Accommodations are auxiliary aids or academic adjustments intended to limit the barriers faced by students with disabilities. Providing students with their necessary accommodations is just the first step to ensuring inclusive classrooms for all students. The Accessibility Resources Office determines appropriate accommodations. Determining appropriate accommodations requires an individualized, interactive process with the student to understand the context of their disability and academic experience so far.
Accommodation Plans outline the necessary accommodations for which the student is eligible. The Coordinator of Accessibility Resources creates the Accommodation Plan. Assigning appropriate accommodations requires an individualized, interactive process with the student to understand the context of their disability and academic experience so far and documentation from a healthcare provider.
Faculty may only view a student's Accommodation Plan once the student has shared it with them through Accommodate. Faculty may login to their Accommodate faculty portal to view all Accommodation Plans that have been shared with them.
These are common accommodations used by students at SUNY Oneonta. This is not a comprehensive list, and the assigned accommodations are determined for each student individually. Students are instructed to meet with instructors at the beginning of each semester to discuss their accommodation plan and how they will use their accommodations in class. If you have any questions about an accommodation, please feel free to ask the student directly or contact our office.
Exam Accommodations:
- Extended time for exams.
- Distraction-reduced environment.
- Use of an exam reader.
- Alternate format (e.g. large print).
- Use of a calculator.
- Scantron exempt.
In-Class Accommodations:
- Preferential seating.
- Recording lectures.
- Peer note taker.
- Use of laptop in class.
- Alternative format textbooks (any format other than standard print – e.g. electronic version, large print, braille).
Accommodation: an adjustment or auxiliary aid intended to limit the barriers faced by students with disabilities
Alternative Format: books or text in any format other than standard print; student with this accommodation can request textbooks through the Assistive Technology Specialist; instructors are responsible for providing students with accessible in-class materials
Distraction-Reduced Environment: reduction of noise and visual distraction to the greatest extent reasonable in the exam environment; usually accommodated for by allowing students to take exams or quizzes in the Accessibility Resources Testing Center or giving suggestions for creating a reduced distraction at-home environment
Exam Reader: a student with this accommodation is eligible to have exam and quiz questions read aloud to them; Accessibility Resources accommodates for this by allowing students to take their exams or quizzes in the Accessibility Resources Testing Center and use of a locked iPad with a text-to-speech software installed
Extended Time: an allowance for either 1.5- or 2-times the total exam time for timed exams; it is the responsibility of the instructor to provide extended time for all online exams and quizzes; students may request to take in-person exams in the Accessibility Resources Testing Center if the instructor is unable to accommodate extended time in the classroom
Peer Notetaker: a student in a class who takes notes for a student with eligible accommodation; peer notetakers receive a stipend and volunteer time for their service
Preferential Seating: the student may choose a seat that is most beneficial for their learning in the classroom
Recording Lectures: students with this accommodation are eligible to record lecture audio; students with this accommodation must sign a recording agreement agreeing not to share recorded audio with anyone including fellow students, parents, or online
Scantron Exempt: allow the use of handwritten responses rather than computerized answer sheets (scantron/bubble forms)
Use of a Calculator: use of a basic, 4-function non-programmable, non-graphing, non-scientific calculator
Use of a Laptop in Class: the student may use a laptop in class, usually to use an assistive technology to remove in-class barriers to their learning