Faculty Questions

Do you have a suggestion for what to include in my course syllabus regarding students with disabilities?
Please place the following statement in your syllabus:
"Students desiring accommodations on the basis of physical, learning, or psychological disability for this class are to contact the Disability and Learning Resource Center (DLRC). The DLRC is located in Suite 114 on the 1st floor of the Administration Building. You can reach the DLRC by dialing extension 3039 or calling (949) 214-3039."

A student has told me that she/he has a disability. What do I do?
If the student has provided you with an Accommodation Agreement requesting accommodations, follow the request as asked. If you have questions, contact the Disability and Learning Resource Center (DLRC) at (949) 214-3039. If the student has not provided you with the Accommodation Agreement, do NOT provide accommodations without conferring with the DLRC.

A student has requested more time on exams. How much more time is given?
The amount of time given depends on the student's disability and the documentation. The specific amount of additional time allowed will be detailed on the Accommodation Agreement.

Providing the requested accommodations would be a hardship in my class. What options do I have?
Contact the DLRC to see if there are other ways to meet the student's needs.

The student does not appear to have a disability. How do I know that the student really does have a disability?
Many disabilities are hidden; we do not have to see a disability for it to be real. The DLRC has reviewed the documentation provided by an appropriately licensed professional qualified to evaluate the disability and has these records on file.

Do I have the right to see the student's documentation?
Faculty cannot review the documentation. This protects the confidentiality of the student.

A student with a disability is habitually late. Must I accommodate this?
No, unless there has been a prior arrangement based on the student's needs.

The student with a disability always turns assignments in late. Do I penalize the student?
Yes. The student must meet the same standards as other students, including deadlines, unless prior arrangements have been made.

Is there a specific timeline students must follow for requesting accommodations?
No. While we strongly encourage students to set up accommodations at the beginning of the semester, a student might choose to try the class without accommodations. Also, some students find out mid to late semester that they have a disability or that services are available. Accommodations begin when you and the student have discussed the accommodations and each has signed the Accommodations Agreement. Accommodations are not retroactive. We strongly recommend that you and the student sit down and review the Accommodations Agreement together. This allows the student and faculty to discuss the particulars of how each accommodation will be implemented.

Don't accommodations give students with disabilities an unfair advantage over other students?
Accommodations give students with disabilities equal access to the classroom. For example, a student who has a learning disability and processes written material more slowly might have extra time on tests. The extra time allows the student to read and re-read the test questions, process the content of the question, and develop an answer to the question. A student with limited mobility might have extra time on exams plus use of a computer for essay tests. This gives the student time to type out or use dictation software to generate the answer and be graded on the content of the answer, not how quickly the answer was produced.

One of the student's accommodations is the ability to record lectures. I don't allow recorders in the classroom.
Students with disabilities might need to use auxiliary aids to access material in the classroom. One such type of auxiliary aid specified in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is a recorder. A student who processes information slowly might have a recorder as an accommodation. Recording the class allows the student to focus on listening during class and not divide her/his concentration while trying to take notes. After class, the student can re-play the lecture as many times as necessary and take notes from the recording. If you are covering sensitive material, reviewing a recently given test, or other situation where you do not wish students to record (on tape and in writing), you may request all students to put down pencils and turn off recording devices. However, if you allow students without accommodations to take notes, you must allow a student whose accommodation includes recording lectures to do so.

Still Have Questions?

This portion of the website contains frequently asked questions and answers for faculty. If your questions about the DLRC are not answered here or in our other pages, please feel free to contact us via the following methods:

To reach us by phone, fax, or email:
Tel/Fax: 949-214-3039
Terilyn.Colacino@cui.edu

To reach us by mail:
Concordia University Irvine
Disability and Learning Resource Center
Administration Building, Suite 114
1530 Concordia W
Irvine, CA 92612