Services for Students with Disabilities

Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) puts into action the university’s commitment to assure students with disabilities equal opportunity to reach the same level of achievement as other students. SSD was established at LSUS to provide a campus-wide standard for accommodation provision. The responsibilities of this office are to provide the foundation and structure for students with a disability and the university community as well as to service as a liaison between these components. SSD is a part of the Student Development and Counseling Center, a department within the Division of Student Affairs. The office is located in the Administration Building, Room 220; (318) 797-5365.

General Policy

Identification as a student with a disability is always voluntary. However, only those students who identify themselves to the University and/or present appropriate written documentation of a disability are eligible for academic accommodation. Students with a disability which requires special accommodation on the part of the University are advised to submit documentation to the Assistant Director of SDCC prior to the beginning of the term so that arrangements can be made to meet the individual needs. The students are further required to return to the SDCC office prior to the beginning of a new term so that appropriate accommodations may be continued or new accommodations arranged. Students who are found to be without substantial limitations in one or more major life activities are referred to other campus and community resources for assistance.

The decision of a student not to self-identify does not constitute a permanent renouncement of the right to university-administered accommodation; however, the student is responsible for his/her performance for as long as he/she self-accommodates. If a student chooses not to self-identify and/or request accommodation, the university does not assume responsibility for any disability-related problems that may arise. Students are not afforded retroactive accommodations. Finally, should it be required, students who choose to self-accommodate do not establish proof of past accommodation often required by many testing agencies and graduate programs.

Eligibility for Services

Services are available to any student whose disability substantially limtits a major life activity. SSD provides supportive services to students with mental, physical, learning and/or sensory impairments. Accessing accommodations through SSD requires several administrative steps. The first, which is necessary for any and all accommodations, is registration with the office. To register with SSD, students should report to the Student Development and Counseling Center (SDCC) in ADM 230. At the SDCC, students must complete an application for services and schedule an intake interview. Sufficient documentation of the disabling condition and related needs will also be requested. Exactly what is “sufficient documentation” depends on the disability and is elaborated upon below.

Documentation

Documentation should verify the substantial limitation of a major life activity and support requests for accommodation, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids. Sufficient documentation varies according to the specific disabling condition. However, general guidelines include: recency of documentation, appropriate clinical documentation to substantiate the condition, evidence to establish a rationale supporting the need for accommodation, and qualifications of the evaluator.

Note that federal law states that a student is not required to submit written documentation of a disability if its effects are visible to the SSD staff and if the need for all accommodations being requested is readily evident on the basis of those visible effects. These are the only circumstances under which the requirement for written documentation of disability may be waived.

The provision of all reasonable accommodation and services is based upon the assessment of the impact of the student’s disabilities on his or her academic performance. So that accommodations are most appropriate to the student’s learning environment, documentation should be recent and validate the need for services based on the individual’s current level of functioning in the educational setting. A school plan such as an individualized education program (IEP) or a 504 accommodation plan is not sufficient documentation on its own but may be included as part of a more comprehensive assessment battery.

Should initial documentation not be available, the Assistant Director of the Student Development and Counseling Center or the university has the right to request disability related documentation from the appropriate licensed professional. The Assistant Director may also request additional information if initial documentation is either insufficient or incomplete. This information will be used to document a student’s functional limitations in the educational setting and to determine reasonable accommodations. The cost of the documentation is the responsibility of the student. Information regarding specific requirements for evaluation and documentation is provided below. The University reserves the right to deny accommodation pending receipt of the documentation.

Accommodations

Receiving accommodations should not be regarded as giving the student “special privileges,” but rather as minimizing the impact of the disability to the greatest extent possible. It is important to remember that the professor expects the same academic performance from all students regardless of disability. The ADA and Section 504 did not intend that universities pass students because of a disability.

Decisions regarding appropriate accommodations are based upon the particular facts of each case, including the student interview, documentation, and other information relevant to the disabling condition. Accommodation recommendations are developed between the Assistant Director, the student, and faculty. These recommendations are written on a service contract and a letter(s) of verification. It is the responsibility of the student to deliver letters of verification to the appropriate faculty/staff. The faculty/staff is responsible for carrying out accommodations recommended by SSD.

Accommodations may include physical adaptations and classroom modifications. Physical adaptations include classroom arrangements, preferential seating, and accessible parking. Classroom modifications may occur in one or more of the following areas: environment, presentation, materials, requirements, and testing. Academic assistance is also available through general campus resources.

Course Substitution

Students who have disabilities which may prevent them from completing a required course may petition for a course substitution. Course substitution is not an appropriate modification if the course or content is found to be essential to the area of study and making a substitution would require “substantial change in an essential element of the curriculum.” It is the university’s responsibility to show that a certain class or area is essential to a certain course of study and if there were any changes in the curriculum, it would substantially alter the curriculum. This will be decided on a case by case basis. The student initiates the request through the Assistant Director of the Student Development & Counseling Center.

The student should submit a written, personal statement to the Assistant Director which indicates his/her reasons for requesting a substitution. This statement should include an explanation of the disabling condition, the student’s experience in this course (or similar courses) and a description of any accommodations utilized as well as their effectiveness. The request must include or give permission for the release of relevant, comprehensive documentation which specifically explains the disability’s impact on the student’s ability to learn the materials of the course for which the student is requesting substitution.

The request will be forwarded to a committee consisting of the Chair or a representative from the student’s major, the Chair or a representative from the discipline in which a substitution is requested, and the Assistant Director of Student Development & Counseling. The chair of the committee will rotate among the academic deans and in all cases, the Committee Chair will be a dean unaffected by the request. The committee will consider the student’s written statement and supporting documentation as well as the specific course in question and its relationship to the program of instruction being pursued by the student or its direct relation to licensing requirements. Recommendations will be made on a case by case basis. The committee will make written recommendations to the student’s dean within two weeks of receipt of a request.

Committee decisions regarding substitutions may be appealed to the Provost by either the student or his/her dean.

Attendance

Students at LSUS, with or without disabilities, are expected to give their academic responsibilities first consideration and to attend class regularly and punctually. An absence, avoidable or unavoidable, does not relieve the student from responsibility for course requirements. Students with disabilities should be aware that class attendance policies are not determined by SSD; nor can these policies be waived by SSD. Because attendance may be integral to the academic goals of the class, these policies are set by faculty at the college, departmental or individual level. Therefore, attendance requirements may vary according to the department or course. In some cases, attendance is fundamental to course objectives; for example, students may be required to interact with others in the class, to demonstrate the ability to think and argue critically, or to participate in group projects. In other instances, faculty may determine that students can master course content despite some or many absences.

Similarly, faculty also determine policies regarding make-up work and missed quizzes and exams. Faculty are not required to lower or effect substantial modifications of standards for accommodation purposes. So that arrangements for absences can be made, students are encouraged to remain in close contact with instructors when classes have been missed.

LSUS realizes that students who have physical and/or psychological impairments may be prevented from attending class on a regular basis. Therefore, it is recommended that students with disabilities know the requirements of a class and fully consider the impact of their disability prior to registering. When a disabling condition significantly impacts a student’s attendance, the student is advised to contact an academic advisor or the assistant director of counseling and consider the following options:

Notetaking and scribing services

LSUS utilizes a volunteer notetaker and/or test scribe system. This system can be coordinated in several ways. Students who have been granted this accommodation are first encouraged to locate another student within the class who is willing to share his/her notes. It is helpful if the student with a disability looks for a student who demonstrates regular attendance, attention in class, and a genuine interest in his/her education. The instructor may also be of assistance in locating and/or recommending a good student. The student with a disability is also asked to meet with the volunteer to express his/her needs in the classroom and to check over the shared notes with the instructor.

The student with a disability may not be familiar with any student or may not want to reveal his/her disability. In such cases, it is appropriate to ask the instructor to make an announcement in class about a notetaker being needed (the student with disabilities need not be identified). The Student Development & Counseling Center will provide copies of all notes.

Scribes for testing should be coordinated between the Student Development & Counseling Center and the instructor. These scribes also work on a volunteer basis. It is important to maintain test integrity at all times. For this reason, family members will not be assigned scribing duties for testing. However, they may serve as volunteer notetakers.

 


Last Revised May 14, 2007