Information For:

Faculty: SAS Semester Letter

To:       Brown Faculty and Teaching Assistants

From:   Student Accessibility Services (SAS) 

Re:       Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

 Making courses accessible for students with disabilities is part of Brown’s mission to create a diverse and inclusive community. Achieving this requires a collaborative process with SAS, the student and the faculty member all playing important roles.  

 The SAS office role includes:

  • Meeting with students with disabilities to determine reasonable accommodations
  • Reviewing the academic accommodation process with students
  • Managing the SAS online system for letters and notes
  • Converting course materials to alternate formats as needed
  • Scheduling accessible classrooms, interpreters and/or CART as needed
  • Consulting with faculty, staff or students if concerns or problems come up
  • Assisting faculty with exam accommodations if needed
  • Providing information and training on making courses accessible and inclusive

 The student role includes:

  • Registering and meeting with SAS to get accommodations approved
  • Making accommodation letters visible in the system; printing letters to bring to faculty
  • Meeting with faculty to request and discuss accommodations in a timely way
  • Making sure they are clear about how accommodations will work in each course
  • Using accommodations in agreed upon way
  • Promptly reporting concerns or problems to faculty or SAS as appropriate
  • Reporting any changes including when an accommodation is not needed
  • Meeting course goals and completing the requirements

The faculty role includes:

  • Providing a syllabus statement; inviting students who need accommodations to meet; announcing this when the syllabus is discussed as well
    • Respecting confidentiality around disability
    • Meeting with students during office hours or other arranged times to discuss accommodations
    • Directly providing accommodations as possible: advance PowerPoints, extensions, etc.
    • Making an announcement to recruit a volunteer note taker and refer them to the SAS online system as needed
    • Arranging exam accommodations; informing teaching assistants of the approved accommodations as needed
    • Consulting with SAS about concerns and before denying an accommodation.
    • Referring students to SAS if they request accommodations without a letter
    • Referring students to SAS or a dean if you suspect an unreported disability

 Accommodations can be requested at any point in the semester, but are not retroactive.

 Please contact us at [email protected] or 863-9588 if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions. Thank you for working with us to make Brown courses inclusive and accessible!