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Accommodating Students with Disabilities
Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

Does UM-St. Louis have a policy or procedure regarding students with disabilities?

• Executive Order 21 was implemented on November 1, 1984; amended February 25, 1997. Policy 240.040, covering all University of Missouri System campuses, assuring that mandated reasonable classroom accommodations are provided to students with disabilities and eliminates the need for faculty to make accessibility/accommodation decisions. http://www.umsystem.edu/uminfo/rules/programs/240040.htm

How will I know that a student is eligible to receive reasonable classroom accommodations for my course?


• The student will deliver a personal/confidential notification memo identifying them self as a registrant as a registrant with Disability Access Services and what eligible classroom accommodations that he/she may need in your course.

Exactly what do I do when I am handed a disability accommodation memo?

• Students with disabilities are responsible for introducing themselves to you and saying that they plan to use the requested accommodations in the memo. Remember the memo says that the student is eligible for but may or may not need the accommodation in every course. Discuss how the accommodations will be arranged with the student.
  

What if I am approached by a student late into the semester and accommodations are requested?

• Fine, begin accommodations at that point. Accommodations are not retroactive. Exams prior to official requests are over and done. So, if a student comes to you after they have taken an exam, done poorly and says I really should have had extended time, it is to late for that exam. The accommodation will then be applied to future exams.
  

What should I do when a student self identifies to me without documentation from Disability Access Services and requests extended time for exams or other accommodations?



• Inform the student that the University has a policy and procedure for providing accommodations that must be followed and refer them to Disability Access Services.
  
  

What should I do when it is the day of my exam and a student frantically informs me that he or she must have extended test time?

• Please do not be intimidated into placing yourself in the uncomfortable position of determining if a student is eligible to receive classroom accommodations in your course, particularly on the day of your exam. You have the right to say, "I'm sorry, but those arrangements must be made in advance. I can not accommodate you today for this exam. I will need to reschedule the exam after you have been to Disability Access Services." Refer them to our office in 144 MSC where it will be determined if the student has an appropriately documented diagnosed disability and is eligible to receive the accommodation. This legally covers you and prevents you from providing something to a student who may not be eligible; therefore, discriminating and being unfair to the rest of your class.
  

What if a student presents medical documentation to me and requests accommodations?


1. Never accept disability evaluations or medical documentation from a student. This information is confidential and should be on file in the Disability Access Services office. You do not want to be responsible for keeping confidential information confidential.
   
   
2. You may accept Doctor's statements for absences from class. These statements do not include detailed information regarding the student's specific medical diagnosis and condition. You need to verify that an absence was for legitimate medical reasons and that the student was seen and treated by the doctor on that given day and time. Other detailed information may prove to be uncomfortable knowledge to possess and more than you ever wanted to know or deal with.
   
   
3. The above applies if the student is requesting something that you would not ordinarily extend any other student who might request the same. For instance, if you allow more time on your exams upon request to any student, it is not considered accommodation.

John Doe brought me a notification memo. John does not appear to understand the lecture and is not passing any of my exams. He is not passing my course. What should I do about his grade?

You have provided John Doe with his reasonable classroom accommodations and made your course accessible to him. You must now evaluate this student according to the grade that he earns just like the other students in your course.

What should be done with the hard copies of the confidential disability notification memos after the student's eligible accommodations have been established in my class?

You should shred the memo after you have met with the individual student. Disability Access Services will always have a copy of each notification memo on file should there be a need for one.