Accommodations
Student Disability Services (SDS) is dedicated to helping students find and implement reasonable academic accommodations. This accommodation process involves input from both the student and the instructor.
To determine appropriate accommodations SDS engages in an individualized inquiry that balances the needs of the student and the academic objectives of the course or program.
Instructors are not required to provide accommodations until the student has presented a Letter of Accommodation (LOA) for information about how to respond to requests for accommodations visit our Information for Instructors webpage. Please let SDS know if you have questions or need clarification.
All students who have completed their SDS initial meeting will qualify for priority course registration.
Students and instructors are encouraged to review the list of common accommodation descriptions below:
Common accommodation descriptions
Exam accommodations
Students will be provided extended time for all exams and quizzes. Unlimited time is not an available accommodation.
A distraction-reduced testing environment is a setting outside the usual classroom that limits interruptions and other environmental influences. For example, a room that minimizes both the auditory (e.g. copy machines, talking) and visual distractions (e.g. people moving in and out of the testing space.)
Student will need to dictate the answers for short answer and essay questions.
Student allowed to answer exams using alternative to scantron forms.
A computer may be needed to:
- Type instead of hand-write answers,
- Use a screen-reader program such as Read & Write GOLD or JAWS,
- Use a Voice-to-Text program to write answers such as Dragon Naturally Speaking
- Use a screen magnifier such as ZoomText or CCTV
Class notes
Student may audio record lectures and discussions. The student is responsible for providing their own recording device. Video recording classes is not permitted.
Alternative media
Accommodations are available for students who require alternative media formats such as enlarged text or OCR-compliant PDF documents for required textbooks.
Students may refer to Media Services for more information.
The material should be available with enlarged text such as 18 point with bold font.
Read&Write is a literacy software with support tools for reading, writing, research, and studying. Students may install this software for free by using the following link along with their HawkID and password: Download Read & Write. If you have any issues with downloading the software, contact the ITS Help Desk.
Deadline and absence accommodations
Students are expected to adhere to all deadlines as per the syllabus. Occasionally, a student eligible for Deadline Modification may need 24-48 hours flexibility for a specific assignment.
Deadline flexibility should be discussed by the instructor and the student at the beginning of the semester. Conversations with the professor need to take place prior to the deadline passing.
This accommodation requires the student to speak with each instructor about how the accommodation will be implemented in each course. The accommodation becomes active at the point the student has a conversation with the instructor. Even if a student doesn’t think that they will need a plan for the semester, it is a good idea to be prepared and get an agreement in place because accommodations are not retroactive.
For complete details visit this page: Deadline Modification
You can find more information about the DRADM Accommodation here:
Other accommodations
Students should be provided alternative assignments to making in-class presentations unless such presentations are part of the goals or learning outcomes for the course.
Student may require a classroom modification such as table and/or chair coordinated with the Registrar and SDS.
The student may require a short break during class or exams. The nature of the break will depend on the individual student's needs. For an online course, this could mean turning off the camera. The student may not leave a proctored area unless otherwise arranged with the instructor.
Student has a disability that may impact their ability to produce in-class writing assignments or exams that are correct in terms of grammar and/or spelling. Please do not subtract points for this unless it is a fundamental component of the class to produce writing samples on demand.
In some cases, students with very Specific Learning Disabilities in math (Dyscalculia) may be approved to use a basic 4 function calculator in class and on exams. Instructors can determine if this fundamentally alters course objectives.
Student may require preferential seating in the classroom. The actual location will depend on the individual student's needs.
Some students have a disability that may prevent them from meeting the world language requirement. SDS has an agreement with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Tippie College of Business, and the College of Education to consider providing substitution courses for this requirement based on a recommendation from our office.
For most disabilities a measured impact of the disability specifically on learning a foreign language must be established. A letter recommending substitution classes is typically not sufficient. The documentation must measure why learning a foreign language is more difficult than other academic tasks that are less impacted by the disability. Typically, this requires a complete Psychoeducational or Neuropsychological testing battery, current within the last five years or completed using adult testing norms. Anxiety about taking a foreign language class or speaking a foreign language in class is not considered a disability in this regard, nor is lack of preparation or recent exposure to a language. Please contact sds-info@uiowa.edu for additional information or before having any testing done in support of this request.
Students are encouraged to begin the process of requesting substitution courses for the World Language requirement early in their academic career. It may take time to obtain the necessary documentation for this accommodation and to make the arrangements to complete the substitution courses with the help of an academic advisor.