Frequently Asked Questions
Answers for Faculty
Questions about Documentation
Am I allowed to request documentation from a student?
What should I do if a student tries to give me his/her documentation?
Questions About Accommodations
Who determines the accommodations for a student with a disability?
When is a student required to notify faculty of a need for accommodations?
How do I provide the accommodation of "extended time (double time)" for pop quizzes?
Classroom, Assignments, and Grading Questions
Am I required to lower the standards of a required assignment because a student has a disability?
Should I extend deadlines or grade students with disabilities differently?
If a student discloses a disability after failing an exam or assignment, what should I do?
General Questions About SSD and Disability Services
What is Services for Students with Disabilities?
Why are we required to accommodate students with disabilities?
Do I have any recourse if I disagree with the requested accommodations?
Answers to Questions about Documentation
Q: If a student verbally informs me about his or her disability, am I automatically required to provide accommodations?
A: No. Accommodations should only be provided after receiving an official accommodation letter from the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office. The SSD office discourages providing accommodations in the absence of an official accommodation letter. If a student does not have an accommodation letter, please refer the student to the SSD office.
return to Questions about Documentation
Q: Are students required to identify their disability or provide copies of disability documentation to faculty and staff?
A: No. A student should only provide disability documentation to the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office and to no other office or faculty member due to confidentiality laws. Under Policy Memorandum 178, the University has given authority to the SSD office to interpret disability documentation, determine the existence of a disability, and determine appropriate accommodations in this university setting.
return to Questions about Documentation
Q: Am I allowed to request documentation of a disability from a student?
A: No. Documentation of a disability should only be provided to the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office. Faculty can only request the student to provide a current Accommodation Letter from the SSD office.
return to Questions about Documentation
Q: What should I do if a student tries to give me his/her documentation?
A: Refuse to read or accept the documentation and refer the student to the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office. The student will present his or her documentation to the SSD staff for review and subsequent discussions of appropriate accommodations and the process of using accommodations in classes.
return to Questions about Documentation
Q: Is the student required to provide an accommodation letter each semester even if I have been presented with a letter from this student in a prior semester?
A: Yes. The Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office will generate a new accommodation letter each semester based on current disability documentation and the student's current accommodation needs.
return to Questions about Documentation
Q: Why doesn't the accommodation letter from Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) include the nature of the student's disability?
A: Confidentiality of a student's specific disability diagnosis and the details of the disability are very important. The student cannot be required to provide these details, although a student may feel comfortable discussing his or her disability as related to the classroom accommodations. Under Policy Memorandum 178 the University grants authority to the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office to receive and interpret disability documentation, determine the existence of a disability, and determine appropriate accommodations.
Answers to Questions about Accommodations
Q: What if one of my students has requested accommodations that I believe will alter the essential components of my course?
A: Accommodations based on a disability are intended to "level the playing field" (by removing barriers to learning and demonstration of knowledge) between students with disabilities and students without diagnosed disabilities. If a faculty member believes a specific accommodation will fundamentally alter the essential components of the course, the faculty member should contact the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office to discuss the specific nature of the accommodation's impact on the course.
return to Questions about Accommodations
.
Q: Who determines the accommodations for a student with a disability?
A: Under Policy Memorandum 178, the university has granted the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office the authority to interpret disability documentation and determine appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities.
return to Questions about Accommodations
.
Q: When a student identifies himself or herself as having a disability, what should faculty and staff do?
A: The faculty member should refer the student directly to the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office by recommending the student call 231-3788 to make an appointment to discuss the academic accommodations process. Due to confidentiality laws, the faculty member should not accept or read the student's documentation, even if offered.
return to Questions about Accommodations
.
Q: When is a student required to notify faculty of a need for accommodations?
A: A student can notify a faculty member of the need for accommodations by presenting the official accommodation letter from the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office at any time during the semester. Accommodations should then be provided from that point forward in the semester. Accommodations are not expected to be applied retroactively. Reasonable notice should be provided to the professor by the student for accommodations such as extended time for tests, a quiet room for tests, or tests in an alternate format.
return to Questions about Accommodations
.
Q: What is my responsibility if a student provides me with a current accommodation letter from the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office but chooses not to use any accommodations in my class? What if the student doesn't ask to use an accommodation until after failing several assignments or exams?
A: Your responsibility is to provide the accommodations beginning when they are requested by the student. It is the student's choice as to which accommodations to use in each of his or her classes. The student has been advised by the SSD office that accommodations do not have to be provided retroactively. So, if a student chooses to take a test without extended time and does poorly on the test, the professor does not have to allow the student to retake that test using extended time. The student should notify the professor in advance that he or she will be using extended time on the next test.
return to Questions about Accommodations
.
Q: What is my responsibility with respect to providing testing accommodations, such as extended time for tests?
If a student has the accommodations of extended time and/or quiet room for tests/quizzes/exams, it is the professor’s responsibility to find the appropriate space. This space should be relatively distraction free (i.e. the professor’s office or conference room BUT NOT a departmental front office or in-use lab) and should be available for the student for the full amount of allotted testing time. With these arrangements, the student has access to the professor if there is a question about the content of the test. The student may need to negotiate with the professor about the start time for the test, as the student may have back-to-back classes and must not miss another class in order to receive his or her full extended time allotment for the test.
Professors are encouraged to check with their departmental office to locate appropriate testing space. If a professor cannot locate space for the student to take the test with extended time, the student and the professor can reserve space in the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) Testing Center. In order to reserve SSD testing seats, the faculty must make a Testing Reservation Request using the Online Testing Reservation System (OTRS). See the Faculty’s Guide to Using the SSD Online Testing Reservation System *link* for detailed instructions on how to use the OTRS. The student is responsible for meeting with the faculty to arrange dates and times for the tests in plenty of time to meet testing reservation deadlines. The faculty is responsible for submitting the Reservation Request to the SSD Testing Center using the OTRS - Online Testing Reservation System so that it may be received by the SSD Testing Center in a timely manner, within 72 hours (3 business days) of the test. If the date of a test changes during the semester, the professor can change the date of the test by editing the testing reservation on the OTRS, or by contacting the SSD Testing Coordinator at 231-3788 or emailing SSDTestingCenter@vt.edu.
return to Questions about Accommodations
.
Q: How do I provide the accommodation of "extended time (double time)" for pop quizzes?
A: The accommodation of "extended time (double time)" applies to all timed tests, exams, quizzes, and pop-quizzes. Faculty members may find the "extended time" accommodation straightforward for tests and exams but may be stumped when considering this accommodation with in-class quizzes and pop-quizzes. The following article entitled The "Pop-Quiz" Dilemma provides faculty members with several options to consider. Faculty members can also contact the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office at 231-3788 to discuss specific quiz and pop-quiz concerns.
[More Information]
Answers to Questions about Classroom, Assignments, and Grading
Q: Am I required to lower the standards of a required assignment because a student has a disability?
A: No. The same course standards should be applied to all students within your class. Academic accommodations, as determined by the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office, are put into place to remove the barriers to learning and demonstrating knowledge between students with disabilities and students without disabilities.
return to Questions about Classroom, Assignments, and Grading
Q: Should I extend deadlines or grade students with disabilities differently?
A: No. The same assignment deadlines, grading criteria, or any deadline extensions should be applied to all students within your class. Academic accommodations, as determined by the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office, are put into place to remove the barriers to learning and demonstrating knowledge between students with disabilities and students without disabilities.
However, on a case-by-case basis, a situation may arise where the SSD office grants a student the accommodation of extended deadlines on assignments. If that accommodation is listed on the official SSD accommodation letter and you have any questions or concerns, please contact the SSD office at 231-3788 to discuss these concerns.
return to Questions about Classroom, Assignments, and Grading
Q: If a student discloses a disability after failing an exam or assignment, what should I do?
A: Academic accommodations cannot be applied retroactively. The faculty member should refer the student directly to the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office recommending the student call 231-3788 to make an appointment to discuss the academic accommodations process.
return to Questions about Classroom, Assignments, and Grading
Q: Are the rules for student conduct different when the student with a disability is misbehaving, threatening or rude?
A: No. The student with a disability should be held to the same conduct standards as any other student within your class. If you feel the disruption is a direct result of the specific disability or have questions, please contact the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office at 231-3788 to discuss your concerns. Please refer to the following sites for university guidelines on student conduct:
Student Code of Conduct: http://www.hokiehandbook.vt.edu/codeofconduct/
University Policies for Student Life: http://www.hokiehandbook.vt.edu/studentlife/
Responding to Threatening or Disruptive Student Behavior: A Guide for Faculty: http://www.hr.vt.edu/employeescorner/_files/file_hr_Dis_Stdnt_Manl.pdfreturn to Questions about Classroom, Assignments, and Grading
Q: If I suspect one of my students has a disability that interferes with his or her academic performance, what should I do?
A: When approaching the student to discuss his or her academic struggles, it is appropriate for the faculty member to reference these difficulties and suggest that the student consult with the Services for Students with Disabilities office (SSD). The student should contact the SSD office at 231-3788 to set up with appointment. Staff in the SSD office can talk with the student confidentially about these academic concerns and make recommendations on possible academic support resources or further courses of action.
return to Questions about Classroom, Assignments, and Grading
Answers to General Questions about SSD and Disability Services
Q: What is Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD)?
A: The Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office exists to assist the university with its mission of promoting students' academic success, personal growth, and development of life skills. SSD works to ensure that students with disabilities receive equal access to curricular and co-curricular opportunities in the academic community, in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and with the ADA Amendments Act of 2008.
Under Policy Memorandum 178, the university has given authority to the SSD office to interpret disability documentation, determine the existence of a disability, and determine appropriate accommodations in this university setting.
[More Information]return to General Questions about SSD and Disability Services
Q: Why are we required to accommodate students with disabilities?
A: In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and with the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, Virginia Tech is committed to ensuring that all qualified students with disabilities have the opportunity to pursue a postsecondary education without barriers to instruction and services. Under Policy Memorandum 178, the university has given authority to the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office to interpret disability documentation, determine the existence of a disability, and determine appropriate accommodations in this university setting. Academic accommodations, as determined by the SSD office, serve to "level the playing field" (by removing barriers) between students with disabilities and students who do not have a documented disability.
return to General Questions about SSD and Disability Services
Q: Do I have any recourse if I disagree with the requested accommodations?
A: If a faculty member disagrees with a specific accommodation or believes the specific accommodation will fundamentally alter the essential components of the course, the faculty member should contact the Services for Students with Disabilities office (SSD) at 231-3788 to discuss the specific nature of the accommodation's impact on the course. Under Policy Memorandum 178, the university has given authority to the SSD office to interpret disability documentation, determine the existence of a disability, and determine appropriate accommodations in this university setting. Accommodations based on a disability are intended to "level the playing field" (by removing barriers) between students with disabilities and students without diagnosed disabilities.
return to General Questions about SSD and Disability Services
Q: How do I know if a student is registered with the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office?
A: A faculty member will only know if a student is registered with the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) if the student presents an official accommodation letter from the SSD office each semester. Not all students registered with the SSD office will use academic accommodations. If a student does not have an accommodation letter but has requested academic accommodations, please refer the student to the SSD office (231-3788). Faculty members should only provide academic accommodations after receiving an official accommodation letter from the SSD office.
return to General Questions about SSD and Disability Services
Q: Does granting accommodations to one student provide an unfair advantage over the other students in that class?
A: Academic accommodations are based on current and appropriate disability documentation, in accordance with Federal Law, which serves to "level the playing field" (by removing barriers to learning and demonstration of knowledge) between students with disabilities and students without disabilities in the academic setting.
return to General Questions about SSD and Disability Services
Faculty, you can find answers to most of your questions via the links on our Faculty page. To speak to someone or to make an appointment, call (540) 231-3788 or email ssd@vt.edu.
Last updated: Monday, 29-Apr-2013 13:17:28 EDT