Campus compliance with the ADA is a shared responsibility between faculty and the Disability Services office. Faculty members play an important role to ensure that the learning environment is accessible. The ADA is a civil rights statute, ensuring that students with disabilities will have the opportunity to participate in postsecondary education without discrimination. Due to the very personal and private nature of some disabilities, it is important that instructors create an atmosphere in which students feel comfortable about coming forward to discuss any accommodation requests they may have. It is also imperative that instructors safeguard the confidentiality of students who disclose having a disability and/or request reasonable accommodation for a disability.
ยป Information for Faculty
Faculty Rights & Responsibilities
FACULTY RIGHTS
- To be informed when a lecture is being audio recorded.
- To expect all students to adhere to the student code of conduct.
- To deny accommodations if the letter of accommodations from the Disability Services
office is not provided. - To challenge accommodations that jeopardize the academic standards or integrity of
the course.
FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES
- To share responsibilities for student accommodations with Disability Services.
- To maintain confidentiality of the student utilizing accommodations in your class.
- To refer students to Disability Services who report a disability.
- To provide accommodations that are appropriate when accommodation letter has
been received. - Do not provide accommodations to students who are NOT registered with DS.
- To include Chapman’s ADA statement on all syllabi.
- To deliver and pick up proctored tests from Testing Center, usually via email,
interoffice mail, or hand delivered by to the staff. - To contact Disability Services to determine appropriate accommodations for unusual
circumstances or other questions. - To communicate with the student directly to agree upon which accommodation(s) are
appropriate for a particular event if it is not already assumed.
Suggestions for Instruction in the Classroom
- Provide students with a detailed course syllabus. Make the syllabus available before registration week and be sure to include the required ADA statement.
- Clearly spell out expectations (grading, material to be covered, due dates) at the start of the course. This is especially critical for disabled students who need lead time in order to arrange support services (alternately formatted textbooks, enlarged print, interpreter services, etc.).
- Use all modalities: visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile. Use visual aids to reinforce what you say. Present new vocabulary in both spoken and written form. Describe orally any diagrams, charts, etc. used during lectures. Give opportunities for hands-on learning whenever possible.
- Give copies of visual aids to visually impaired students before or at the beginning of a lecture when possible.
- Illustrate abstract concepts with concrete examples.
- Be sensitive to the fact that some students are very uncomfortable reading aloud.
- Encourage students to use current technology to enhance learning: voice recorders, computers, calculators, laptops, etc.
- Encourage students to use campus support services (such as tutoring) available through the Tutoring & Learning Center located in DeMille Hall.
Chapman University’s Course Continuity Plan provides resources to assist in planning online instruction that will benefit all involved in the learning experience.
Tool Kits for Designing an Accessible Online Course is a helpful source to ensure course accessibility.
Accommodation Letters
Accommodated Testing
This is the most commonly approved accommodation and requires some action on your part.
- The first step in this process is the student decides (at least a week in advance) to utilize this accommodation for an upcoming exam.
- The student should book a testing room at the Testing Center.
- You will receive an email notification in which the Testing Center advisor will ask for the test and any instructions on administering the test.
- You should respond to the email, indicating your instructions for how the test is to be administered (time limits, open/closed book, etc.) and instructions for pickup and delivery of the test.
*Please be aware that we do not want the student to bring the test with them or deliver it back to you. The Testing Center makes every effort to ensure the security of tests.
If you have any questions regarding accommodated exams, please email dstesting@chapman.edu
Accommodating Online Assessments/Quizzes/Exams
Canvas Quizzes/Exams:
If your course exams/quizzes will be taken via Canvas, Canvas has a feature that allows you to adjust a student’s online quiz/exam time corresponding to the amount of extended time authorized by Disability Services (typically 1.5 time or “time + 1/2”; or 2.0 or “double time”).
- Canvas Time Extension Instructions
- How do I add accommodations for a student in New Quizzes?
- Canvas Tech Support: canvas@chapman.edu
**Important Note: Respondus Lockdown Browser is not accessible to those who use accessible technology such as literacy programs, screen readers or speech to text. Disability Services and Educational Technology Services recommend that faculty refrain from the use of Respondus Lockdown Browser for exams.
Below is a chart that provides 1.5x (Time + ½) and 2x (Double Time) conversions.
Regular Time (in minutes) | 1.5x Accommodation | 2x Accommodation |
15 | 25 | 30 |
20 | 30 | 40 |
30 | 45 | 60 (1:00) |
35 | 55 | 75 (1:15) |
50 | 75 (1:15) | 100 (1:40) |
60 (1:00) | 90 (1:30) | 120 (2:00) |
75 (1:15) | 120 (2:00) | 150 (2:30) |
90 (1:30) | 135 (2:15) | 180 (3:00) |
120 (2:00) | 180 (3:00) | 240 (4:00) |
150 (2:30) | 225 (3:45) | 300 (5:00) |
170 (2:50) | 255 (4:15) | 340 (5:40) |
180 (3:00) | 270 (4:30) | 360 (6:00) |
Alternative Test Day
A student may request an alternate test day if they have been approved for Alternate Test Day Accommodation by Disability Services or the student has back to back classes and their extended time accommodation would make them late to another class meeting or if medically necessary.
Faculty can provide a different version of the exam/quiz as long as it is equal in difficulty.
The student will email the professor that they cannot make the test. Please determine the following:
- The next available time to take the exam/quiz
- Where to take the exam/quiz, either:
A. With the professor in his/her office or,
B. At the Testing Center where they will proctor the exam/quiz. The student will need
to email DSTesting@chapman.edu to schedule a room at a date/time that you both
agreed upon.
Please email dstesting@chapman.edu if you would like assistance navigating alternate test day options with a student.
Notetaker
Disability Services staff will facilitate identifying a class member as note taker for the student with a disability. However, in some cases, a staff member may contact you for assistance in identifying a notetaker for the course. If no one volunteers, we will assign a student worker to attend the class
and take notes. Students will access the notes from the class through the Accommodate system by
logging in here: https://chapman-accommodate.symplicity.com/students and clicking on the
Notetaker Network tab.
If you have any questions about this process or a notetaker in your course, please contact ds@chapman.edu
Audio Books or E-Text
the form found here: Electronic Book Request. A PDF format of the
course materials will be provided to the student.
Audio Recording of Lectures
Recording is for traditional lecture. The recording can be turned off during group discussions and personal sharing. The recordings are for the students use only for studying. The student will
provide the recorder.
CART/ Real Time Captioning
American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter
Use of Laptop in Class for Notetaking
Service Dog
A dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual
with a disability. As faculty you can only ask two questions, 1) Is the dog a service animal required
because of a disability? (This is a Yes/No question, you cannot ask for the diagnosis) 2) What task
has the dog been trained to perform? (The dog does not have to perform the task).
For any additional questions regarding a service dog in your classroom, please email ds@chapman.edu
Frequently Asked Questions
Will accommodations compromise the integrity of my class or academic program?
No. When providing accommodation for disabilities, institutions of higher education are not
required to lower academic standards or compromise the integrity of the school or program.
Essentially, accommodations and auxiliary aids and services are provided to “level the playing
field” for the student with a disability, enabling the student to compete with his/her peers.
Once you have provided accommodations, you should grade the work of a student receiving
accommodations as you would grade the work of any other student. There is no need to be
overly lenient. To grade students more harshly because they have had the opportunity for
additional time for exams or other instructional modifications would nullify the purpose of the
accommodations, thus possibly constituting discrimination.
What else can I do?
Don’t be afraid to ask a student to describe how he or she learns best (especially if they are
struggling). They are not required to disclose their disability diagnosis, but you can help them
approach the work more effective and efficiently, while considering their strengths and
weaknesses. Frequently this could include utilizing technology in the classroom to aid in
notetaking and/or audio recording.
- Disability Services
- Services
- How to Register
- Documentation
- Policy Statement for Assisting Students With Disabilities
- Student Responsibilities
- Differences between HS and College
- Accommodated Testing
- Books in Alternative Format
- Audio Recording of Lectures
- ADA Information for Faculty
- FAQ
- Resources
- Contact Us