100 International Drive, Suite 340 Accommodating Students with Disabilities Faculty Responsibilities and Recommendations Goucher College January 23, 2018 Jeanne M. Kincaid, Esq. Drummond Woodsum 100 International Drive, Suite 340 Portsmouth, NH 03801 603/433-3317

Goucher College’s Vision Statement Become the model for accessible transformational education that integrates curricular and co-curricular learning to deliver graduates who can solve complex problems together with people who are not like themselves. Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

Goucher College’s Commitment Goucher College has endorsed a Community Principle of Inclusion Stating that the College will acknowledge and embrace the unique gifts and differences of our community members. Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

Civil Rights Laws – Higher Education Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973) Recipients of federal financial assistance Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (1990) Title III: places of public accommodation Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

Contrast: Elementary/Secondary Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act But with a different set of standards Key differences: K-12: Remediation, including services Higher education: Reasonable modification of policies, practices and procedures - to enable equal access Including provision of auxiliary aids and services (e.g., interpreter for a student who is deaf) Services of a personal nature are not considered to be a reasonable modification Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

Service Animals On the first day of your class, Stuart arrives with a dog, Chelsea, by his side. Chelsea is on a leash. How would you handle this situation? What if Stuart were accompanied by a cat named Wanda? Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

ADA/504 Obligations Not to unlawfully discriminate on the basis of disability Provide reasonable accommodations (academic adjustments and auxiliary aids & services) to students to enable equal opportunity To all College programs, activities and services Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

Programs, Activities & Services In general, if the campus offers a benefit, it must be made equally available to individuals with disabilities Dining Housing Transportation Library services Health/counseling services Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

Who Qualifies For Accommodation? Students with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity Do you know how that is determined at the College? I venture to guess that the vast majority of students with disabilities have hidden disorders Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

Accommodation Process Liza approaches you after a few classes and quietly asks you if you would be willing to give her more time on her tests and forgive her lateness on assignments as she suffers with anxiety. You inform her about Accessibility Services but she tells you she does not want to share her personal documentation with anyone. What should you do? Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

Understanding the Process It generally begins with the student Although as faculty, you may be instrumental in helping the student reach out for campus supports The student typically interacts with the Office of Accessibility Services Which interchanges with faculty and other campus stakeholders in an “interactive process” Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

Key Stakeholders Student Office of Accessibility Services Faculty And parents – but keeping in mind students are now adults Office of Accessibility Services Faculty Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

Other Stakeholders IT Library Residential and student life Dining services Public safety Learning centers Advisors Center Directors and Program Chairs Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

Timing Isaac approaches you with an accommodation request halfway through the semester. What is your response? Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

Who Is Qualified? Students must meet the academic and technical standards requisite to admission or participation in the institution’s program Qualified is a moving target - student must maintain status Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

What are Technical Standards? All essential non-academic standards Here – courts will defer to reasoned academic decision-making Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

Let’s Apply It Can you identify any technical standards associated with your courses, department or major? Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

Test Accommodations Constance is registered with the Office of Accessibility Services and has taken her class-based tests in a separate testing room and been afforded extra time to complete these assessments Constance is enrolled in an internship and states that she needs the same accommodations. How would should your Department address the student’s request? Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

Attendance You are a Professor in the Center for Dance, Music & Theatre. Your specialty is music. Jocelyn is registered with the Office of Accessibility Services. She has shared with you that she suffers from depression and often cannot get out of bed. She asks that you forgive her for missing class. How should you respond to the student’s mental health condition manifestations? Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum

Institutional ADA Obligations To become aware of the nature of the disability Explore accommodation alternatives Exercise professional judgment in deciding whether modifications would give student the opportunity to complete the program without fundamentally or substantially modifying institutional standards Wong v. Regents of College of California Goucher College 2018 - Drummond Woodsum