Academic accommodations provide students with disabilities equal access to educational opportunities and allow them to demonstrate their learning. Academic accommodations do not compromise the essential elements of a course or curriculum, nor do they weaken the academic standards or integrity of a course. Rather, they simply provide an alternative way to meet the course requirements by eliminating or reducing disability-related barriers.
Please note that the below is a summary of the process to activate approved academic accommodations. For detailed information, see The College of Idaho’s Student Disability Accommodation Policy.
How to Set Up Academic Accommodations
Beginning of Each Semester/Term: Once a student has registered with DALE and set up academic accommodations, the student must take the following steps to activate their accommodations each semester/term:
Step One - Request Faculty Notification Letters
To notify faculty regarding a student’s accommodation(s) and to access resources, the student must complete each semester/term the Faculty Notification Request Form. Upon receipt of the completed form, DALE will send electronically-generated letters personalized and addressed to each of the student’s faculty for each course for the specific semester/term (referred to as “Faculty Notification Letters”).
It is recommended that students complete the Faculty Notification Request Form ideally at least two weeks prior to the start of each semester/term. It is important to note that accommodations may not be activated retroactively and begin each semester when the student’s letter is sent to their faculty.
Students are welcome to schedule an appointment with DALE to discuss questions about activating their accommodations prior to completing the Faculty Notification Request Form.
Step Two - Meet with Faculty Members
When DALE distributes the Faculty Notification Letters, it will electronically send each letter to the relevant faculty member and to the student.
Immediately upon receipt of the Faculty Notification Letters, the student and the faculty member should arrange to meet in-person or virtually during the faculty member’s office hours or by special appointment to facilitate a private discussion regarding implementation of the accommodations.
Faculty Notification Letters list the accommodations the student is eligible to receive. As the accommodation process is an interactive, individualized process, it requires a conversation with each of the student’s faculty members to determine how the requested accommodation(s) can be implemented within the particular course. Additionally, if a student is eligible for flexibility in attendance and/or deadlines, the student and the faculty member must complete and sign the Flexible Attendance/Deadlines Contract.
It is important to note that during this initial meeting the student is not required to disclose their disability diagnosis or symptoms to their faculty member, but instead are encouraged to communicate how the faculty member can facilitate their success in the course. This discussion also gives the faculty member an opportunity to set clear expectations regarding how the faculty member and student will work together.
If a faculty member has any questions regarding a implementing an accommodation in their course, faculty members must immediately consult with DALE.
Step Three - Return Fully-Executed Letter to DALE
Each faculty member and the student must acknowledge receipt of the Faculty Notification Letter, and if relevant, complete and sign the Flexible Attendance/Deadlines Contract ideally within five (5) business days (for short terms, such as the winter term, it is recommended that faculty and students complete this process within ideally two (2) business days).
End of the Semester/Term Deadline: DALE requires students to initiate all new accommodations (i.e. not previously approved through the original initiation/registration process) by the last day to withdraw from classes for that particular semester/term. If a student has not met with DALE by this date, DALE will not be able to provide accommodations for the current semester. In case of emergency, this process may be abridged on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Director of Accessibility & Learning Excellence.