IV. Accommodations and Services
The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) offers a wide variety of services and accommodations designed to create equally effective access to the educational processes of the University.
A. Admissions
Admission to the University is based on requirements established by the California State University. All prospective students are expected to present academic credentials that meet or exceed the minimum requirements for admission. Information about the University’s admission requirements is available from the Office of Admissions. Please refer to the University’s admissions website for admission policies and procedures. Admission decisions are made without regard to disabilities.
If an applicant with a disability requires accommodations to facilitate the admissions process, they may, on a voluntary basis make their needs known to the Office for Students with Disabilities prior to visiting the campus. Those who believe a lack of proper support services in high school, lack of accommodation for the administration of the ACT or SAT, or the timing of diagnosis created unique circumstances that affect their ability to meet fully the admissions standards of the University may, on a voluntarily basis, contact the OSD Director.
B. Exam Accommodations
1. The OSD is responsible for coordinating testing accommodations for students with disabilities, there is no charge to the student for this service.
2. Students must first have met with a Disability Specialist for an intake appointment to receive approval for testing accommodations, documentation will be evaluated according to established OSD and CSU guidelines (see Sections II.H and II.J in this Manual)..
3. The Disability Specialist will explain the specific testing accommodations that will be provided to the student, including how best to utilize those accommodations during testing situations, a brief verbal description of the proctoring process, along with a copy of the policies pertaining to testing accommodation.
4. The Notification of Academic Support Services Letter (NASS) explains the particular test taking needs of the student to faculty. The letter will also list the specific accommodations that the student is eligible to receive. It is highly recommended that the student and the instructor talk about these accommodations early in the quarter, especially if the student is authorized to receive materials, including tests, in an alternate format.
5. Students must submit a request to take an exam through the online service system no later than 5 business days prior to exams, mid-terms and quizzes and no later than ten days prior to the first day of final examinations. Students who are unable to request to take an exam through the online service system may contact the OSD office for assistance. The request will generate an email to faculty outlining options the faculty member may use to supply the exam to OSD, with preference given to emailing the exam as an attachment. OSD will also notify faculty that the student is authorized for an alternate format for examinations. Faculty must email exams at least three working days in advance to allow sufficient time for document conversion. Exams containing graphic materials that are to be transcribed into Braille and/or tactile graphics must be submitted at least seven working days in advance. Please be advised that there is no eating and/or drinking in the testing areas. Breaks are limited to five minutes and are timed, longer breaks for exams that are 6-8 hours in length will be arranged with the OSD. These are typically arranged as follows, one 15-minute break for a six hour exam and one 30 minute break for a eight hour exam. Medical documentation may indicate a need for specific break times, OSD will accommodate based on medical need. If a student is more than 45 minutes late for a scheduled exam they will have to reschedule the exam.
6. Faculty members may wish to provide appropriate exam accommodations for the student themselves. Although this arrangement may appear to be convenient for the student and the instructor, the accommodations must be consistent with those determined by the OSD. If the instructor attempts to change or to deny the student access to predetermined accommodations, the student must inform the instructor that he/she is unable to proceed with the exam until those accommodations are provided. The student and/or the instructor should immediately contact the Disability Specialist in the OSD (extension 3-3140). The most common problem associated with instructors providing accommodated testing themselves is moving students from room to room during exams or placing students in a noisy environment, such as in a hallway. This is not appropriate and the student should inform the OSD immediately. In the absence of the Disability Specialist, the OSD Director should be contacted at the same phone number.
C. Note Taking Accommodations
Requesting notetaking services:
Students who are eligible for note taking services can checkmark “Notetaking” when selecting accommodations for classes on OSD Online Services AIM). Students who do not have access to AIM may complete the request for services form (RSF) (Appendix E) at the OSD (ADM 127).
Students receiving notetaking services must be present in class during the times a notetaker is providing the service.
Requesting assistance in recruiting a notetaker:
If a student wishes help in finding a Notetaker he or she should contact the Notetaker Coordinator of the classes for which they need assistance. The OSD will notify the instructor by email. The instructor will then announce the need for a notetaker to the class. Students requesting the Notetaker will remain confidential unless they indicate that they want the Notetaker to know who they are.
Notetaker benefits:
Notetakers are considered volunteers and are offered a $50 stipend at the end of the quarter in which they provided services and priority registration for the following quarter. As notetakers are considered volunteers, employees and university student assistants are not eligible for the $50 stipend, but will still be eligible for priority registration.
Notetaker responsibilities:
Notetakers are expected to write down all relevant information including lecture notes, test and quiz dates, assignments, and important vocabulary. They will attend all classes, be on time, and be prepared to take notes. A notetaker who is unable to attend a class should inform the OSD as far in advance as possible.
Students receiving notetaking services must be present in class during the times a notetaker is providing the service.
Notes delivery:
Notes can be uploaded to AIM electronically for easy retrieval by students. The OSD also provides NCR paper and free use of a copy machine to notetakers (hard copy notes). Hard copy notes will be held at the OSD front desk for retrieval. Students who wish to remain anonymous will be held in a special file. These notes can be identified by the class name and section number.
Students should alert the OSD no later than after two (2) class meetings if there are any issues with the notetaker.
Notetakers are expected to write down all relevant information including lecture notes, test and quiz dates, assignments, and important vocabulary. They will attend all classes, be on time, and be prepared to take notes. A notetaker who is unable to attend a class should inform the OSD as far in advance as possible. Volunteers will receive priority registration for the upcoming quarter and a stipend at the end of the quarter in which they took notes.
D. Digital Textbooks
If a student is requesting audio recordings and need an audio rendition of their textbooks, he/she should consider registering for Learning Ally (formerly Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFBD). If a recorded version of a book is not currently available, students should discuss other options with the Disability Specialist. See also Section IV. H below for additional information regarding Alternative Media.
Students using digital audio textbooks may need specialized equipment to play the audio files and CDs. Equipment may be purchased on-line from Learning Ally. Additionally, students receiving financial assistance from the Department of Rehabilitation may ask their counselors to purchase playback hardware or software for them.
E. Readers
The OSD provides readers when prerecorded materials are not available. The OSD maintains a list of individuals who are willing to be employed as readers. Students are also allowed to identify their own readers to be employed by the OSD. If a reader is needed for research work because information is not available in an accessible format, the OSD needs five working days’ notice to arrange for the reader. A student who needs a reader should notify the Disability Specialist as soon as he/she is aware of the need for a reader.
OSD-employed readers may only read school-related materials. Readers are prohibited from reading a student’s personal material (i.e. mail, etc.). The student with a disability is responsible for giving the reader instructions in writing with the due date and time reading will be picked up. It is important that the OSD know well in advance if a student is going to need a recorded audio book. See also Section IV. H below for additional information regarding Alternative Media.
Readers for research will follow the student’s directions in order to locate materials, determine if they are appropriate, and digitally record their reading of the material. A reader is not allowed to conduct any research work unless the student is present to direct the work.
In order to optimize time allowed for reader services, the student with a disability must organize the reader’s work as efficiently as possible, with specific instructions and timelines. Students should plan as far in advance as possible since projects frequently may require more time than originally anticipated. To foster a good working relationship, both student and reader should be dependable and reasonable with expectations. The student with a disability should be prepared to explain the basic ramifications of the disability, since some readers may have had little or no previous contact with a person who has a disability.
F. Laboratory Assistants for Students with Physical Disabilities
The OSD will provide laboratory assistants when necessary. The OSD maintains a list of individuals who are available for employment as laboratory assistants. Students may also identify a qualified individual to serve as a laboratory assistant. The student must guide the assistant through each of the steps in the experiment. The assistant is intended to act as the student’s hands or eyes for the purpose of accommodating the student’s disability. All conclusions that result from the lab exercise are the responsibility of the student.
G. Interpreters/Real-Time Captioning (RTC)/Computer Assisted Transcribers (CAT)
Students should request these services from the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialist immediately following registration through the student’s OSD Online Services (AIM) page by clicking on the check-box for interpreting or academic captioning services for each class. Timely request of academic captioning and interpreting services is required to allow for sufficient time to arrange services. Student who do not have access to the OSD Online Services may request services by completing the “Request for Services Form ( RSF)” to request their services (see Appendix E).
Students must be enrolled in classes in order for the RSF to be processed for classes , proof of enrollment must accompany the RSF.
Students who use interpreters, captioning, or transcription should initiate early discussions with faculty about their intentions to use video presentations. Sufficient notice (generally the sixth week of the preceding quarter) allows the department to make the necessary modifications to accommodate the request.
Students must be enrolled in classes in order for the RSF to be processed for classes.
Students who use interpreters, captioning, or transcription should initiate early discussions with faculty about their intentions to use video presentations. Sufficient notice (generally the sixth week of the preceding quarter) allows the department to make the necessary modifications to accommodate the request.
A student who is deaf or hard of hearing may request interpreter or academic captioning services for an individual meeting with an instructor or academic advisor or for participation in a school-related activity by clicking on the “Submit Custom Request” button on their OSD Online Services page, or by using the Request for Custom Services (Appendix H). The request must be submitted at least three working days in advance of the activity. The request must include the name and type of the event, location, time and duration of the event, along with contact information for the student should any questions arise. The request can either be delivered to the OSD, or emailed to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialist.
For students who use sign language interpreters, unless otherwise requested, CASE (Conceptually Accurate Signed English) will be the form of interpreting used in the classroom.
Students who are deaf or hard of hearing may request real-time captioning services or the use of interpreters. Students who require both are required to meet with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Coordinator to review medical documentation supporting this request. It is recommended that students who request interpreters request a note taker.
A student will receive a copy of the transcript from the captionist but may not use it for any other purpose than reviewing the class session.
Students are responsible for informing the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialist if they are not satisfied with their service provider for whatever reason. The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialist will work with the service provider and the student to ensure successful communication.
The student and service provider are responsible for informing the OSD Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialist of all class cancellations as soon as possible through email, telephone, or a note left in the OSD. If the student feels that he/she does not need the Service Provider during mid-terms, he/she must inform the OSD office in advance to cancel service for the mid-term only. Service Providers are not assigned during finals week; however, if the student needs a service provider for the final, the student will be required to come to the OSD office and fill out a Request for Service Form (Appendix E), and/or send an email to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialist requesting the service provider to attend class for the final examination.
All service requests must be made through the OSD office. Students and service providers are NOT PERMITTED to arrange their own schedules and assignments. All requests, other than quarterly requests for classes, should be submitted on the Request for Service Form (Appendix E).
It is the policy of the University to provide interpreting services or captioning services to students and non students who are deaf or hard of hearing who visit the campus. Please contact the OSD for assistance and scheduling interpreting services or captioning services.
H. Alternative Media Service
1. Eligibility
Alternative media services are available to registered students with documented disabilities that who have impairments that affect their ability to perceive, comprehend or manipulate written materials. Students who believe they are eligible should meet with a Disability Specialist to discuss their needs.
2. Formats of Materials
Alternative formats include Braille, digital audio recordings, and electronic texts. If a student is requesting audio recordings, he/she should consider registering for Learning Ally, (formerly Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic. Electronic books are usually created in generic formats that will work with any book reading software available. The campus offers Kurzweil 3000, Jaws and Texthelp for alternative media reading. If a student requires Braille as an alternative format for scientific and mathematical content, then additional advanced notice of your disability specialist is needed as the materials are often outsourced to vendors. Prior to any in-house production, national and local resources are searched for existing alternative media materials.
3. Requesting Alternative Media
To ensure that required course materials are provided in a format that is accessible to each eligible student, the OSD needs as much advance notice as possible. The process that follows will optimize the ability of OSD to provide course materials in accessible media in a timely and accurate manner.
a. A student registered with the OSD is eligible for early registration each quarter and must utilize this accommodation in order to provide information to the OSD with as much advance notice as possible. Any delays in early registration will delay completion of materials by the first day of classes. Priority registration occurs approximately between the third and fifth week of the preceding quarter. The exact date is posted each term at the Office for Students with Disabilities in Room 127 of the Administration building or at the OSD announcements.
b. After a student registers, he/she should print out the registration course list. The student must also complete an Alternative Media Request Form (see Appendix F) to accompany the course list. Turn in these documents at the Alternative Media Production Center in Room 113 of the Student Affairs building. This information will be used by the OSD to identify the required textbooks for the next quarter.
Once priority registration is available we encourage students to register and turn in their request forms as soon as possible. Students who turn in their alternative media request fourteen days prior to the start of the quarter will follow standard office policies for requesting e-text. For those students turning in their request forms after this period the AMPC will use the student’s book to convert to electronic files. The book will have the spine cut for scanning purposes and then rebound with a plastic comb. The book will be given back to the student along with the e-book.c. The student should specify the format he/she prefers. Because books and class materials are received from publishers and other campuses in a variety of formats, the AMPC will notify the student by phone or email to determine if the files are useable by the student in their current format; otherwise, the AMPC will convert the files into the preferred format. If the book is not obtainable from outside sources or from the AMPC archive, then the OSD will obtain a copy of the book for in-house production of the preferred format, unless the student has made their request after the deadline for submission, two weeks prior to the quarter start, as mention in B. above.
d. Late requests for alternative media due to of late registration and course additions at the start of the quarter will be completed in the order received. Requests are considered to be late after the sixth week of the previous quarter for which the materials are requested. A course list and Alternative Media Request Form must be filed for all late requests, and, in addition, the student must provide a reading schedule, which is usually contained in the syllabus. Production of materials can therefore be coordinated with the reading schedule.
e. The turn-around time for electronic text and audio-recordings production is, in most cases, seven to ten working days from receipt of the text book at the AMPC. Braille texts will be provided normally between 30 to 45 days of the request. However, more complicated texts (such as those with scientific, mathematical, and/or musical notation) will require additional time in exceptional situations. Braille texts may be provided to the student in a piecemeal fashion, as long as they are provided reasonably in advance of the content of the instruction or as needed by the student to complete the assignment. The OSD will provide Braille texts sooner, after it has obtained a copy of the textbook and the syllabus early on.
f. The turn-around time for electronic text and audio-recordings production is, in most cases, seven to ten working days from receipt of the text book in the OSD. Braille texts will be provided normally between 30 to 45 days of the request. However, more complicated texts (such as those with scientific, mathematical, and/or musical notation) will require additional time in exceptional situations. Braille texts may be provided to the student in a piecemeal fashion, as long as they are provided reasonably in advance of the content of the instruction or as needed by the student to complete the assignment. If Braille texts are provided piecemeal, the first delivery will include general content materials, such as the table of contents, indexes, and glossaries. The OSD will be provide Braille texts sooner, if it is furnished with text and the syllabus as early as possible (and preferably well before the beginning of the quarter).
4. Delivery of Materials
If the student has requested audio materials from Learning Ally, the materials will be mailed to the student’s home address or can be downloaded from the Internet. Braille or electronic text materials can be picked up at the AMPC. If the material requested is in electronic format, it will be provided on a CD-ROM disk. At the time the student submits the Alternative Media Request Form, AMPC staff will inform the student of an expected date of completion. In the event of a delay, the AMPC will notify the student via email or phone to be given a new completion date. In the event of a delay, reader services will be provided until materials are completed. Students are prohibited from picking up materials for which they have no receipt (See #7 below), regardless of circumstance.
5. Supplemental Reading
Production of alternative media is prioritized first for required reading in academic classes. Requests for alternative media production for recommended course materials will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. The University is not responsible for providing alternative media for personal use.
In addition, students can learn how to access printed materials independently in the Accessible Technology and Learning Center, and can use the campus’s public computing facilities as well. Campus computers are equipped with scanners and reading software in the Open Access Labs and in the Accessible Technology and Learning Center.
6. Course Handout Materials and Examinations
Students must request course handouts in alternate format by completing the Alternative Media Request Form. The form can be obtained from and returned to the OSD office. Most course handouts can be converted to electronic text or tape recordings within 48 hours. Materials containing scientific or mathematic notations and/or examinations can take up to 72 hours to produce. Braille and graphic materials that must be converted into tactile images can take up to ten working days to produce.
Requests for examination materials in alternative media are made by the student as part of the test accommodations request process. See Section IV. B Examination Accommodation above.7. Receipt Policy
Proof of purchase must be shown at the time of pick up for the books requested in alternative media format. The OSD must keep records of student purchase receipts. Students who do not have a receipt will not be given their requested material.
8. Appropriate Use Agreement
The student must sign a statement indicating agreement with the terms and conditions of use prior to receiving the materials in alternate format. Materials may be used only by the eligible student, and may not be reproduced or distributed in their specialized format to any other individual. Any further reproduction or distribution is an infringement of federal and state law and is subject to criminal or civil prosecution.
9. Contact Information
To ask questions, contact the Alternative Media Production Center staff at (323) 343-3124. The center is located in Student Affairs building, Room 113.
10. Training
If a student requires training on the software and hardware required in reading alternative media, the Accessible Technology and Learning Center (ATLC) has staff available on an appointment basis only. Contact the ATLC staff at (323) 343-3138. The center is located in Palmer Wing (Library South), Room 1080 (under the staircase leading to the second floor).