Office of Disability Services

1. Faculty & Administrator Workshop Office of Disability Services Rose Hill Campus O’Hare Hall, Lower Level 718-817-0655 Lincoln Center Lowenstein, Room 402D 212-636-6282 Marymount Campus Marian Hall, Room 105 914-332-8310

2. Agenda • Laws Governing Disability Services • Fordham Statistics • Role of Faculty Members and Administrators • Resources • Frequently Asked Questions

3. The Americans with Disabilities Act • No otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall, solely by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any such entity.

4. Who is a Person with a Disability? • Anyone who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities including walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working; • Anyone who has a record of such an impairment; or • Anyone who is regarded as having such an impairment.

5. Fordham Statistics Office of Disability Services Caseload 1999-2004

6. Fordham Statistics Office of Disability Services’ CaseloadBy CampusFall 2004

7. Fordham Statistics • Fall 2004 (Active) • LD: 92 • AD/HD: 55 • Psychiatric: 22 • Physical: 17 • Health: 15 • Visual: 13 • Hearing: 4 • Other: 8

8. Role of Faculty Members & Administrators • Students’ Responsibility • Letters to Professors • Reasonable Accommodations • Unreasonable Accommodations • Rules of Thumb

9. Students’ Responsibility • The University is not responsible for making accommodations for students who have not declared their disability to the Office of Disability Services. • Students formally declare their disability by submitting appropriate written documentation regarding that disability to the Office of Disability Services. • The documentation must be in its most current form from a licensed professional or health care provider certified and practicing in the field of the declared disability.

10. Letters to Professors • Following the determination of eligibility for services, the Office of Disability Services will generate notification letters for students to deliver to faculty. • These letters will identify students as having documented disabilities and will outline appropriate accommodations. • Students will be responsible for picking up the letters and delivering them to their professors. This method facilitates communication between the students and the faculty and improves students’ skills in self-advocacy. • Professors can sign letters and keep them to refer back to during the semester.

11. Accommodations • Academic accommodations ensure that students with disabilities are given an equal opportunity to acquire, retain, and demonstrate their knowledge. • Based upon the documentation submitted by the student and after a review by the Office of Disability Services, the University will determine appropriate reasonable accommodation(s).

12. Frequently Used Accommodations • Extended time for exams • Individual examination rooms • Textbooks on tape • Provision of note-takers, readers, transcribers, or interpreters • Provision of materials in alternate formats

13. Reasonable Accommodations • Universal Design: Some accommodations can be made that are reasonable for both students with disabilities and for the class as a whole For example: A statement on the syllabus: Inviting students to discuss disability related accommodations and other special learning needs may also help to foster this kind of environment.

14. Reasonable Accommodations • A statement on the syllabus: Inviting students to discuss disability related accommodations and other special learning needs may also help to foster this kind of environment. For example: If you believe that you have a disabling condition that may interfere with your ability to participate in the activities, coursework, or assessment of the objects of this course, you may be entitled to accommodations. Please schedule an appointment to speak with me immediately, or you may go to the Office of Disability Services (location). Under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, all students, with or without disabilities, are entitled to equal access to the programs and activities of Fordham University.

15. Reasonable Accommodations • Universal Design: • Delivery Methods: Consider using multiple modes to deliver content • Discussion • Hands-on activities • Internet-based interaction • Providing printed materials that summarize allows the student to prepare ahead of time • Interaction: Encouraging different ways for students to interact with each other and with professors can serve as another delivery method • In-class questions and discussion, • Group work • Internet-based communications.

16. Reasonable Accommodations • Physical Access: Assuring that classrooms, labs, and fieldwork are accessible to individuals with a wide range of physical abilities and disabilities is another way to increase inclusiveness. • Web Pages: Web-based materials in simple, intuitive, and consistent formats, accommodates students with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. For example, text descriptions of graphics presented on Web pages can assist students with visual impairments. Resources to assist in making a Web site more accessible and usable can be found at the Office of Disability Services.

17. Unreasonable Accommodations An accommodation will be deemed unreasonable if: • The accommodation would result in an “undue hardship” on the University • If the accommodation could cause harm • The documentation provided by the student does not support the accommodation request • Lowers academic standards

18. Unreasonable Accommodations Also, the University is not required to modify course or degree requirements considered to be an essential requirement of the program of instruction. For Example: • Allowing a student to use a calculator in a fundamental math class when an objective of the course is using basic calculations • Allowing a student to miss a field trip due to a physical or psychiatric disability, when the objectives of the class are linked directly to the field trip experience.

19. Accommodating: Rules of Thumb Faculty • Provide accommodations in a timely manner • Do not offer accommodations that are not listed on the Letter to the Professor created by the Office of Disability Services • Communication between the student and the professor should be kept confidential • Do not demand that a student reveal their disability when a letter from the Office of Disability Services has been presented Administrators • Do not accept documentation or provide accommodations withoutreferring the student to the Office of Disability Services • Do not communicate with the student’s doctor or with other departments and offices without a release from the ODS signed by the student

20. Resources • Office of Disability Services http://www.fordham.edu/dss • The Faculty Room http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty/ • Center on Postsecondary Education & Disability http://www.cped.uconn.edu

21. Questions? Q. Is it acceptable to ask a student who is having obvious difficulties whether he/she has a disability or to refer the student to the office that provides disability support services? A. You may simply tell the student that you notice he/she is having academic difficulty and encourage her to come talk with you about gaining assistance, just as you would with any student. You can offer information about the Office of Disability Services and suggest that the student speak to a staff member in the office.

22. Questions? Q. Does the Office of Disability Services provide testing for learning disabilities and/or attention deficit disorders? A. ODS does not provide testing for learning disabilities and/or attention deficit disorders, nor any other type of disability. However, we will provide upon request a list of testing centers that perform learning disability assessment. One such location for testing on the list is the Fordham Consultation Center at Lincoln Center.