The core purpose of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is to guarantee that individuals with disabilities are not subject to discrimination in their academic and broader college experiences.
The aim is to provide equitable access which is achieved when individuals with disabilities can:
Fully engage and participate in the same activities, services, benefits, and experiences offered to non-disabled students.
Access the same information available to everyone.
Have equal opportunities to succeed.
The Goal is to Promote Equal Opportunity - Not Lowered Expectations
Accommodations should open doors to the same opportunities available to all students.
Accommodations should not reduce the responsibilities, expectations, or standards required of all students. Ensuring access does not require altering the academic experience by lowering expectations needed to meet learning and program objectives.
Accommodations are not intended to guarantee a student’s success.
Students who are registered with the DRC have produced documentation that meets our disability documentation requirements. After documentation is reviewed, an intake interview is conducted where DRC staff engage in the interactive process of determining reasonable accommodations.
There are instances when the DRC and a professor may need to engage in a discussion to assess the reasonableness of an accommodation through an interactive process.
Examples of when further discussion may be necessary include:
How to implement specific accommodations like Flexible Attendance and Extensions on Assignments.
Addressing the needs of specialized environments, such as lab settings.
Ensuring accessibility for particular students, such as a blind student in a math or economics class.
You can access your full course roster and see which students have approved accommodations by doing the following:
Log into my.newpaltz.edu
Select the Courses tab
Select the course from your list of courses
Select the Enrolled Students tab
View the column titled Course Accommodations for information that corresponds to the student from the roster
It is important to not assume that a student has a disability.If you notice that a student is struggling with the coursework or they mention specific academic concerns, such as needing more time for exams or challenges with concentration, let them know about the DRC and our resources. Additionally, you can refer students to the Center for Student Success, the Psychological Counseling Center or other departments based on their circumstance.Students can meet with the DRC to receive accommodations at any point in the semester.
There may be situations where the accommodation listed on the Accessibility Accommodation Letter does not align with the course’s learning objectives or design. In these cases, a professor may have concerns about whether implementing an accommodation would fundamentally alter the course’s objectives. In such instances, further dialogue between the DRC and the professor is needed.
No, faculty do not have to retroactively apply accommodations prior to receiving an Accessibility Accommodation Letter or other contact from the DRC, but may choose to do so at their discretion.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an educational framework aimed at meeting the diverse needs and abilities of all students by removing unnecessary barriers to learning. It involves creating a flexible learning environment where information is delivered through various methods, students can engage with the material in multiple ways, and they have choices in how they demonstrate their understanding.
The DRC offers training and support for faculty throughout the semester during professional development and upon request.
The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) at SUNY project seeks to provide support for SUNY to be a model of excellence of inclusive pedagogy in higher education by training SUNY faculty and instructional designers in the Universal Design for Learning framework.
Please keep in mind that we in DRC cannot make fundamental alterations to classes. We can ask faculty to evaluate whether the requested accommodation alters the outcome of the course or not. It remainswholly to the professor(s) and the academic departments to make the decision about whether a requestedaccommodation compromises the fundamental learning outcomes of the class(es). DRC Staff are not the academic specialists. The course credits and the college's accreditation with the national organization are based on already approved learning outcomes. If the fundamental alteration evaluation is processed by the faculty, department chair, or even with the registrar's office and there are no suitable substitute exercises, assignments, or evaluations for the student which can fulfill the learning outcomes, we will then need to consider what alternatives are available to the student, which allows them to meet their degree requirements.
Depending on a student's needs and documented disability, they may be approved by the DRC for Extensions on Deadlines.
Extensions of up to one week may be requested by the student in advance of the deadline to the DRC for consultation with instructor or to instructor directly. Decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis. Please consult with DRC for guidance on denying deadline extension requests.
This accommodation is to inform faculty that a student has a disability that may warrant leniency on deadlines, when possible. It is not a blanket extension on every assignment. If a student feels they need an extension, they must request it in advance of the deadline. If the faculty receive a request from a student, they should consider whether approving the request will create a disruption in the progression of the course or will fundamentally alter the learning experience. Faculty should avoid applying blanket policies (e.g. It's against my policy to accept late work), rather we are asking that you consider the request on a case-by-case basis and only deny requests when there is a clear rational for doing so. Examples of this may include; If the assignment is part of group work where others are dependent on the student completing their portion in order to successfully complete theirs, if the assignment is planned to be reviewed in class together on the due date, or is intended to be done in time for another class activity or assignment that builds upon it. The reason why we include the option to submit the request to the DRC, is to help alleviate the burden on the student to negotiate directly with the instructor regarding approved accommodations. We invite faculty to consult with the DRC to help determine if it is appropriate to deny a deadline request if they are unclear as to what may be reasonable.
Ideally the student should be proposing a time they project to have the work completed (within 1 week). If the student doesn't provide a timeline, ask when they expect to complete the work to set clear expectations. If an additional day to complete the assignment doesn't raise a concern but you want the work completed before the next class period (for example), you should communicate with the student so they know what to expect.
The student isn't expected to provide a justification for each instance they utilize this accommodation based on the fact that they have provided documentation to the DRC and we have determined a need. Please be advised that the DRC implements this accommodation only when necessary and with careful consideration as it is not generally deemed appropriate for students who we determine struggle with managing their time, but rather those with chronic mental or physical health conditions or those with substantial processing delays that create barriers to them being able to complete work in a timely manner. Most students who are approved for this accommodation are also engaging with the DRC for learning support with the goal of helping to maximize their time and minimize the need to utilize the accommodation.
"Student may need to miss class due to their disability. Please use the link below to complete the Attendance Agreement Form to provide input on attendance-relevancy for your course. Once the form is completed, the instructor should consult with DRC for guidance on penalizing disability-related absences."
When a student in approved by the DRC for a Flexible Attendance accommodation, instructors will find that it is essentially a request for information that provides insight into whether it is reasonable to apply flexibility to their attendance policy. The DRC understands that it's not always reasonable to expect that a student can miss additional classes beyond what is stated on the syllabus but when students are aware of what to expect in advance, they can plan accordingly. If an instructor states that flexibility with their policy is not appropriate, it's important that there is some rational for the decision; the form provides a place to document the reason for the decision, in the event that it is challenged at any point in the future.
There isn't a one size fits all approach to determining reasonable accommodations for each student based on their disability and based on the nature of the courses in which they are enrolled. The intention of the communication is to collect information from the instructor that will help provide the student and the DRC with insight into how the student should prioritize course attendance in response to a disability that is chronic or episodic in nature and that may interfere with their ability to physically attend class.
A student with a disability may need to audio record lectures to ensure equal access to course content. Disabilities such as ADHD, learning differences, or auditory processing disorders can make it difficult to process and retain information in real time. Recording allows the student to review the material at their own pace, fill in any gaps in their notes, and fully engage with the lecture without the added pressure of trying to capture everything at once. This accommodation helps support their learning and academic success.
Each student with this approved accommodation will be required to sign a Recording Agreement. This agreement states that the use of recording software, devices, or other applications provided by the Disability Resource Center (DRC) as disability accommodation will only be used for the student’s personal use. This accommodation allows students to record classroom lectures for disability related reasons. Class recordings will not be shared with other students, posted on online platforms, or distributed in any way outside of the stated use. Violators of this policy will be required to meet with a member of the DRC staff. By signing this document, you are aware of the policies explained above. If you have any questions, please contact the DRC.
The Disability Resource Center is pleased to announce the development of a growing resource on neurodiversity and inclusive supports for all students. You now have access to the course "Supporting Diverse Learners" via Brightspace. This course contains self-guided modules that can be completed in a single or multiple sessions. Most participants can complete the course in about an hour and participants will earn a badge and certificate upon successful completion.
Currently, the modules are designed to provide information and strategies to promote an inclusive learning experience for all students, including those who identify as neurodivergent. We hope that the information provided in this course will support staff and faculty with an understanding of how executive function challenges impact college students, how universal design can be applied and the importance of inclusive practices in high education. The Disability Resource Center (DRC) aims to be a resource to the entire campus community. Please utilize our office as a resource as you navigate your work!
The Disability Resource Center is pleased to announce the development of a growing resource on neurodiversity and inclusive supports for all students. You now have access to the course "Supporting Diverse Learners" via Brightspace. This course contains self-guided modules that can be completed in a single or multiple sessions. Most participants can complete the course in about an hour and participants will earn a badge and certificate upon successful completion.
Currently, the modules are designed to provide information and strategies to promote an inclusive learning experience for all students, including those who identify as neurodivergent. We hope that the information provided in this course will support staff and faculty with an understanding of how executive function challenges impact college students, how universal design can be applied and the importance of inclusive practices in high education. The Disability Resource Center (DRC) aims to be a resource to the entire campus community. Please utilize our office as a resource as you navigate your work!
