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Top 3 Accommodation Needs Addressed Proactively
Students with disabilities are not the only ones who need access to some form of academic accommodation. By addressing the 3 most frequently required accommodations for students with disabilities by creating the course in a specific way, it will decrease the time you need to individually accommodate between 30%-50%. In addition, it improves the learning environment for everyone – those that might need academic consideration for a number of reasons during challenging times. The top 3 accommodations students require are:
- 3-5 days flexibility with deadlines
- 50% additional time to complete timed assignments
- Access to word processing software to respond to short answer and essay -based tests.
Course Design Eliminating the Need for Top 3 Accommodations
- Establishing either a “window” for a due date (e.g., the assignment is due between June 2nd and June 9th) allows students to structure their time, plan for needed breaks, and/or need for extra time on task. Alternatively provide a “grace period” of a certain number of days. The due date for an assignment is July 15th, students can have 4 grace days to either use per assignment or over the duration of an entire course. For example with 4 grade days total, they might use 1 for an assignment and 3 for the major essay.
- Instructors need to consider how long it should take for the slowest student who does not require an accommodation to complete a test. For example, if the expectation is that students should be able to complete in 2 hours, providing the entire class with a 3-hour time slot automatically allows all students to complete who need up to 50% additional time without the requirement to set individual end times in Moodle. Set word counts on short answer and essay questions to ensure that students do not use the time to provide you with just too much information. In setting an accessible time limit, instructors should message up front and, on the syllabus, that this is what they are doing. Such a statement that could look like:
The duration of tests in this course are premised on the principles of universal design. I expect students to need 2 hours to complete the test and will allow everyone to write for 3 hours so that those that need 50% additional time can self-accommodate and need not make any special arrangements. Students whose accommodation require more time than this could connect with me so we can discuss how you will receive the accommodations you require.
- Setting the exam on Moodle allows for this automatically – there is nothing else that is need!
FAQs About Course Design and Accommodating More Students
Any student who requires academic accommodations as the result of a permanent or temporary disability needs to register with Student Accessibility Services with documentation that provides proof of disability and which will outline the functional limitations they experience.
Academic accommodations are based on the specific individualized functional limitations a student experiences. They will receive a formal Letter of Accommodation (LOA) which outlines RECOMMENDED accommodations. If those accommodations are possible within the context of a course, they can be implemented immediately.
In the case where recommended accommodations compromise the academic integrity of a course, connect with the student’s counsellor directly or by emailing sasinfor@yorku.ca so a discussion can take place with respect to what is appropriate.
Students are being asked to send their letter of accommodation (LOA) to their instructor as soon as possible within the first few weeks in the course. They are encouraged to meet with their instructors virtually, over the phone, or to have an email exchange about their accommodation needs and how they will be engaging with the course material.
It is good practice to ask the entire class during the first two class meets (sometimes students enrol late) that those students who require accommodation to be sure to forward their letters of accommodation so that supports can be arranged.
Students should be notifying instructors within the first few weeks of class.
Students should be providing as much time in advance as possible to their instructors. The standard is that many instructors might need as much as 2 weeks’ notice to know who is writing with accommodations and to be able to put those accommodations in place. With the shortened length of some of the summer terms, less than 2 weeks’ notice might be required at times to be able to put supports in place.
Yes. Provide everyone with 50% additional time in keeping with Universal Design Principles.
Instructors need to consider how long it should take for the slowest student who does not require an accommodation to complete a test. For example, if the expectation is that students should be able to complete in 2 hours, providing the entire class with a 3 hour time slot automatically allows all students to complete who need up to 50% additional time without the requirement to set individual end times in Moodle. Set word counts on short answer and essay questions to ensure that students do not use the time to provide you with just too much information. In setting an accessible time limit, instructors should message up front and on the syllabus that this is what they are doing with a statement that could look like: The duration of tests in this course are premised on the principles of universal design. I expect students to need 2 hours to complete the test and will allow everyone to write for 3 hours so that those that need 50% additional time can self-accommodate and need not make any special arrangements. Students whose accommodation require more time than this could connect with me so we can discuss how you will receive the accommodations you require.
Ask the student for their letter of accommodation. This letter will outline all accommodations a student needs both for testing as well as in the classroom.
If the student has no letter of accommodation but states they have a temporary or permanent disability, refer them to register with Student Accessibility Services at https://accessibility.students.yorku.ca/
Keep in mind that if all students are receiving 50% additional time and the student you have presents a letter with the need for 100% additional time, you have already provided 50% additional time.
To calculate 50% additional time, take the total time (for instance 60 minutes or 1 hour and divide by 2. This will give you 30 minutes or half an hour. It is often easier to round up to the closest 5 minute mark.
When calculating extra time, students are told that if they need breaks, this is INCLUDED in the additional time and they do not get EXTRA time for breaks.
Check the resource https://lthelp.yorku.ca/quizzing/how-to-give-particular-students-extra-time-in-a-quiz?from_search=43564413 which can guide you through the process