Attendance and Deadline Modifications

Students who experience brief, periodic flare-ups from a chronic physical or mental condition/disability may require modification to deadlines or attendance. In some cases, an individual’s physical disability may require deadline extensions depending on the assignment and due dates (e.g. a student who is blind and taking a math class).

Attendance and deadline adjustments must be reasonable and are not intended to address lengthy absences/extensions or common colds and illnesses. Determinations of reasonable accommodation are based upon the interactive process and individual course design.

The Access Office will work with students and instructors in developing a plan to modify the attendance, deadline and participation policies. These agreements should be completed as early in the semester as possible, ideally within the first few weeks of the course, prior to any missed material. 

 

Students Need to Know

• Instructors are not obligated to re-teach missed material.
• Instructors will not waive essential or fundamental course requirements regardless ofstudent’s disability.
• All students will be graded according to the criteria in the syllabus.
• Unlimited absences will not be permitted.
• Communication with the instructor is essential; they are not obligated to modify attendancerequirements until the student presents an Instructor Notification memo.
• Instructors have the right to request a doctor’s note to verify the absence. Instructors do nothave the right to obtain medical information.
• It may be difficult to accommodate attendance in a class that requires participation, hands-on, or lab-based activities.

 

Faculty Need to Know

• The decision to allow attendance or deadline modification is based on documentation of achronic disability and its associated flare-ups or significant physical disabilities that impactselected courses.
• Attendance and deadline modifications apply to less than 10% of students served byAccess.
• Deadline and attendance modifications are applicable to on-line instruction.
• Students who seek this accommodation may not need to use it while in your course butshould discuss the possibility.
• Providing a welcoming and supportive approach when discussing accommodations willassist in the interactive process to determine reasonable modifications to your course.
• The Access Office is here to guide and support the decision-making process.

 

Student Responsibilities

• Provide your Instructor Notification memo to the instructor at the beginning of the semester
• Discuss with your instructor how attendance, make-up exams, due dates and participation are designed in the course and what reasonable modifications can be made due to your disability.
• Notify the instructor regarding every absence due to disability—We recommend notifying within 24 hours of the flare-up
• If unable to contact each instructor, notify the Access Office
• Obtain the material and notes from missed classes
• Complete all assignments and examinations
• Meet all of the academic course requirements
• Be prepared to consider other options for the course if grades are affected by extended absences

 

Course Withdrawal

In cases where absences will affect the ability of the student to demonstrate skills required to pass the course, the student/Access Office will consult with the instructor regarding the advisability of a withdrawal from the course or courses.

In the event of a medical withdrawal,* the student must follow the college’s medical withdrawal procedures. Upon student request, the Access Office will help the student apply for a medical withdrawal.

*Withdrawals prior to or on the established withdrawal date need not be processed as a medical withdrawal.

Memory Aids

Students who have documented disabilities that affect memory may be approved for the use of a memory aid as a reasonable accommodation. Memory aids allow students to demonstrate knowledge of course material by helping prompt the student’s memory.

This accommodation will be listed on the Instructor Notification form as “Permission to use an instructor-approved memory aid” or “Equation or formula sheet provided by the instructor or created by the student and approved by the instructor.” 

Memory aids are not intended to provide answers. Students are responsible for learning course material, and determining what may require cues or prompts. Students are expected to obtain instructor approval of proposed cue sheets or formula cards.

Instructors should submit the approved memory aid along with the student’s exam and Authorization Form to the campus Testing Center.

 

The Memory Aid accommodation should NOT*

• Include course notes, lists of specific facts, details, concepts, or processes being tested;
• Include complete terms and definitions;
• Include specific examples of how formulas are used;
• Exceed one page (single sided);
• Include open textbooks;
• Serve as a substitute of studying (a cue sheet will not help if a student has not studied the material).

*Exceptions will apply when instructors are providing any of the above to all students in their class

 

Important notes

• A memory aid may be allowed for some exams but not others.
• Requests and determinations for use of a memory aid are made on a case-by-case basis.

Questions regarding whether this accommodation is unreasonable because it could fundamentally alter a course or program, should be addressed to the Access Office staff person listed at the top of the Instructor Notification form as soon as possible. See Board Procedure G.08 for more information on this process.

Recording Lectures

Instructors may not prevent a student (who has an approved accommodation), from recording their class.

Recording lectures is one of the accommodations specifically mentioned in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 

Recorded lectures may not be used in any way against the faculty member, other lecturers, or students whose classroom comments are recorded as part of the class activity.

 

Instructor's right to privacy in the classroom

The instructor's right to privacy does not override the student's right to accommodation.

It is the responsibility of the Access Office to see that the instructor's concern for privacy is respected and addressed while still assuring the availability of accommodation for the student.

In many instances, this has been accomplished through the adoption of a contract between the instructor and student that details the specific limited use of the recordings and arranges for their disposal when the function has been fulfilled.

 

Classes involving self-disclosure

Occasionally, instructors object to the use of a recorder in classes that involve a great deal of self-disclosure from students as part of the class, fearing that the recording will inhibit students from freely sharing.

The use of a recorder is to replace the student's notetaking ability. If these open discussions are not appropriate subject matter for any student to be taking notes, it would be appropriate to ask the student with disability to turn off the recorder during these periods.

Seizure Protocol

Students who experience seizures should:

• Contact the Access Office for an initial appointment.
• Provide documentation of the seizure disorder from a doctor or sign a release so that theAccess Office can obtain the medical information directly from your doctor.
• Be ready to discuss specific needs. Check out this helpful tool from the Epilepsy Foundation.
• Instructor Notification forms will be generated and sent to your my.stlcc.edu email address.
• These forms will include the fact that you have a seizure disorder, and you should sendthese to each of your professors.
• If you have any concerns about discussing your seizures with your faculty, the Access Office is happy to assist.

In the event of a seizure, faculty or staff should follow these steps:

• Do not panic. Usually, the seizure will subside, and the person will recover.
• Call Campus Police who have been trained to handle medical situations.
• Try to place the person on their side.
• Remove chairs, desks, or other nearby hazards that the person may hit.
• Protect the person's head from injury.
• Do not try to hold the person down or in place during a seizure.
• Do not place any objects in the person's mouth.
• Campus police will decide if medical personnel need to be called.
• If a seizure occurs in a classroom, please have the class take a 15-minute break until the person is removed by campus police or emergency personnel.

Additional information on seizure disorders can be found at epilepsy.com.