ADA Bulletin
MNSCU Supplement
December, 1996
Tips: Academic Programs
The following section "ADA Bulletin: MNSCU Supplement" has been prepared by the ADA/Disability Office in the Department of Employee Relations for MnSCU. It will provide guidance in meeting ADA requirements in the curriculum, providing academic modifications, and in providing support services for students with disabilities.
Reasonable modifications to an academic program must be made for students with disabilities under the ADA. For example, if you require two years of a foreign language for all bachelor's degrees, you must provide an alternative for persons who are hearing impaired or who have auditory processing disabilities. You might consider offering computer languages or American Sign Language as substitutes. You may also consider a course on the history of a foreign country as a substitute for a language course, particularly for someone with a speech impairment.
Some degree programs require at least one class in physical education. This would create a barrier for persons with limited mobility or use of their upper limbs, and would be discriminatory. (Please note that we are not talking about a student with a disability majoring in physical education, but a student in another field who is required by the college to fulfill a general requirement for physical education.) In this instance, you may consider exempting the student from the course, or offering an adaptive course such as aquatics.
If a student with a disability will be taking courses requiring the use of a computer, you may have to provide adaptive equipment to overcome a barrier. For example, a visually impaired student may not be able to access or transcribe information via computer unless that computer is equipped with a Braille keyboard and a voice response system. A person who has limited or no use of the upper limbs may need a more sensitive keyboard or a voice-activated computer.
For students with speech impairments or who do not speak because of a disability, courses that require oral presentations are an obstacle. See if written or visual presentations can be substituted.
Information regarding accommodations must be accessible to persons who are hearing impaired, visually impaired and even those with mobility impairments who may not have access to information bulletin boards.
One of the most difficult things for students with disabilities to accomplish is going through a bureaucratic maze. The more people, locations, complex communication and paperwork involved, the more likely it is that a person with a disability will be confronted with barriers. While one office may have forms in Braille, or someone who can provide direct assistance, another may not. While you may have a TTY line for general information or registration, various academic offices may not. Reducing the bureaucracy may help eliminate unforeseen barriers.
When you offer students the opportunity to add/drop courses, it is often done within a narrow time frame. Students with disabilities must not only have access to this timely information, but must be able to negotiate the process. It may be the case that a faculty member, whose signature is required for add/drop, may have an inaccessible office, or a student with a visual impairment may need assistance to receive and complete the forms. If it does not impose an undue administrative burden, it may be necessary to extend add/drop deadlines for students with disabilities who encounter barriers in the process.
Time limits for completing courses for graduation (e.g., five years) may pose an obstacle to students with disabilities. Some disabling conditions may require a student to be hospitalized for periods of time. Some conditions may be exacerbated by fatigue or stress. In both of these instances, a student may have to take longer to complete a course of study. You are required under the ADA to modify your policies to ensure they do not discriminate on the basis of disability. Granting an extension of time to complete studies may be a reasonable modification to your policy, as is extending time to complete a given course for a student who has been ill due to a disability, or unable to attend classes in inclement weather. However, you are not required to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of your program.
Often, faculty will establish a maximum number of classes per course that can be missed before a student receives a failing or lowered grade. This is reasonable for the majority of the student body, but may not be for some individuals with disabilities. Some students may require bed rest or hospitalization during a semester. Others may be ready to attend classes but unable to use transportation routes in severely inclement weather. You are required under the ADA to make reasonable modifications to these standards for students with disabilities on a case by case basis. Some individuals would qualify, others would not. Again, modifications that fundamentally alter the nature of a program are not required.
When providing general information on academic policies and procedures, you must ensure that the information is accessible to persons with a wide range of disabilities. Besides posting these standards, you should consider having copies available in large print, Braille or on audio tape. Information should be posted in a wheelchair accessible area. Some individuals with hearing impairments may need to have a session with faculty at which a sign language interpreter is present, to ensure a clear understanding of these complex issues.
Remember that the ADA's nondiscrimination mandate extends to all faculty and staff at your college or university. Everyone needs to be informed of the requirements of the law, as well as the specific efforts you have made to ensure compliance. People in positions of authority need to be as well informed as administrative staff.
Sometimes standards need to be modified to fit the needs of students with disabilities. Generally, the grade point average expected of other students should be expected of students with disabilities. The ADA is not designed to ensure equal results but to provide equal opportunities of access. Some obstacles to access programs and services may be the academic standards established within each course. If you require written papers, you may need to modify this for certain students with severe learning disabilities. These students may better be able to express a theme and discuss issues in an oral presentation.
Some courses require concise and accurate notetaking, for which a student receives a portion of the full course grade. Students with auditory processing problems and students with hearing impairments may not be able to meet this standard. Similarly, they, along with students with speech impairments, may be unable to make oral presentations. A reasonable modification ould be to write an additional essay on a topic, or to present a model, drawing, etc., based on the subject matter covered.
For students with impaired hearing (including those who need the services of an in-class sign language interpreter) providing a notetaker may also be a necessary modification to the academic expectations. Some schools do provide notetakers to individual students; others offer copies of the instructor's notes. Remember, whatever additional services you decide to provide, you may not pass the cost along to the person with a disability.
Some colleges use student volunteers or work-study students as in-class interpreters. This is perfectly acceptable under the ADA. However, you must ensure that these students are qualified sign language interpreters - a person who knows "some" ASL is not a qualified interpreter.
Both multiple choice and essay exams may impose a burden on students with specific disabilities, and may have to be modified. Some individuals with visual impairments, and some with learning disabilities, are unable to track answers from a test paper to an answer sheet. Others are unable to write extensive essays. In addition, without adaptive equipment, some persons with limited upper body movement may not be able to write responses. Lastly, many individuals require time extensions to complete exams.
Here is a list of some of the most frequent modifications and support services you may have to make to your academic program:
