Accommodating Purdue Northwest Students: Access to Educational Opportunities

1. Accommodating Purdue Northwest Students: Access to Educational Opportunities Training for Instructors 2016-2017

2. Intent of training: Quality education and student success are our highest values at Purdue Northwest.  Accommodations for students with disabilities are not only required by the law, they help our students succeed in their education by providing equal opportunity. Accommodations provide modifications to help our students with disabilities be successful in the classroom, similar to how instructors may modify their teaching style or methods according to the needs of a particular class.We know that you want your students to be successful and we are here to assist you! -Lisa J. Goodnight, Ph.D. Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Senior Dean of Students, Professor of Communication These materials are provided for informational purposes only and are not to be construed as legal advice. Please collaborate with the Disability Access Center to address your questions, and compliance with accommodations for students.

3. Topics covered in this training: • ADAA, Federal Law and PNW Requirements for Compliance • Students with Disabilities: types of impairments and qualifications for accommodations • Reasonable Accommodations • Purdue University Northwest Processes for accommodations • Faculty Responsibilities and Academic Freedom • Using Blackboard and other Online materials

4. ADAA Federal Law and PNW Requirements for Compliance

5. The ADAA Law states: • The Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act state that otherwise qualified individuals should be permitted to attend institutions of higher learning with reasonable accommodations to eliminate or reduce barriers as it pertains to their disability. This applies to courses AND out of class activities. • The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as Amended are civil rights statutes that are designed to prevent discrimination against students based on their disability. • Section 504 and 508 defined.

6. PNW’s Requirements for Compliance: • Purdue University’s Equal Opportunity, Equal Access & Affirmative Action Policy prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. • Instructors must provide academic adjustments to qualified students with disabilities. • Academic adjustments include modification of academic requirements as described in the letter of accommodation provided to the instructor, including but not limited to: • Changes in the length of time permitted for the completion of degree or course requirements; • Substitution of specific courses required for the completion degree requirements; • Adaptation of the manner in which specific courses are conducted.

7. Requirements: • Academic adjustments also include the provision of auxiliary aids and services including (but not limited to): • Audio form of texts; • Interpreters or other effective methods of making orally delivered materials available to students with hearing impairments; • Readers in libraries for students with visual impairments; • Classroom equipment adapted for use by students with manual impairments; • Other similar services and actions. We must make reasonable modifications to policies, practices, or procedures when the modifications are necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability unless we can demonstrate that making the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity.

8. Purdue Web Accessibility Policy • System-wide policy adopted March 15, 2010. • All official web pages and web-based services developed by or for a college, school, department, program or unit of Purdue University must comply. • Also applies to class materials provided online. • Policy says materials accessed online must be compliant when first made available to any student.

9. Applicable Policies and Relevant Procedures • Nondiscrimination Policy Statement • Equal Opportunity, Equal Access and Affirmative Action Policy • Anti-Harassment Policy • Procedures for Resolving Complaints of Discrimination and Harassment Note: A complaint can be filed against employees and students for violating disability rights.  If a violation(s) of University policy is found, then sanctions, including disciplinary action, can be imposed in accordance to the procedures.

10. Students with Disabilities: Types of Impairments and Qualifications for Services

11. Types of Impairments: Any student who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities must receive accommodations, if requested. The Department of Education (DOE) provides some examples of these types of impairments. However, please keep in mind that this is not a comprehensive list: • Neurological conditions • Sense organ impairments • Musculoskeletal impairments • Emotional or mental illnesses • Respiratory conditions • Digestive ailments • Learning disabilities • Organic brain syndromes

12. Students with DisabilitiesThe National College Health Assessment, American College Health Association in Fall 2015 assessed college students across the United States. According to their study, the proportion of college students who reported any of the following is as follows: • Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 8.1 % • Chronic illness (e.g., cancer, diabetes, auto-immune disorders) 5.7 % • Deafness/Hearing loss 2.3 % • Learning disability 4.8 % • Mobility/Dexterity disability 1.2 % • Partial sightedness/Blindness 2.9 % • Psychiatric condition 7.1 % • Speech or language disorder 0.9 % • Other disability 2.7 %

13. Reasonable Accommodations

14. Defining Reasonable Accommodation • A reasonable accommodation is an academic adjustment or auxiliary aid which does not cause a fundamental alteration in the nature of the program or impose an undue financial or administrative burden to the institution. • Does not affect integrity of the course • Does not affect safety of others or the student • An effective accommodation may require the student to use means or measures different or in addition to those used by nondisabled students or to work with or consult with others. • Provides the student with an equal opportunity to obtain the same benefit, result and/or level of achievement at PNW.

15. Legal requirements for reasonable accommodations: • Institutions of Higher Education must make reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of a qualified individual with a disability, UNLESS doing results in: • An undue financial or administrative hardship, or • The person poses a direct threat to others. • Faculty must make adaptations (reasonable accommodations) to instructional practices: i.e. changes in the delivery of some course materials and assessment of knowledge as long as these adaptations do not affect the objectives of the course or program.

16. PNW must provide accommodations for: • Course Materials / Websites • Testing • Physical Access to Facilities • Emergency Preparedness • Community Events / Entertainment (plays, concerts, athletics) • Food Services • Housing / Parking • Voting • Programs and Activities • Equitable transportation options

17. Accommodations are:Modification or adjustment to the way things are usually done.Changes to the environment to enable someone with a disability to have equal access. Use of assistive and/or accessible devices to enable someone to accomplish a task. • Modified schedules • Auxiliary aids and services • Modified policies and procedures • Materials in alternative formats • Accessible information technology • Captioned video (YouTube, DVD, etc.) • Modified requirements for procedures • Assistive technology

18. Examples of Reasonable Accommodation: • Making Facilities Accessible • Acquiring or Modifying equipment/devices • Restructuring a Task • Substituting Tasks • Changing Schedules • Modifying work/training site • Providing readers, writers, interpreters • Testing Accommodations • Providing transition planning and support

19. Specific Accommodations at PNW • Note taking assistance • Use of a laptop • Recording of lectures and discussions • Interpreters • Textbooks in alternative formats • Preferential seating • Use of assistive technology (Kurzweil, Smart Pen, etc.) • Alternative testing arrangements: i.e. extended time and/or distraction limited testing environment • Coordinated auxiliary services: interpreting, closed captioning • Other (student by student basis and based on presenting symptoms of disorders)

20. Processes @ PNW for Accommodating Students

21. Processes at PNW for Accommodating Students • Students initiate and provide appropriate documentation pertaining to their disability to the Disability Access Center. The documentation must be current and from a qualified professional who has conducted an individualized assessment of him/her. • Student schedules an appointment to meet with an DAC representative to discuss possible accommodations which are most beneficial and appropriate for the individual. • DAC representative approves or denies accommodations request. • DAC provides students with letters that the student gives to each instructor reflecting approved accommodation. • Accommodations are allowed at any time during a semester provided that you as the instructor have received the accommodation letter. • Students may choose not to utilize accommodations. • Accommodations are not retroactive Provide academic adjustments or accommodations immediately and ensure ample time to provide the opportunity for students to be successful.

22. Sample Accommodation Letter • If the student is approved to receive accommodations, an accommodation letter is prepared by DAC. • The accommodation letter will not disclose the student’s disability due to confidentiality; however, the accommodations the student is approved to receive will be identified. • Most accommodation letters are hand delivered by students. However, some are emailed directly to the professor by DAC.

23. Students Must Advocate for themselves! • The DAC staff will encourage students to advocate for themselves. • Upon delivery of the letter, students are encouraged strongly to have a meaningful conversation with the instructor about the student’s specific needs. • Students are also encouraged to first communicate with instructors and to try to resolve any issues with their accommodations. • Should issues arise and cannot be resolved, please have the student seek out support and resources from the DAC and the Student Advocate in the Dean of Students office (dos@pnw.edu).

24. Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion • Refer a student to the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion if he or she is concerned that there may be potential harassment and/or discrimination. • Calumet Campus, Lawshe Hall, Room 231, (219) 989-2337 • North Central Campus, Schwarz Hall, Room 25C, (219) 785-5545

25. Faculty Responsibilities and Academic Freedom

26. As a PNW instructor, your responsibilities include: • Review the accommodation letter. • Meet privately with student to discuss accommodations. (Please note: This is a highly protected and confidential matter. It is a violation of the student’s civil rights if you discuss the student’s disability status in front of anyone. You should not ask the student about the specific nature of his/her disability.) • Contact DAC with any questions or concerns about the approved accommodations. Three strategies for meeting the accommodations include adjusting pedagogy, modifying equipment and environment, and utilize technology. • Provide accommodations immediately.

27. Instructor Responsibilities • A faculty member’s refusal or assertion of impossibility is not sufficient without full exploration of the availability of academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids and/or alternatives for providing access. Debates about the feasibility of accommodations and/or who is responsible for providing them should not leave students caught in the middle. • Collaboration with the trained staff of the DAC is highly recommended. • An instructor cannot refuse to work with a student because the instructor is concerned that the student will not be successful in education or employment. • Provide an educational environment that is free from harassment.

28. Confidentiality • All information about a student’s disability is confidential . • DAC staff cannot provide instructors with specific information regarding a student’s diagnosis or disability. • The student decides how much information to share with you. • It is crucial that any conversation related to a student’s disability be in private in a confidential setting and not in front of the classroom or other students. • Instructors must avoid inadvertent disclosure of the student’s disability. • If you believe that a student has a disability, you may request accommodation without giving a student’s name.

29. Keep in mind that… • Students with similar disabilities may have very different needs. Individualize the accommodations as needed. Check with the DAC about any changes in the accommodations you are providing. • Some disorders may progress with worsening effect and upon review, additional accommodations may be needed within the semester that previous accommodation(s) were granted. • The essential components of your course should be the same for students with and without disabilities.

30. Keep in mind….continued • Try to select textbooks that come in alternative formats, such as PDF, audio, and/or large print. • If your textbook is not available in alternative format, conversion technology may assist, but understand that a student may not have immediate access to the text to complete assignments as posted on your syllabus schedule. • The Faculty Senate requires the following on your syllabus: Students who may need accommodations due to disability should contact the Disability Access Center (DAC) to discuss specific needs. The DAC is located at the Calumet campus on the third floor of the Student Union and Library Building, Room 341 and at the North Central campus on the first floor of the Library Student Faculty Building, Room 103. If accommodations for the student are approved by that office, the student must provide his/her instructor with a copy of the official accommodations letter as soon as it is received in order to obtain accommodations. Students may contact the DAC by calling (219) 989-2455 at Calumet and (219) 785-5374 or at DAC@pnw.edu • Equal access does not mean lowering the academic standards or expectations for students.

31. Providing Accommodations does not infringe upon Academic Freedom, according to the Office of Civil Rights • Faculty have the freedom to conduct research and publish and to teach the subject matter. • Faculty have the freedom to speak or write as individual citizens in the community (not university representatives). • There is NO academic freedom to discriminate against any student including those with disabilities.

32. Using Blackboard and Online Resources to Accommodate Students

33. Making equitable accommodations • Providing more time for exams • Some students with documented disabilities may require extra time to complete an exam in Blackboard. • You can adjust the timer and/or availability for a test for one or more students in the Test Availability Exceptions section of the Test Options.

34. Using Alt Text in Blackboard • Alt Text allows you to provide the content of the image in an alternative text format. • All images should have an alt text description that can be read by a screen reader.

35. Accessible files • Make sure PDFs are tagged for accessibility. • Scanned files can not be read by text-to-speech software. Use original text files.

36. Captioning Videos • When using videos in your Blackboard course, captions are an excellent way to accommodate students. • You can add captions to any video with editing software such as Camtasia. • For more information on Camtasia, please contact the Office of Instructional Technology at oit@pnw.edu • If captions aren’t possible, please immediately provide a transcript of the video.

37. More Assistance with Blackboard & Other Instructional Software • Office of Instructional Technology • Hammond Location: Gyte135 Westville Location: Under Construction • Email: oit@pnw.edu • Phone: 219-989-2873 • Online: www.pnw.edu/oit

38. How to Create Accessible Documents & Website Accessibility

39. Tips for creating accessible online material – web, document or multimedia • Use standard fonts –sans-serif, 12 points or larger. • Provide alternative text for images that are not decorative and are not captioned. • Avoid using images of text. • Provide meaningful links instead of URLs alone. • Provide captions for videos and transcripts for audio recordings. • Check color contrast and do not use color alone nor all caps to convey meaning. • For PDFs use the Make Accessible Wizard in Acrobat Pro. • Use built-in accessibility checkers in Microsoft Office.

40. Other Tools &Applications • Be aware that tools like Prezi and enterprise applications like Seelio.com may have accessibility barriers. • Be ready with equally accessible alternatives.

41. Assistance with Accessibility • Senior Digital Accessibility Specialist for PNW • Pam Riesmeyer • Phone: 219-989-2731 • Digital Accessibility website

42. Disability Access Center Contact Information

43. Disability Access Center @ Calumet Campus Student Union Library Building 341 Phone: 219-989-2455 Email: DAC@pnw.edu Hours: Monday – Friday 8am-4:30pm @ North Central Campus Library Student Faculty Building 103 Phone: 219-785-5374 Email: DAC@pnw.edu Hours: Monday – Friday 8am-4:30pm

44. Time to take the Quiz! • You should now progress to the 10-question quiz in the BlackBoard LTL Orientation Course. • If you answer any question incorrectly, you can change your answer. You must answer every question correctly to complete this training.