staff in a classroom

Accessing Student Accommodations

Faculty can view student accommodations via the OARS Portal by logging in with UNCG Credentials.

Testing Accommodations

Making your Content Accessible

It’s really important that materials, resources, and other content that you share in your courses are accessible to all of your students, especially those with disabilities. Here are some resources to help ensure that all of your students will have access to your content.

Making Your Class Accessible

Making Websites and Documents Accessible

Need Help with Accessible Course Design?

ITS Learning Technology has staff and additional resources available to help with accessible course design. Feel free to request an accessibility consultation for more information. 

University Event Accommodations

Event organizers should place an accessibility notice statement on all materials announcing the event. This includes electronic communications such as e-mail, as well as print materials. The text must include the name and contact information for the responsible individual, school, department, or other unit or group to contact for accommodations.

Please contact OARS at 336-334-5440 or email us at OARS@uncg.edu if you have questions or concerns.

The following is an example of a statement that can be used in announcements for your event to ensure a contact is identified for individuals seeking accommodations or access to the event. Please refer to the UNC-Greensboro policy, for further guidelines regarding event accessibility.

Publicizing Event Statement:

“Please contact (event organizer) at (phone and e-mail) at least one week prior to the event to request disability accommodations. All requests will be reviewed by event organizers and reasonable accommodations will be made. The requester will be notified of approved accommodations.”

FAQ

Faculty members are encouraged to refer students to the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services to talk with a professional staff member.

  • Under ADA/504 laws, students registered with OARS have provided documentation from the appropriate practitioner (i.e. physician, psychologist, etc.) that addresses the disability and current functional limitations.
  • Students will notify faculty of their approved accommodations with a faculty letter that is provided by an OARS counselor to the student for dissemination to their instructors.
  • NOTE: If a faculty member has questions about a student’s accommodations they are encouraged to contact OARS

Students come to the office in a variety of ways. They may register in the fall of their first semester or anytime during their academic career. Many students have been served as a student with a disability in high school and, as such, may have some documentation to show a disability. Under ADA/504 laws students must have current documentation that shows a disability, and it must address current functional limitations that warrant an accommodation.

A student should submit a Welcome form through the OARS Portal to begin a connection with us. After submission, the student will be contacted by the OARS Staff.

At times students may need additional time to get paper work completed or submitted. OARS will work with students for one semester while they get the appropriate documentation as long as the student shows proof of an attempt to secure this documentation. These students are not protected under the ADA; therefore, faculty members are not required to serve them.

Each semester students are required to meet with OARS. At that time the student and OARS will review the accommodations based on the syllabus for each class.

Accommodations are based on the academic needs of the student, which are outlined in the documentation provided. The documentation must list functional limitations to the need for a specific accommodation.

Professors will receive an OARS letter of accommodation from the student at the beginning of each semester informing them of the student’s disability and what accommodations have been approved for them. Faculty are encouraged to speak to the student about these accommodations and, at any time, are encouraged to speak to OARS if they believe the requested accommodations fundamentally alter what is being taught and measured in the classroom.

Students with disabilities are expected to be evaluated in the same manner as students without disabilities. OARS can provide accommodations to make exams accessible to students with disabilities. In addition students with disabilities are expected to fulfill all of the course requirements, including attendance, for a class. See Class Modification Process above for information about attendance.

Accommodations are not made retroactively. Students are encouraged to disclose their disability early in the semester so that the necessary accommodations can be implemented, and it is the student’s responsibility to do so. Thus, you are not required to accommodate previous coursework that has been submitted for evaluation.

OARS can work directly with faculty members to help determine the accommodations needed for specific courses. Accommodations are determined on an individualized basis for each student and the documentation must link the functional limitations to the need for a specific accommodation.

Contact OARS and speak with staff regarding your concerns.

Contact OARS and speak with staff regarding a student you would like to refer.

Grades should be assigned based on merit, not disability status. If the student has requested and received appropriate accommodations in the course ensuring equal access, then the student’s disability status should not have an impact on the grade they receive in class. Please note that students with disabilities who apply to UNCG are expected to meet the same admissions criteria as students without disabilities.

Students with disabilities may have different learning styles than the traditional student. Therefore, accommodations provide equal access for students with disabilities to learn in the academic environment.

Essentially we have seven general categories for disability related services. They are: Blind/Visually Impaired; Deaf/Hard of Hearing; Learning Disability/Attention Deficit Disorder; Medical Impairment; Mobility Impairment; Psychiatric Disability; or Speech Impairment.

Students are eligible for services if they have a verified disability, either permanent or temporary, which requires accommodation, and are a registered UNCG student. Students must submit written documentation of their medical or other diagnostic documentation of disability. This should be done at least six weeks in advance of registration.

Disability Services on an average accommodates over 1000 students during an academic school year.  35% of the students have some form of learning disability and/or 29% have an attention deficit disorder, hearing impairments comprise 5% of our population, while 2% are visually impaired, 4% are mobility impaired, 14% have medical impairments, and 11% other health impaired.

  • Keep it confidential.
  • Put a statement on the syllabus regarding accommodations and modifications.
  • Be mindful of the handouts, overheads and other teaching materials to be used in class.
  • Changing syllabus in mid-course is usually confusing for everyone.
  • Plan ahead to ensure assessments and other materials are accessible.
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OARS Portal

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Contact Us!

OARS is located on the second floor of the Elliott University Center (EUC) in Suite 215.

OFFICE HOURS: 8:00 am- 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday
VOICE: 336.334.5440
FAX: 336.334.4412
EMAIL: oars@uncg.edu

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