This information guide was created by {SAS) as a reference for faculty when working with students with disabilities.

Contents: • Accessibility Overview, Common Accommodations and

Teaching Tips for Access (front) • FAQs for Accommodations (inside) • Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Considerations (back)

Vision: SAS seeks to create a welcoming, inclusive, universally

accessible community where everyone is able to partici­pate fully in the myriad aspects of the UNH experience.

Accessibility v. Accommodation

SAS works toward creating an inclusive, universally accessible community. Access issues related to Instructional Materials (e.g., videos, pdfs, lectures), classroom space (e.g., building, room, seat­ing), and communication (e.g., caption/transcript) are addressed with a specific focus on identified student access needs. These efforts provide access to the environment and/or course content and may not require an accommodation letter.

It is important to note the distinction between ACCESSIBILITY - the removal of known access barriers, vs ACCOMMODATION-the pro­vision of an adaptation/adjustment to address an existing access barrier. Academic accommodations are based on the impact(s) of the disability and the essential elements of the program/activity and are determined on a case-by-case basis.

Definition of Accessible:

"Accessible" means that a person with a disability is afforded the opportunity to acquire the same information and engage in the same interactions as a person without a disability in an equally effective and integrated manner with substantially equivalent ease of use; and must be able to obtain/access the information as fully, equally, and independently as a person without a disability (Source: OCR Compliance Review No. 11-11-6002)

Common Accommodations:

Distraction Reduced Exam Environment Textbook & Print Materials in and/ or Extended Time Alternate Format

Notes/ Notetaking Assisi::ance Captioned Videos

Audio Record Lectures Preferential Seating

Attendance Policy Sign Language Interpreters or CART

See www.unh.eduLsasLacademic-accommodations for a more comprehensive and descriptive list of accommodations.

Teaching Tips for Access

• Include SAS statement in your syllabus and post on Canvas under " Syllabus"

• Foster an environment that recognizes the diversity of learning and encourages students to discuss individual needs with you directly

• Utilize Canvas to organize information in a consistent, intuitive way; create a "Canvas Overview" video for students to refer back to for review/clarification

• Provide early direction & information and keep to established dates/ schedule to allow the necessary time to complete the assignment (e.g. organization, reading, use of assistive technology)

• Make all course materials (e.g., syllabus, handouts, assignments) availa­ble in an accessible/searchable electronic format

• Post PowerPoints/notes on Canvas and/or utilize Lecture Capture for student use and reference

• Put key words, technical vocabulary, formulas, etc. on the board

• Print rather than write (cursive) when possible

• Provide instructions/directions both orally AND in writing

• Provide explanation/ clarification as needed when using idioms, collo­quialisms, analogies, acronyms, etc.

• PPT presentations- Ensure contrast/font size for readability throughout the room; do not use color only to convey meaning; verbally describe images/pictures/ graphs; use captioned videos

• Use classroom microphone when available

• Repeat/rephrase classroom questions/comments before responding

• Read iClicker questions/ answers aloud (supports reading/visual needs)

• Allow time for understanding/comprehension before moving on

FAQs for Accommodations

What should I do if a student tells me they have accommodations, but has not provided an accommo­dation letter from SAS? Ask the student if they have met with SAS to set up accommodations. If so, the student needs to send the letter electronically via Clockwork. If not, refer the student to SAS. Remind the student that accommoda­tions cannot be implemented without a formal accommodations letter from SAS.

How do I view and approve a student's accommodation letter? Faculty may view and approve accommodation letters via Clockwork. See instructions provided on the Clockwork for Faculty page: www.unh.edu/sas/clockwork-faculty.

Once a student discloses a disability to me, what kind of information do I need and how can I get it? An accommodation letter is intended to communicate the academic accommodations necessary for the student to fully participate in each course, based on the present impact of the student 's disability as dis­closed to SAS. Accommodations may be subject to change, given additional documentation or changes in the condition of the disability. Specific information regarding disability history, diagnosis, and medications remain confidential in the student 's file at SAS. The student may choose to discuss with you the impact of their disability and what strategies, communication methods, or accommodation needs exist. It's consid­ered inappropriate to ask the student direct questions about their diagnosis or disability. We recommend asking questions about how the disability wi ll impact their participation in your class, and how that can be best accommodated.

What's the student's responsibility in the accommodation process? It is the student's responsibility to: (1) self-identify, (2) request services/accommodations through SAS, (3) send faculty accommodation letters (via Clockwork), and (4) fo llow-up with instructors to discuss logistics of classroom and exam accommodations. While we recommend students contact us at the beginning of the semester, there is no deadline for the student to contact SAS, complete an Intake, provide documentation, or request accommodations.

Does SAS proctor exams for all students that have exam accommodations? With the addition of Testing Space established in Thompson Hall (ground floor, June 2019}, SAS is able to proctor exams more broadly. Instructors should still identify resources within the Department and with the Registrar for proctoring exams (especially for groups of 5 or more). SAS will coordinate with instructors to proctor exams within the capacity that exists. Please read the protocol for the testing space, faculty, and students, located at: www.unh.edu/sas/exams.

What is a reasonable vs. unreasonable accommodation? Reasonable accommodations are determined on the basis of the disability, its impact, and the course, program, activity, or facility involved. The intent of accommodations is to provide the student an "equal opportunity" to access, engage in, and demonstrate mastery of the course content in an equally effective and integrated manner as their peers. Accommodat ions do not guarantee "success". Reasonable accommodations may also require adjustments to policies and procedures (i.e. strict attendance policies). Accommodations are determined by SAS through review of the pertinent documentation, an interactive process with the student, and an assessment of the essential elements* of the program/activity. A student must be "otherwise qualified" and is held to the same standards, requirements and expectations that exist for all students. An accommodation is deemed to be unreasonable when it: (1) Fundamentallly alters an essential element* and/or (2) Results in an undue financial or administrative burden. While implementation of accommodations may vary, it is illegal to deny identified, and reasonable accommodations. *In courses where an element is deemed to be "essential" (i.e., attendance) a discussion between the instructor and SAS may be necessary to determine if that element meets the "essential" threshold, as defined by legal decisions in OCR and court cases.

How do I know when I am providing "accommodations" and when I am going too far ("over­accommodating")? If you are providing something (i.e., use of technology in the classroom or extended exam time, as two ex­amples) only because of a "disability", it then is an "accommodation" of that disability. Following the direc­tions outlined in the SAS Accommodation Letter, and discussing with SAS any ideas or concerns around what may be appropriate, w ill help minimize over/ under-accommodating a student. Alternately, addressing all students in a holistic manner provides a universal approach, regardless of disability. In this way, there is no "accommodation" since what is considered and what is provided would be allowable for any reasonable need/request from any student. (EXAMPLE: allowance for absence- due to flat tire, inclement weather, flare -up of a medical condition).

How do I set limits or tell a student they are performing poorly in the class without upsett ing the person or violat ing the law? The intent of accommodations is to provide "equal access" and "equal opportunity" for a student with a disability. As for any student, there is no guarantee of success. With the specified accommodations provided, a student must be "otherwise qualified" and is held to the same academic standards, requirements, and expectations that exist for all students in your class.

Are Emotional Support Animals allowed anywhere on campus? An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is an animal that provides emotional support which alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of an individual's disability. Appropriate documentation is required to @stablish that the ESA is needed for the student to use and enjoy University housing and fully engage as a student at UNH. Unlike .:i service animal, an Emotional Support Animal does not perform a task for a person with a disability relating to activities of daily living, or accompany that person at all times. As a result, ESAs approved for the residential setting are not permitted in other buildings and are subject to restriction from any area with a no-pet policy. ESAs can be a reasonable accommodation to a No Pet Policy. Read the UNH Service Animal Statement here: https://www.unh.edu/sas/service-animal-ESA-policy

I have concerns about having my lectures recorded. What alternate options are available? Recording lectures is a means of captur ing information for subsequent individual academic use and review to accommodate a disability and facil itate learning. Faculty concerns about appropriate use should be discussed with the student and may include drafting a 'Use Agreement' outlining the scope and purpose of the recordings. A sample 'Use Agreement' is available from SAS. There are occasions where recording may be inappropriate, such as sharing of private or confident ial information. In these cases, an alternative may need to be discussed with the student and/or SAS. Absent such occasions, the accommodation should be allowed even in light of a "no laptops or mobile device use" policy.

How do I know if a student really has a disability? Accommodation letters are only provided for students registered with SAS who have provided appropriate documentation. If a student discloses a disability and/or requests accommodations witho1Ut an accommodation letter, they should be referred to SAS. There is no obligation for faculty to provide any accommodations without receipt of a letter from SAS. Faculty should not accept any documentation directly from the student. Please instruct the student to bring any documentation to the SAS Office. SAS is solely responsible fo r collecting disability-related documentation, determining the existence and nature of the disability, and ensuring appropriate academic accommodations. The accommodations letter is created after an interactive process with each student and professional review of the documentation.

How can I implement the Attendance and Deadline accommodation if it conflicts with the course policies? Attendance and flexibility with deadlines are accommodations intended to address when or how a student is able to meet the established work requirements. Students need to be able to demonstrate mastery of the course based on evaluation of performance as outlined in the assessment rubric. A good faith effort is expected in identifying ways in which a student may make-up/complete missed work that is "essential". An example is missing a lab. Can t hat lab be set-up again, done during another available lab time, done on line or in a virtual environment? What is feasible is determined by the instructor. Generally, labs, group work, and highly interact ive activities are considered "essential." If t here is no way to accommodate tlhese missed activities, no allowance for absence is required. Students are expected to attend class. SAS emphasizes the importance of attendance and the potential impact of missing in-class information/instruction/ discussion, as well as impacting performance on exams/papers. Too many absences may prevent successful completion of the course even with accommodation, and in some cases the accommodation may be unreasonable or infeasible. If absence(s) occur due to the nature of the disabi lity, the student is stilt responsible for the information and work missed. While the absence(s) themselves may have no negative impact on grading/evaluation, they may impact performance on exams and other assignments and there­by be reflected in the student's grade. In courses where attendance is "essential" to the nature of the teaching pedagogy and class dynamics, flexibility with absences may be considered unreasonable. This accommodation often necessitates a c,onversation between the inst ructor and SAS to discuss the "essential" threshold, as defined by legal decisions in OCR and court cases. Extension of deadlines should be avoided. Students are informed of the precariousness of extensions and the rippling effect it may have. Ample advance notice (and ability to act) attempts to address this need. Oftentimes, information, direction, or instruction is missing, which prevents the student from starting the work earlier. Deadlines may become an issue for a student, where it would be a non-issue otherwise, when multiple assignments coin­cide (e.g., papers, exams). Also, periods of exacerbation of a disability/ condition may impact/limit the stu­dent's time available to complete the expected work.

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Accessible

Instructional ...

Materials

Searchable

Video Captions

Accessible

The goal of creating Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) is to ensure that al/ students can meaningfully access their course materials and fully engage in the learning process.

Many UNH/ SAS students utilize Assistive Technology (AT) software tools to mitigate the specific impact of a disabi lity. Assist ive Technology tools may provide students with alternate means of access and engagement such as:

• Text-t o-speech (TTS)-reads content aloud for students with visual, atten­tion, and/or processing challenges.

• Dictation software- allows student to create written content by voice. Used by students who cannot use a keyboard/mouse, are dyslexic, or struggle with spelling/grammar due to a language processing disability.

• Magnification/screen-reader software, and keyboard navigation (without a mouse)- provides the ability to interact with digital content delivered via Canvas, publishers, and websites. Used by students with limited vi­sion.

• Captioned video- provides audio content in written form for students with hearing loss. May also benefit visual learners and international stu­dents whose primary language is not English.

• Recording/notetaking apps and/or access to lecture capture- allows ac­cess to class audio/visual content for further studying / review outside of class. Provides support for multiple student learning needs.

To be effective, many AT tools require that the information/course materials be available digitally (ie. electronic text). This will hep to ensure all stu­dents can independently access the content and engage/ participate in course activities.

Consider the following possible student access needs when preparing your course materials:

What if . . .

• a student has no vision, limited vision or is color-blind? • a student is deaf or hard of hearing? • a student has a physical limitation and cannot hold a pen; utilize

a keyboard/ mouse; manipulate a book/ handout? • a student has a learning/cognitive processing limitation that

makes it difficult to read, understand complex language, follow multi-step processes or navigate all the content in Canvas?

SAS is commit ted to serving as a resource to facu lty in t he creation of accessible content. Detailed " how to" information on creating searchable scanned PDF's, t he video capt ion process, PowerPoint recommendations, lecture capture tips, i-Clicker accessibility, and more can be found on our Creating Access website.

www.unh.edu/sas/creating-access

"Providing course materials in a digital format, ensuring video content is accurately captioned,

and allowing students to utilize AT tools in the classroom will ensure the greatest access with minimal need for remediation and may

benefit students with and without disabilities."

While the implementation of accommodations may vary, it is illegal to deny identified and reasonable accommodations.

If you believe an accommodation request is unreasonable, please call the Director of SAS at (603) 862-0830 to discuss

your concerns .

Student Accessibility Services (SAS) I 201 Smith Hall I 603-862-2607 I 7-1-1 or 800-735-2694 Relay NH I ~