Instructor FAQ

I received an accommodation letter for a student in my class. What are the next steps?

  • Follow the link included in the email to review the letter in Accommodate
    • Tutorial for viewing accommodations in Accommodate
    • Review resource links included in the email you received, including the implementation guide, frequently asked questions, and your rights and responsibilities as an instructor.
  • Soon after receiving the letter, reach out to the student to set up a time to talk privately (e.g., email, Zoom, in-person) to discuss how their accommodations can be implemented in your course, including working through the modified forms (as applicable).
  • If your class has assessments, make arrangements early (booking rooms, finding proctors, etc.). If you need support with these arrangements, your department likely has resources available. 
    • After communicating with your department to learn of available resources, if you still have questions/concerns, you can reach out to the Testing Accommodation Support Coordinators (tac.tasc.staff@umich.edu), or make arrangements for the TAC. 
    • Please note, the TAC is a resource for instructors but seating is not guaranteed, particularly during busy times of year. We recommend you work to make arrangements outside of the TAC whenever possible, and reach out to the TAC if you are not able to facilitate the assessments using your own (or your department’s) resources.
  • Reach out to these additional resources for support with accommodation implementation.
    • SSDrequest@umich.edu for support with alternative formats, assistive technology, furniture, CART, and ASL
    • School/college IT for technology-related requests (for example, lecture capture)
  • If you believe an accommodation would fundamentally alter your course objectives, reach out to the student’s SSD coordinator (listed at the bottom of each accommodation letter) BEFORE communicating that to the student. Do not deny accommodations without discussing with SSD first. 

Who do I contact with questions?

  • You are encouraged to review the resources included in each email accommodation notification for thorough support and guidance.
  • If you still have questions, please reach out to the student’s assigned SSD coordinator (listed at the bottom of each accommodation letter). You may also reach out to the SSD main office at ssdoffice@umich.edu with general or particularly time-sensitive questions. 
  • For exam accommodations, you are encouraged to reach out to your department for support with testing logistics. If you still have questions or concerns, the TAC has a new team dedicated to supporting instructors and academic staff in implementing accommodations outside of the TAC! You are welcome and encouraged to reach out to the Testing Accommodation Support Coordinators (TASC) (tac.tasc.staff@umich.edu) or make arrangements for the TAC.

Why am I receiving accommodation letters throughout the semester?

  • Students may register with SSD at any time during the semester, so you may receive accommodation letters at various times based on when a student connects with our office. These accommodations should go into effect once you receive the accommodation letter.
  • Instructors are expected to make a good-faith effort to implement accommodations. Advance notice from students is required, and we recommend at least one week’s notice to ensure that certain accommodations, like testing accommodations, can be provided. In some situations, like finals, more notice might be necessary. 
  • In rare cases, the need for a testing accommodation arises within a shorter turnaround time (i.e., a broken wrist). In these cases, the student should contact the SSD office and work with their instructor to determine what is possible, knowing that not all accommodations can be provided on very short notice.

If an accommodation won’t work in my course or if I disagree that it is needed, can I deny it? 

  • You must contact the SSD coordinator listed on the student’s accommodation letter if you have any questions or concerns. This includes questions about the identified accommodations and how they apply to your course, other accommodations that may have been requested by the student, or any potential considerations that might be necessary given the design of your course. 
  • If you feel that an accommodation would fundamentally alter the course or is not appropriate, you should contact the student’s SSD coordinator before communicating with the student.

Who is responsible for providing accommodated assessments?

  • It is the responsibility of the individual instructors to provide accommodated assessments. The TAC and TASC support services are one resource; availability is not guaranteed. Instructors should communicate with their department to learn what other resources might exist to support them.

I’m proctoring my assessment outside of the TAC, what resources are available to support me? 

  • You can consult with your department to learn what resources are already available, including for proctoring and room reservations.
  • If you have spoken with your department and still have questions, the Testing Accommodation Support Coordinators (TASC) can support you (tac.tasc.staff@umich.edu) in identifying practical solutions to testing accommodation concerns. There is an overview listed below of the areas TASC can assist faculty and course support staff with.
    • Process Development & Resource Allocation
      • Consultations and assessments for faculty and course support staff
        • Testing Accommodation Plans (TAP)
        • Testing Environment Assessments (TEA)
      • Supplemental accommodated testing locations and staffing
      • Scribe and reader allocation assistance
      • Equipment loaning requests
    • Customized Outreach & Training
      • Training for faculty & course support staff to support implementation of testing accommodations

There is a wide range of testing accommodations in my class - how can I implement all of these?

  • There are a variety of resources you can utilize! You are welcome and encouraged to talk with your department to discuss how they have implemented specific accommodations in the past. 
  • If you have questions about how a particular accommodation should be implemented, you can reach out to the student’s SSD coordinator (noted at the bottom of the student’s letter).
  • If you need support implementing testing accommodations, you are welcome to request that your students test with the Testing Accommodation Centers (TAC). Please note that the TAC books quickly, especially during midterms and finals. If you want to use the TAC, please make your request as early as possible.
  • The TAC also has a new team dedicated to supporting instructors and academic staff in implementing accommodations outside of the TAC! You are welcome and encouraged to reach out to the Testing Accommodation Support Coordinators (TASC) (tac.tasc.staff@umich.edu) or make arrangements for the TAC.

What are some common practices that instructors use to create accessible courses to effectively meet a variety of access needs?

  • Provide your accessible PowerPoint slides and lecture materials to all students in advance of class.
  • Provide as many details in your syllabus and on Canvas as possible at the beginning of the semester, so students can effectively plan out their time.
  • Provide various opportunities for students to demonstrate their understanding of the material, beyond assessments. For example, many U-M instructors have implemented “gameful learning” as the foundation for their courses using GradeCraft to facilitate the logistics. CRLT is available to consult about course design. 
  • LSA has created a helpful Accessible Teaching webpage with additional ideas. 

I think a student may have a disability. How would I refer the student to SSD without making assumptions? 

  • Concerned instructors sometimes consult SSD with questions about a student that they feel may have a disability. While SSD’s goal is to ensure that all students with disabilities receive the accommodations that will afford them equal access, it is the responsibility of the student to initiate contact with the SSD and request accommodations through our process.

Students receive information about the SSD’s services during orientation and may disclose a disability to the office at any time during their time at the University of Michigan.

Unlike high school, where teachers actively refer students to special education services, most college students are adults, and privacy is a major consideration. As a result, if you have a student who you feel qualifies for services from SSD, your referral to the office should be informational and supportive as opposed to directive or authoritarian.

Remember: “describe, don’t diagnose” when referring students to SSD.

For instance, you could say, “I notice that you are having a hard time interacting with other students in group activities, do you think that you need to participate in class differently?” or “I see that you have turned in your last several assignments after the deadline, do you think that you might benefit from some accommodations?” as opposed to “I think you may have X medical/psychological condition and need to go to the Services for Students with Disabilities office.”

We recommend questions such as “Did you know that U-M has an accessibility office?” or comments such as “That is a concern that the folks in the SSD office would be happy to discuss with you. Do you know how to get in contact with the office?” Taking student privacy into consideration, we recommend that this type of discussion take place in your office or discreetly before or after class. Some students may have a disability (particularly a learning disability or a mental health condition) of which they are not aware. Others are aware but choose not to disclose.

Informing a student of the SSD office is not a violation of privacy, as the individual will make the decision as to whether to follow up. Of course, if a student has asked for a disability-related accommodation, the referral is appropriate and necessary.

I received a request from a student without an accommodation letter. Now what do I do?

  • Instructors should refer all students seeking disability-related accommodations to SSD to establish formal accommodations. Some students may have utilized accommodations in K-12 but have not yet connected with SSD to explore appropriate accommodations at U-M. Other students may be seeking an alteration to your course, with no history of accommodations. 
  • Students who have approved SSD accommodations in your course will have a letter sent to you via Accommodate, or you can see their accommodations listed in Accommodate in the enrolled students section for your course. 
  • Instructors should not make modifications to their course design based on disability on their own (i.e., do something for one student that you would not do for all students). 

What should I do if a student tells me they recently experienced an injury that is impacting their ability to complete work or participate in my course (i.e., concussion, broken arm/hand, on crutches, etc.)? 

  • Please refer the student to connect with SSD right away. We can assist students with temporary disabilities to ensure that they have the accommodations that they need in your course as they recover. However, since accommodations are not retroactive, we encourage students needing temporary accommodations to connect with us as soon as possible to reduce delays in meeting their needs.
  • If a situation is quite time-sensitive, instructors can work together with a student to arrange one-time accommodations. For example, a student breaks their dominant hand the day before an assessment and the instructor is able to place them in the room with students who have extended time on assessments. 

If a student has a cold, flu, or other illness, should I refer them to SSD?

  • No. SSD only works with students with disabilities, as well as those with temporary injuries that require accommodations. If a student is sick, please use your existing course policies to address the situation.

I have some concerns about a student that are not disability-related. To whom do I reach out?

I heard that I need to make my digital course materials accessible. Where do I start?