Faculty, instructors, and staff play an essential part in providing an accessible and inclusive learning environment and providing services to students with disabilities.

The Americans with Disabilities Act, the ADA Amendments Act and Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act are the governing pieces of legislation that protect students with disabilities in postsecondary education. The intent of these laws is nondiscrimination. Institutions are required to provide appropriate academic adjustments as necessary to ensure a disabled student's equal educational access. Use of accommodations is voluntary, and, unless otherwise noted, at the discretion of each student based on their needs. Decisions about using approved accommodations can be made with guidance from the faculty and the Accessibility Resource Office.

The Accessibility Resource Office determines student eligibility for accommodations based on a documented disability.  Reasonable accommodations are determined through an interactive process, a process that is an ongoing and good-faith process among students, the Accessibility Resource Office, and when necessary faculty/instructors.  Between all parties, the interactive process is to remove institutional barriers, while maintaining academic standards and meeting all legal and ethical obligations.

Faculty are not required, nor permitted, to inquire of or verify a student’s disability.

Accommodation Notification & Implementation

Types of Accommodation Requests

  1. Official Requests:  The Accessibility Resource Office sends a Notification Letter to faculty/instructors.  This serves as an official notice of the student's approved accommodations.
  2. Informal Requests:  A student may approach faculty/instructors asking for accommodations without an official letter.  Do not make accommodations, send the student to the Accessibility Resource Office.  This ensures consistency with MSUN policies and prevents discrimination based on disability issues that may arise.

Responding to Letter

  1. Read/Initial the Letter.  Make sure you understand the approved accommodation.  Reach out to the Accessibility Resource Office with any questions/concerns as soon as possible.
  2. Communicate with the Student.  Agree on how the accommodation will be implemented in your class, set and document expectations.
  3. Implement the Accommodation.

Fundamental Alterations

A fundamental alteration arises when an accommodation changes an essential requirement of the course.  If you believe that an accommodation is a fundamental alteration of your course, contact the Accessibility Resource Office immediately.  The Accessibility Resource Office will review your syllabus, course objectives, and consider alternative accommodations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I ask a student not to use their accommodation or request disability documentation from students? 

No.  Do not ask a student to forgo using their approved accommodations (this is called impeding) and do not ask for any information or documentation related to their disability.  Instead, reach out to the Accessibility Resource Office if you have concerns regarding an accommodation.

Can I refuse to implement an accommodation?

No.  When the Accessibility Resource Office approves an accommodation it represents a legal obligation and can not be unilaterally withheld from the student.  If you have concerns that an approved accommodation represents a fundamental alteration to your course, notify the Accessibility Resource Office immediately to discuss essential course requirements and explore alternative accommodations.

What can I ask, to verify an animal is a service animal?

You may ask the handler the following two, legally permitted questions: 1) Is the dog required because of a disability? and 2) What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?

Do student's receive accommodations on external exams?  (LSAT/MCAT/FE)

Yes.  They can reach out to the exam directly and will need to coordinate with the examiner.

How can faculty encourage students with disabilities to apply for services?
One way is letting students know, at the beginning of a course, that you are available to discuss accommodations for disabled students and to direct students towards the Accessibility Resource Office.  Another way is to include a statement in your syllabus, such as:

Any student who anticipates or experiences barriers based on a physical, psychiatric, or learning disability and requires a reasonable accommodation, should contact the Accessibility Resource Office.  Documentation of disability may be required and accommodations are not retroactive, so it is encouraged to reach out early.

Accessibility Resource Office
Phone: (406) 265-3533
Office: Cowan 213C
accessibilty@msun.edu

Is it fair to other students that some students can get accommodations in tests and others not?
The Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) states: "The results of an examination should accurately reflect an individual's aptitude or achievement level or whatever the test purports to measure, rather than reflecting an individual's impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills."