/educational psychologists, school psychologists, neuropsychologists, learning disability specialists *ADD/ADHD: neuropsychologist, licensed psychologist or physician *Psychiatric disabilities: psychiatrist, licensed psychologist, licensed social worker or neuropsychologist *Head injury or traumatic brain injury: physician, neuropsychologist, licensed psychologist
*Blindness or low vision: ophthalmologist or retinologist (primary
diagnosing professionals) and optometrists (additional information about visual *Deafness or hearing impaired: physician or audiologist *Physical disability and systemic illnesses: physicians whose medical specialties relate to a particular disability Privacy and Release of Information Policy The Enhancement Program - Disability Services at the University of St. Thomas is committed to ensuring that all documentation and communication regarding students and their disabilities be maintained in a confidential manner. Documentation of a student’s disability is considered to be private information, only to be used for the purpose of establishing protection under the law and to determine appropriate accommodations for equal access to university courses, services, programs, employment and facilities. However, there are some instances in which information about a student’s disability will be shared with appropriate faculty and staff on campus. The Enhancement Program - Disability Services will release information about a student’s disability when authorized by the student or required by law, and may release information when permitted by law. Under the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), the Enhancement Program - Disability Services is permitted to release information without the student’s permission, to university faculty and staff that have a legitimate educational need to know. The Enhancement Program -Disability Services will share information necessary to assure effective implementation of approved accommodations with faculty. Students will be requested to sign an authorization to release/obtain information form to release information to individuals off campus, including parents or guardians. Documentation submitted by students is filed in the Enhancement Program – Disability Services office. To protect confidentiality, all disability-related documentation must be filed only with our office. Students should not send their documentation to any other office for consideration of accommodations. The student’s disability status is not noted on his or her transcript or diploma. Files in the Enhancement Program office are maintained for five years after a student is no longer registered for classes. After this period the file is destroyed. The Enhancement Program will not forward documentation that originated with another institution or professional. If students want their documentation to be sent to another professional or institution, they must contact the originator of the documentation. It is the policy of the Enhancement Program - Disability Services not to receive disability documentation by facsimile or electronic mail because we cannot guarantee confidentiality of the information. Please provide your documentation in person or by U.S. Postal Service. Students may request to review the content of their files when staff from the Enhancement Program is present. All information in the file is the property of the Enhancement Program.
Page 10 Documentation Requirements and Program Procedures NOTE: This policy does not replace the student’s responsibility to notify professors that he or she is registered with the Enhancement Program and needs accommodations. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate an appointment with the Enhancement Program - Disability Services in order to make an accommodation plan. If the student is approved for accommodations, the student must notify his or her professors that he or she is registered with the Enhancement Program and needs accommodations. The student does not have to disclose what his or her specific disability is, only that he or she is registered with the Enhancement Program. The Enhancement Program does not automatically notify professors that students have a disability just because the student has submitted documentation to the Enhancement Program. Program Procedures Accommodation Requests In order to request accommodations, the student is required to meet with Enhancement Program staff after they have self-identified as having a disability, and it has been determined that they meet eligibility criteria (see page 11). The student should discuss his or her specific needs for accommodations with the Enhancement Program in a timely manner. Students who make requests for accommodations that take extensive amounts of time to prepare are urged to do so immediately following the assigned registration date during the early registration period for the upcoming semester. Late requests may result in the delay or denial of accommodations. The staff will make reasonable effort to accommodate late requests. Enhancement Program staff will provide the student with an Accommodations Request Form (ARF), which verifies his or her need for accommodations and outlines the specific accommodations to be provided, based on his or her documentation. The student will then present this form to the professors of the classes for which the student is requesting accommodations. No accommodations will be provided until the student’s ARFs are completed and on file with the Enhancement Program. Notifying Professors It is students’ responsibility to disclose their membership in the Enhancement Program to their professors if they wish to request accommodations for their courses. Accommodations cannot be provided unless students discloses to both their professors and the Enhancement Program staff. Students do not have to disclose their specific disability to their professors. However, if the Enhancement Program determines that the students’ professors have an educational need to know information about their disability, they may discuss this with them without students’ specific written permission. (see Privacy and Release of Information Policy above). It is in students’ best interest to disclose to their professors and Enhancement Program staff before the beginning of the semester so that accommodations can be provided in a timely manner. The Enhancement Program can assist students with ideas on approaching professors. The Enhancement Program does not automatically notify professors that students have a disability just because they have submitted documentation to the Enhancement Program. Alternate Format Texts Alternate format texts are texts that are provided on audiotape, in Braille, or provided electronically. Alternate format texts are available from several sources. The first source of alternate format texts is Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB & D). Texts from RFB & D are recorded on four-track tapes or specially formatted compact discs and therefore cannot be played on standard cassette or cd players. The student is required to provide his or her own equipment to listen to alternate format texts. The Communications Center, a branch of State Services for the Blind, is the second source of texts in an alternate format. Textbooks from these sources may arrive in installments throughout the semester. The Enhancement Program makes reasonable effort to scan textbooks using adaptive software when texts are not available from other sources.
Page 11 Documentation Requirements and Program Procedures Preparing texts in an alternate format takes an extensive amount of time. It is strongly recommended that the student requests texts in an alternate format immediately following his or her assigned registration date during the early registration period for the upcoming semester so that the texts can be provided in a timely manner. It can take two to three months to prepare texts in an alternate format. Texts from RFB & D and the Communications Center are on loan and must be returned. All tapes must be returned to the Enhancement Program at the end of the semester. There is a fine for texts that are not returned by the end of the semester.
1. Consult with Enhancement Program staff about whether texts in an
alternate format are an appropriate accommodation. Consider carefully
before
2. Students are responsible for following up with the Enhancement
Program to see if their alternate format texts have arrived or if
scanning has been Notetakers Notetakers are an accommodation available to students if their disability impacts their ability to take effective notes during class. A classmate’s lecture notes are made available to supplement the student’s own notes. They are not a substitution for going to class. 1. Consult with Enhancement Program staff to determine if notetakers are an appropriate accommodation.
2. Request a notetaker (s) from the Enhancement Program in a timely
manner. Requests received prior to or within the first two weeks of the
semester will
3. If the student wishes to keep his or her identity confidential, he
or she may pick up notes in the Enhancement Program office. He or she
may also
4. Notetakers are provided as a reasonable and appropriate academic
accommodation. It is students’ responsibility to pick up their notes
regularly. If Exam Accommodations A number of exam accommodations are available through the Enhancement Program. The most common accommodations are time extensions, use of a computer for essay exams, readers, scribes, alternate format, and a distraction-reduced room. Students must discuss with the Enhancement Program whether exam accommodations are appropriate for them.
Page 12 Documentation Requirements and Program Procedures
1. Make an appointment with Enhancement Program staff to get a signed
Accommodations Request Form (ARF). Enhancement Program staff will
2. Complete a Testing Accommodations Request form and deliver it to the
professor at least one week (seven days) before the exam date. Schedule
an The student must complete the test on the same day that the class takes the exam, and begin at the same time the class begins, unless otherwise approved by the professor. The student must complete the test in one block of time. Arriving late for the schedule exam time will result in less time to complete the exam. If students fail to show up at the scheduled time, their exam may be returned to their professor. It is the student’s responsibility to speak with his or her professor to make new arrangements to take the exam. If the professor approves a make-up exam, the student may schedule to take it in the Enhancement Program office. Sign Language Interpreters Sign language interpreters are provided to students who are deaf or hearing impaired. Arrangements made with the Enhancement Program at the time of course registration for the upcoming semester will result in receiving accommodations in a timely manner. If the student cannot attend a class or other scheduled appointment that requires an interpreter, he or she must notify the Enhancement Program in advance according to the cancellation policy established by the interpreter or interpreter referral agency. If the student fails to abide by this policy, he or she may be denied the services of an interpreter for the remainder of that semester. To discuss the possibility of reinstating the service, the student should contact the Enhancement Program. Computer Aided Realtime Translation (CART) Computer Aided Realtime Translation is provided to students who are deaf or hearing impaired with appropriate documentation. Computer Aided Realtime Translation is the instant translation of the spoken word into English text performed by a CART reporter using a stenograph machine, notebook computer, and realtime software. The text is displayed on the computer monitor or other display device for the student who is deaf or hearing impaired to read. Requests for CART services made at the time of course registration for the upcoming semester will result in receiving accommodations in a timely manner. CART must be scheduled well in advance. If the student cannot attend a class or other scheduled appointment that requires CART services, he or she must notify the Enhancement Program in advance according to the cancellation policy established by the CART reporter agency. If an absence is beyond the student’s control, the student must explain the circumstances of the absence to the Enhancement Program. The Enhancement Program may excuse absences. If the student fails to abide by this policy, he or she may be denied the services of the CART reporter for the remainder of that semester. To discuss the possibility of reinstating the service, the student should contact the Enhancement Program. Captioned or Transcribed Classroom Videos Captioned or transcribed classroom videos are provided to students who are deaf or hearing impaired with appropriate documentation. Students who notify the Enhancement Program of their request during course registration for the upcoming semester will receive their accommodation in a timely manner.
Page 13 Documentation Requirements and Program Procedures The Enhancement Program will make reasonable effort to notify students when a transcript is available, but it is ultimately students’ responsibility to follow up. Captioned videos will be provided directly to the professor. Assistive Listening Devices Assistive listening devices, such as personal FM systems, are available for students who are hearing impaired. Priority Registration Priority registration is offered to students whose disability warrants this accommodation. This accommodation will be determined on a case by case basis by the Enhancement Program. Residence Hall Accommodations Students with disabilities who wish to discuss their needs for living on campus should contact the Enhancement Program and Residence Life in a timely manner. A number of handicapped accessible and single rooms are available. Decisions regarding residence hall accommodations will be made on a case by case basis. Students with disabilities will be held to the same housing application deadline as all non disabled students. The Enhancement Program staff will make reasonable effort to work with Residence Life when residence hall accommodations are received after the housing application deadline has passed. Single rooms are not provided in order to secure a quiet study area as the campus libraries are available for this purpose. Study Abroad Students with disabilities who want to study abroad and would like to discuss their accommodation needs should contact the Enhancement Program and the International Education Center in a timely manner. Accommodations for study abroad must be requested well in advance of the student’s departure. Foreign Language and Math Substitution Policy Given the many diverse ways in which a learning disability may manifest itself, the university recognizes that the nature and severity of the specific documented learning disability may preclude learning in foreign language and math, even with reasonable accommodations. Consequently, students with learning disabilities and appropriate documentation may petition the university Committee on Studies for course substitutions in foreign language and math. Students petitioning the Committee for a foreign language substitution must have a learning disability in an area that directly impacts the learning of a foreign language (information processing, reading, written language). Students petitioning the Committee for a math substitution must have a specific learning disability in math. Because the foreign language and math requirements are essential requirements of the liberal arts education, each case must be carefully considered on an individual basis. Please note that foreign language and math substitutions are not an accommodation the university is required to provide. If the Committee approves a course substitution, alternative courses may be selected from an established list approved by the Committee. The Enhancement Program is available to assist students in petitioning for a course substitution and determining alternate course selections. Foreign Language Course Substitution Procedure Students must complete the 111, 112, and 211 sequence in a particular language (12 credits). Please refer to the university catalog for further explanation regarding this core curriculum requirement. The following information must be provided if a student with a documented learning disability is seeking a foreign language course substitution:
Page 14 Documentation Requirements and Program Procedures
1. The student must provide the Enhancement Program staff with current,
relevant, and comprehensive documentation (please refer to the
university
a.
The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Revised (WAIS-R) and
individually administered achievement battery, including reading
comprehension, b. Dates and observations regarding the student’s phonological, syntactical and semantic abilities. c. Complete basic language testing results from the Modern Language Aptitude Test.
d.
Documented patterns of processing or difficulties in such areas as
attention, distractibility, impulsivity, auditory processing and short-
or long-
e.
History of significant difficulties when trying to learn a foreign
language, especially in high school or college. The documentation must
2. A
complete case history is required to document the student’s history of
problems in foreign language learning from high school until the date of a. A personal statement by the student indicating the reasons for the request, including prior experiences with the subject manner. b. A statement from the Enhancement Program staff outlining the student’s challenges with foreign language.
c. If possible, a letter from high school personnel and/or college
faculty attesting to the student’s efforts and diligence in attempting
to master the Math Course Substitution Policy Students are required to take a core-area course in mathematics. Please refer to the university catalog for further explanation regarding this core curriculum requirement. The following information must be provided if a student with a documented learning disability is seeking a math course substitution:
1. The student must provide the Enhancement Program staff with
current, relevant, and comprehensive documentation (please refer to
page 8
for a
a.
The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Revised (WAIS-R) and
individually administered achievement battery, including reading
comprehension,
b. Documented patterns of processing or difficulties in such areas as
attention, distractibility, impulsivity, auditory processing and short- or
long-
c.
History of significant difficulties when trying to learn math,
especially in high school or college. The documentation must
substantiate both the
Page 15 Documentation Requirements and Program Procedures
2. A complete case history is required to document the student’s history
of problems in learning math from high school until the date of
petition. This a. A personal statement by the student indicating the reasons for the request, including prior experiences with the subject manner. b. A statement from the Enhancement Program staff outlining the student’s challenges with foreign language.
c. If possible, a letter from high school personnel and/or college
faculty attesting to the student’s efforts and diligence in attempting
to master the Upon completion of these steps, the documentation and supporting evidence will be submitted and reviewed by the Committee on Studies. The Committee on Studies will inform the student of their final decision. Any student who receives a course substitution is expected to fulfill the university’s foreign language and/or math requirement according to the guidelines for selecting alternative courses. T Room (Testing, Tutoring, and Technology Use) The Enhancement Program T Room is a center for Enhancement Program students only. It is equipped with computers and is available for students to use as an alternative testing location, a place to hold tutoring sessions and as an alternate study area. Please contact the Enhancement Program about the use of this room. Tutors The Enhancement Program offers tutors for a few select courses on a case by case basis. Please note that tutors are not an academic accommodation that the university is required to provide. The program does not provide tutors for every course and does not provide personal tutors. Students who request tutors will first be referred to the academic departmental tutors. Students are responsible for making arrangements to meet the tutor and are expected to arrive on time for all meetings. The number of hours that the tutor is available will be determined by the Enhancement Program.
Page 16 Academic and Student Support Services Academic and Student Support Services To reach any of the following offices, please call (651) 962-5000 and ask for the office you wish to contact. Academic Counseling Academic counselors assist students who have questions or concerns regarding course registration, academic progress, degree requirements, and overall academic concerns. Academic Support Center The Academic Support Center offers one-to-one tutoring on topics relating to student academic success. Assessment of reading and study skills also is available. Information on topics such as time management, learning styles, reading comprehension and study skills strategies, reading and notetaking skills, and test-taking tips and review is also available. Students may refer to the Academic Support Center’s website for an updated list of department tutors each semester. Center for Writing The Center for Writing provides one-on-one conferences for writing assignments in any class at any stage of the writing process. Mathematics Resource Center (MaRC) The MaRC offers tutoring for students in various mathematics courses. Other services include: placement testing, independent study and review programs, and general mathematics advising. Students are encouraged to drop in anytime during the posted hours. Counseling and Career Services Counseling and Career Services offers assistance with personal counseling, career counseling, internships, testing, and other services or resources to assist with life and career management. Student Health Services Student Health Services handles medical needs of students. Public Safety and Parking Services Public Safety and Parking Services provides the following services: law enforcement, crime prevention, vehicle services, building access, lost and found, emergency assistance, professional referrals, and parking information. Adaptive Technology Adaptive technology is available to students with disabilities. The technology is available in the O’Shaughnessy-Frey Library Center and the Keffer Library. Kurzweil 1000: a reading system that converts printed material into speech; includes voice recognition
Kurzweil 3000: a reading system that includes
visual and auditory presentation of printed
materials, scans printed material that
appears on the
Page 17 Jaws for Windows: converts printed material into speech for individuals with visual impairments ZoomText: a low-vision text enhancer that increases the size of text on the computer screen
TextHelp!:
converts printed material into speech;
includes screen magnification, spell check, thesaurus, word prediction,
automatic correction Naturally Speaking: dictation software that allows you to speak to the computer; displays the dictation on the screen
Page 18 Professional Organizations and Resources Professional Organizations and Resources
Association on Higher Education and
Disability (AHEAD)
Children and Adults with Attention
Deficit Disorder (CH.A.D.D.)
Division of Rehabilitation Services
The George Washington University
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