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Accessibility Services

Available Accommodations, Descriptions and Best Practices for Implementation

*This is not an exhaustive list, but does include the most commonly approved accommodations. Accommodations are granted on an individual basis after a thorough review of supporting documentation and an interactive interview with the student to determine how to best meet their needs. Any specific questions related to the implementation of an accommodation should be directed to the staff in the Office of Accessibility Services.

Access to notes/PowerPoints
Approved for students with disabilities affecting:

  • Executive function
  • Reading
  • Writing
  • Processing
  • Vision/hearing impairments

Best practice: grant access electronically, through a shared drive (OneNote, Sharepoint, Google Docs, etc.), which allows for controlled access.

Alternative Format Textbooks: Braille or Electronic format
Approved for students with disabilities affecting:

  • Reading
  • Visual processing
  • Visual impairments (blind/low vision)

Best practice: facilitated exclusively by OAS, with the use of third-party providers or by chopping and scanning hard copy books into a format compatible with e-readers.

 Alternative Presentation Styles
Approved for students with disabilities affecting:

  • Anxiety
  • Language processing
  • Expressive/receptive language disorders
  • Language-based learning disabilities
  • Speech impairments

Best practice: If specific presentation skills are not being assessed, allow choices for student engagement in the activity, such as an alternate assignment. If specific presentation skills are being assessed, allow alternatives such as a one-on-one presentation between Professor and student, or the use of technology to pre-record the presentation.

Assistive Technology: JAWS, Dragon, text-to-speech reader, assistive listening devices, screen navigators
Approved for students with disabilities affecting:

  • Visual, auditory, or language processing disorders
  • Visual impairments (blind/low vision)
  • Hearing impairments

Best practice: to be determined by individual circumstances in collaboration with faculty and OAS.

Recording Class Lectures (audio only)
Approved for students with disabilities affecting:

  • Attention/executive function
  • Visual, auditory or language processing disorders
  • Hearing impairments
  • Memory

Best practice: students are required to sign a recording contract, limiting use and prohibiting distribution of recordings. Professors have the discretion to ask that recording be stopped if matters of a sensitive or personal nature are being discussed.

Calculator Usage
Approved for students with disabilities affecting:

  • Math calculation
  • Slow processing
  • Memory

Best practice: only a simple, 4-function calculator is permitted and only when the ability to do simple calculations is not the skill being assessed.

Computer Usage in Class
Approved for students with disabilities affecting:

  • Writing
  • Attention/executive function
  • Memory

Best practice: allow students to use the computer to take notes, or to do any in-class writing assignments. If students abuse the accommodation by using their computer in a disruptive manner, please report abuses to Accessibility Services.

Course Substitution: Math, Phys. Ed, Foreign Language
Approved for students with disabilities affecting:

  • Language processing/acquisition
  • Math ability
  • Physical or medical conditions

Best practice: facilitated exclusively by OAS and communicated with appropriate campus partners.

Exam Accommodations: extended time, computer usage, distraction-reduced, limited exams per day, no scantrons, scribe/reader

Approved for students with disabilities affecting:

  • Anything!

Best practice: primarily facilitated by OAS in cooperation with professors and students. Approve testing requests and deliver exams to OAS in a timely manner to alleviate additional stress placed on students. Communicate any questions/concerns directly to OAS; proctoring@rollins.edu.

Extended time on Assignments (reasonable deadline extensions)
Approved for students with disabilities affecting:

  • Unpredictable and episodic medical or physical conditions

Best practice: students are advised to discuss the implementation of this with each professor at the start of the semester. Reasonable deadline extensions are recommended for up to 48 hours past the original due date. Any further flexibility is solely at the discretion of the professor. Certain assignments may not be eligible for an extension, specifically assignments being reviewed in class on the original due date, or assignments impacting other students or the completion of future assignments.

Modified Attendance
Approved for students with disabilities affecting:

  • Unpredictable and episodic medical or physical conditions

Best practice: students are advised to discuss the implementation of this with each professor at the start of the semester. Modifications are recommended for up to twice the number of excused absences allowed in the syllabus. Any further flexibility is solely at the discretion of the professor.

Notetaking: LiveScribe Pens, NoteTaking Express
Approved for students with disabilities affecting:

  • Writing
  • Attention/executive function
  • Visual, auditory or language processing disorders
  • Hearing impairments
  • Memory

Best practice: students are required to sign a recording contract, limiting use and prohibiting distribution of recordings. Professors have the discretion to ask that recording be stopped if matters of a sensitive or personal nature are being discussed.

Organizational Strategies
Approved for students with disabilities affecting:

  • Attention/executive function
  • Memory

Best practice: facilitated exclusively by OAS. Students are encouraged to schedule regular meetings with our Organizational Strategies Mentor.

Preferential Seating
Approved for students with disabilities affecting:

  • Emotional, medical or physical conditions
  • Visual impairments
  • Hearing impairments
  • Attention

Best practice: students are advised to meet with their professors to determine the best place to sit that will support their needs.

Service Dog
Approved for students with disabilities affecting:

  • Medical conditions
  • Mental health conditions
  • Visual impairments
  • Hearing impairments

Best practice: students do not have to be registered with OAS or be given permission to have a service dog accompany them to class. Emotional Support Animals are not Service Animals and are not permitted in classrooms. The dog must be under the handler’s control at all times, on a leash or tether, housebroken, and not pose a threat to people or property. The dog may not act in a disruptive manner unless it is part of the service being provided to the student. Faculty/Staff may ask two legally allowable questions:

  • Is the dog required because of a disability?
  • What specific tasks is the dog trained to perform to mitigate for the disability?

You may not inquire as to the specific nature of the disability, or ask for any supporting documentation, certification, or proof that the dog is trained.

Further information can be found here:

Sign language interpreters/captioners
Approved for students with disabilities affecting:

  • Hearing impairments

Best practice: student will be accompanied in the class by sign language interpreters or a captioning service provider. Professors should ensure that all audio/video content used in the course is captioned.