Purpose

Test accommodations are available through Ability Services to students with disabilities who need extended time, distraction reduction location, test reading assistance, test writing assistance, word processor usage, etc... The intent of a student receiving testing accommodations is not to offer a greater chance of success. Rather, testing accommodations are meant to serve to offset how a disability prevents a student from having adequate opportunity or access while taking a test.

General Test Protocols

1. Student provides documentation to confirm there's a substantial need for test accommodations
2. Student gives professor a memo showing their need for test accommodations
3. Student makes outward requests to have test accommodations on a per test basis
4. Professor elects to give the test themselves, or asks to have Ability Services administer the test, or contacts Mark Johnson if feels the test accommodations is inappropriate.
5. If Ability Services administers the test, professor makes decision regarding how the test is transported.
   

**Attention: Ability Services highly recommends not using inter-campus mail to transport tests; tests generally don't arrive in a timely fashion and increases the chances of conflicting with the test occurrence.**

Ability Services Testing Administration Procedures

• Ability Services recommends students request test accommodations 5-business days In-advance during the semester
• Ability Services asks final exams be requested 2 weeks In-advance due to high frequency of tests occurring at that time
• Ability Services Video and Sound Records ALL tests
• Ability Services asks students to keep all personal possessions outside of the testing space while taking exam
• Ability Services monitors ALL exams it administers
• Ability Services never leaves tests unattended and keeps them in a locked location for security purposes
  

Students Responsibilities

Link to Directions for Test Accommodations

**Attention: If you have questions, comments, or concerns on this subject feel free to schedule an appointment to meet with Jeffrey Milliren (Ability Services Accommodations Coordinator).**

Purpose

Lecture notes accommodations are available through Ability Services to students with disabilities who have difficulty taking notes. The intent of a student receiving these copies of lecture notes is not to keep them from attending or trying in-class, but having equal opportunity to study effectively from the course content provided in lecture.

General Lecture Notes Protocols

1. Student provides documentation to confirm there's a substantial need for lecture notes accommodations
2. Student gives professor a memo showing their need for lecture notes accommodations
3. Student makes outward request to professor to have lecture notes accommodation by submitting a Blue Note Taker Application Form
4. Professor elects to provide copies of their own lecture notes to student, or recruits a classmate to be Note Taker
5. Professor sends classmate recruited to be Note Taker to Ability Services to be hired for position
   

It's important to note, while Ability Services strives to ensure our students receive their copies of lecture notes in a timely manner after each class session; there is no adequate method for Ability Services to monitor that the notes the student is receiving are of acceptable content quality. Why? Because Ability Services is not in the class hearing the lecture, and Ability Services is not an expert in the field the student is taking a course (only the professor has that kind of authority). Plus, Ability Services staff doesn't get to know classmates who deliver notes, and rarely see the accommodated student, as well. Therefore, the responsibility in monitoring the copies of lecture notes overall quality and content falls on the shoulders of the student with disabilities. When a student notices a profound issue with their copies of lecture notes they are expected to inform Ability Services immediately. That way Ability Services may resolve the issue as quickly as possible for the student.

Students Responsibilities

Link to Directions for Lecture Notes

**Attention: If you have questions, comments, or concerns on this subject feel free to schedule an appointment to meet with Jeffrey Milliren (Ability Services Accommodations Coordinator).**

Purpose

Text accommodations are available through Ability Services to students with disabilities who have difficulty reading texts materials for courses. The intent of a student receiving text accommodations is not to keep them from attending or trying in-class, but having equal opportunity to study effectively from the course content provided through its various text materials.

General Text Accommodation Procedures

1. Student provides documentation to confirm there's a substantial need for text accommodations
2. Student gives professor a memo showing their need for text accommodations
3. Student makes outward request to Ability Services to have text accommodations on a per text material basis
4. Ability Services will contact professor for assistance in fulfilling text accommodation if necessary
5. Ability Services recommends text accommodation requests be made by students soon after registering for classes. There can be up to a 3 week delay before receiving the text accommodations in some cases.
6. Publisher's copyright law limits our ability to provide audiobooks, as well.
   

Students Responsibilities

Link to Directions for Text Accommodations

**Attention: If you have questions, comments, or concerns on this subject feel free to schedule an appointment to meet with Jeffrey Milliren (Ability Services Accommodations Coordinator).**

Universal Design - "refers to the movement in architecture and product development that aims to create places or things that are accessible to as many people as possible, including those with disabilities.," as stated by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST).

Universal Design for Learning - "Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a research-based framework for designing curricula—that is, educational goals, methods, materials, and assessments—that enable all individuals to gain knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm for learning. This is accomplished by simultaneously providing rich supports for learning and reducing barriers to the curriculum, while maintaining high achievement standards for all students.," as stated by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST).

• Universal Design and how it may be applied to the classroom setting provided by the University of Washington. http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty/

• Principles of Universal Design provided by North Carolina State University's - Center for Universal Design (CUD). http://www.ncsu.edu/project/design-projects/udi/center-for-universal-design/the-principles-of-universal-design/

• Frequently asked questions about Universal Design provided by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST). http://www.cast.org/udl/faq/index.html
  

Interesting Scholarly articles about Universal Design found on UW-River Falls Library Article Search:

Title: Faculty Collaboration to Improve Equity, Access, and Inclusion in Higher Education.
Source: Equity & excellence in education [1066-5684] Bernacchio, Charlie yr:2007 vol:40 iss:1 pg:56 - 66

Title: Putting Universal Design for Learning on the Higher Ed Agenda.
Source: Journal of educational technology systems [0047-2395] Gradel, Kathleen yr:2009 vol:38 iss:2 pg:111 - 121

Title: Addressing the Persistence and Retention of Students with Disabilities in Higher Education: Incorporating Key Strategies and Supports on Campus.
Source: Exceptionality [0936-2835] Getzel, Elizabeth yr:2008 vol:16 iss:4 pg:207 - 219

Equal Access to Software and Information (EASI) in this document provides ten tips for online instructors to make their courses accessible to all students. TEN TIPS FOR ONLINE TEACHERS

Web with Accessibility in Mind (WebAIM) in this article shows instructors how to create accessible powerpoints for all students. http://webaim.org/techniques/powerpoint/#create

TRACE Center University of Wisconsin-Madison provides a wide range of information and resources related to accessibility and technology. http://trace.wisc.edu/resources/

Captioning resources: http://www.doit.wisc.edu/accessibility/caption.asp

Designing accessible websites: http://www.doit.wisc.edu/accessibility/tools.asp

Accessibility for Videos and Podcasts: http://www.doit.wisc.edu/accessibility/video/

These are the materials that we use to train our student staff. Please contact us if you have any concerns about the student staff that work for Ability Services.

SAS Student Staff Training Manual

SAS Student Staff Training Quizzes

Student Satisfaction Survey

Above is the current Ability Services Student Satisfaction Survey as of (06-21-12), and allows the participant to remain completely anonymous through use of the University of Wisconsin - River Falls Qualtrix Survey Software. Data from the survey is collected at the end of the academic year, and is used to improve the effectiveness of the services provided to our students.