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Disability Services

faculty.

Disability Services provides support to those faculty members and instructors who have a student with a disability enrolled in their course. A basic overview of the disability accommodation process is provided below. If more information is needed, please don't hesitate to contact the Coordinator, Kate Clark at extension 4-2872.

 

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Faculty Notification Procedure
When a student with a disability enrolls in a course, faculty and instructors can expect two things to occur.  First, an e-mail arrives from the UNO Disability Services Coordinator, Mary K. Clark, through the UNO Lotus Notes system.  It lists and describes the specific accommodations assigned to the student.  Second, the student with a disability contacts the instructor or faculty member to discuss how best to implement each accommodation in the specific course. 

Students have a responsibility to communicate their needs to each instructor. If a student does not make arrangements with the instructor sufficiently in advance, the accommodations listed in the e-mail need not be provided. However, when a student requests assigned accommodations, they must be provided as soon as reasonably possible.

Occassionally, an instructor or faculty member may find that an accommodation conflicts with an essential element of the course. In this case, contact the Disability Services Coordinator for a meeting and provide the accommodation in question until the situation is resolved.

In most cases, the notification e-mail is sent approximately 10 days in advance of the semester. However, if a student registers with Disability Services after classes have begun the e-mail is sent as soon as possible thereafter.

Those instructors and faculty members who do not use Lotus Notes, are asked to turn on the "Out of Office" agent and list an alternative e-mail address in the message. The notification e-mail will be redirected to the address specified.

The student's status as a person with a disability is confidential.

For more information about the disability accommodation process, see the Responsibilities section below or contact Kate Clark, Disability Services Coordinator, at (402) 554-2872 or mkclark@mail.unomaha.edu.

 

Making Referrals
Occasionally, a student may claim disability status and ask a faculty member or course instructor for accommodations directly rather than going through the Disability Services registration process. While granting this request may seem easier in the short term, it creates problems for the student, faculty or instructor, and the university in the long term. It is strongly recommended that any student who identifies themselves as having a disability complete the registration process with Disability Services before being provided any disability-related accommodations. If a student identifies themselves as having a specific disability, medical diagnosis, or psychological diagnosis please refer them to Disability Services. Keep in mind that the referral is made after a disability diagnosis is disclosed. It is not appropriate to ask someone if they have a disability.

 

Syllabus Statement
It is recommended that faculty and instructors include in every syllabus a statement asking students to inform them of any disability-related needs to ensure that those needs are met in a timely manner. A further recommendation is that the statement be read aloud during the first week of class. This approach demonstrates to students that the University is sensitive to and concerned about meeting the needs of ALL students in the course. Furthermore, it affords students the opportunity to make their accommodation needs known early in the semester.

Suggested statement for course syllabus: "Reasonable accommodations are provided for students who are registered with Disability Services and make their requests sufficiently in advance. For more information, contact Disability Services (EAB 117, Phone: 554-2872, TTY: 554-3799) or go to the website: www.unomaha.edu/disability."

 

Testing Center Information
The UNO Testing Center is located in EAB 113 and is available for students who require exam accommodations that cannot be provided in the classroom. Only those accommodations previously approved by the Disability Services Coordinator will be provided at the Testing Center. The Testing Center Guidelines describe student and faculty responsibilities in this process and must be followed in each testing situation. UNO Testing Center Guidelines

In the event an instructor does not deliver a test to the Testing Center at the appointed time, the student will wait approximately ten minutes and then contact the instructor for guidance as to when the test will be delivered to the Testing Center.

Volunteer Notetakers

Students with many types of disabilities, such as people who have low vision, a learning disability, or severe arthritis, require assistance in taking notes during class. Instructors are asked to make a request that a volunteer from the class share their notes with a student who has a disability. The student with a disability will meet with the volunteer notetaker and make arrangements for sharing notes at the end of the class period. The most popular method is NCR paper which works like carbon paper. Students may also make free photocopies in EAB 117. The intention of this accommodation is to assist students who cannot generate a complete set of notes on their own; it is not a replacement for attendance. Therefore, notes are only provided when the student with a disability attends class.

Please follow these steps if a student requests a notetaker:

1) Make an announcement to the class that there is a student who needs a volunteer notetaker this semester. This involves sharing their notes with someone who cannot take adequate notes on their own.

2) As you make this announcement please remember that disability information is confidential, it is important that the student with a disability is not identified in front of the entire class.

3) When a student volunteers, ask them to stay after class for a brief meeting. The student with a disability will meet the volunteer at that time and make arrangements for obtaining the notes. It is helpful when the instructor oversees this initial meeting.

If the student with a disability has a complaint about the quality or delivery of the notes, it is his/her responsibility to alert the Disability Services Coordinator. The instructor may be asked to assess the quality of the notes, or ask for another volunteer.

 

Faculty Handbook for Accommodating Students with Disabilities
This handbook provides a general overview of the disability accommodation process in the higher education setting. A list of the topics covered appears below. The handbook is available in its entirety at the following link. Faculty Handbook (.pdf)

  • Section 1: The Law
  • Section 2: Responsibilities
  • Section 3: The Accommodation Process
  • Section 4: Case Stories
  • Section 5: Information on Specific Disabilities
  • Section 6: Resources

Responsibilities in the Disability Accommodation Process*

Listed below is a general outline of the responsibilities of the Disability Services Office, students, faculty and the institution. Each has a different set of obligations to make the process work smoothly.

Disability Services Office (DSO) Responsibilities)

  • Provide information and services so that students with disabilities may participate in all of the programs, services, and activities of the institution.
  • Provide services in a timely fashion.
  • Review documentation of a disability for eligibility and determine on behalf of the institution what types of accommodations are appropriate.
  • Keep disability-related information confidential, discussing it only with those who have a valid reason to know.
  • Help faculty and staff provide reasonable accommodations.
  • Consult with university administration, faculty, and staff on the provision of services, accommodations, and access as required under current federal and state law.
  • Advocate responsibly for the rights of persons with disabilities.

Student Responsibilities

  • Voluntarily identify disability-related needs to the Disability Services Coordinator, Kate Clark.
  • Provide current and complete documentation of disability to the DSO.
  • Formally request needed accommodations and services in a timely manner.
  • Notify the DSO Coordinator of any changes or concerns in needed services or accommodations.
  • Abide by the student code of conduct set by the university.
  • Attend class and maintain the academic standards set by the university, the college, and the department.
  • Use services responsibly and treat service providers and faculty with respect and courtesy.
  • Abide by the policies of the DSO; specifically the Student Handbook & the Guidelines on this site.

Instructor Responsibilities

  • Include a statement in your syllabus informing students about reasonable accommodations.
  • Refer students to the DSO to have the disability documented and appropriate accommodations determined.
  • Help provide reasonable accommodations including the use of auxiliary aids, note-takers, and tape recorders.
  • Provide advising, counseling, and instruction to students with disabilities in a fully accessible environment.
  • Show confidence in students’ abilities to achieve their intellectual, personal, and professional potential.
  • Keep disability-related information confidential.
  • Discuss all student-related information directly with the student.

Institutional Responsibilities

  • Provide a campus in which educational, cultural, and extracurricular activities are physically and programmatically accessible.
  • Create policies that encourage the inclusion of persons with disabilities in all programs and activities.
  • Provide a process so students with disabilities may address their grievances with the institution and the office(s) that provide services.

Contact Information for Disability Services

Kate Clark,
Disability Services Coordinator
Eppley Administration Building, Room 117
Phone (402) 554-2872
Fax (402) 554-6015
TTY (402) 554-3799
mkclark@mail.unomaha.edu

*Adapted from the Utah State University ASD Project Grant

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