For Faculty

Who We Serve

While working at Shoreline Community College, you will meet students with different types of disabilities who are eligible to receive services through the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) office. SAS is located in Rom 5226 (FOSS Building).

Students who require disability-related accommodation should be working with the office to receive appropriate accommodations. Some of the students that should be receiving reasonable accommodations are not aware of the services that could be provided to help them achieve their best academic performance and need to be referred to the office.

Frequently Used Information

  • Instructors will submit a digital version of their exams and fill out an instruction sheet in their Instructor AIM Portal. They will be alerted once the student has scheduled their accommodated exams and submit exams as soon as possible, a minimum of 48 hours before the scheduled exam time. For further assistance with uploading exams, instructors may refer to SAS's instructional PowerPoint, Uploading an Exam in Instructor AIM Portal.
  • How to Add Time to a Canvas Quiz (HTML)
    Many students with extended time utilize this accommodation for their online classes on Canvas. Click the above to learn how to modify the length of a test for an individual student in Canvas. For further assistance, email eLearning Services at elearning@shoreline.edu.
  • Responding to Accommodation Requests
    Do you have a student who has requested disability-related accommodations from you, or you suspect may benefit from accommodations? Use this simple document as a guide to assist you with how to navigate such a situation, what actions to take, and when to go directly to Student Accessibility Services.

Syllabus Statement

As per College Policy 6100, Section L, instructors are required to state the availability of disability services.

Example Syllabus Statement

Students with learning, health, sensory, physical, psychological or temporary disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodations to ensure access to programs and facilities at Shoreline Community College. To receive reasonable accommodations, students are responsible for requesting accommodations and documenting the nature and extent of their disability in a timely manner. Students should direct their requests for accommodation to:

  •     Student Accessibility Services in the FOSS Building, 2nd floor, Room 5226
  •      Email: sas@shoreline.edu
  •      Room 5226
  •      Phone: (206) 546-4545

For more information regarding accommodations, see the College Policy #5114.

Accommodations

Examples

Examples of accommodations that may be provided to students include, but are not limited to:

  • Priority registration
  • Testing accommodations
  • Notetaking assistance
  • Books in alternative format (Braille, audio, large print, or electronic format) Students who need books in alternative format may need to request a book list, syllabus, or reading instructions well before the quarter begins. This accommodation is requested early due to the fact that obtaining texts in alternative format may take several weeks.
  • Digital recording of class lectures (students may use their cell phones to record lectures)
  • American Sign Language (ASL interpreters)
  • Ergonomic Furniture

Feel free to contact Student Accessibility Services at 206-546-4545 if you have any questions or concerns regarding disability accommodations.

How Accommodations are Established

Students must submit documentation verifying their diagnosis and meet with the Student Accessibility Services in order to establish appropriate accommodations.  Once accommodations have been established, both the Instructor and the Student will be notified by email of the approved accommodations.

Rights and Responsibilities

Obligations of the College to Students

  1. Ensure that no student is denied the benefits of, excluded from participation in, or otherwise subjected to discrimination under the educational program or activity operated by the recipient because of the absence of educational auxiliary aids for students with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills.
  2. Make available to all students information on the services available to students with disabilities, including the name and location of the Student Accessibility Services office, and the process for accessing those services, in accordance with Policy 6100 - Required Syllabi for Credit Courses.

    Example Statement

    Students with physical or learning disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodations to ensure access to programs and facilities at Shoreline Community College. To receive reasonable accommodations, students are responsible for requesting accommodations and documenting the nature and extent of their disability in a timely manner. Students should direct their requests for accommodation to:

    For more information regarding accommodations, see the College Policy #5114.

  3. Maintain the academic integrity of its programs.
  4. Not make pre-admission inquiry as to whether the applicant has a disability, except as provided by law.

Obligations and Rights of the Qualified Student

Initiating

The College is obligated to provide academic adjustments to a qualified student with a known disability. What is appropriate for the student is a case-by-case determination.  It is the obligation of the student to seek the academic adjustments.  An individual who seeks academic adjustments under this policy is responsible for documenting the nature and extent of the disability.  The College will work collaboratively with the individual in determining the appropriate academic adjustment.

Student Responsibility

To ensure that appropriate accommodations are provided in a timely manner it is the student's responsibility to:

  •  Provide timely notice and documentation of the nature and extent of the disability, and the academic adjustment requests of students, to Student Accessibility Services before registering for classes.
  •  Provide documentation on the nature and extent of their disability.
  •  Cooperate with Student Accessibility Services to develop an appropriate plan for academic adjustments.
  •  Communicate with instructors the need for academic adjustments in classes, as necessary.
  •  Promptly notify the Student Accessibility Services office of any problems encountered in receiving the agreed-upon academic adjustment.

Collaborating with Faculty

Confidential and Voluntary

The authority to make the initial academic adjustment decisions on behalf of the institution has been assigned by the college president to Student Accessibility Services. 

Student Accessibility Services is committed to a reasonable approach in the identification of students with disabilities, including contacting all students who voluntarily self-identify during the college admission or orientation process.  Information regarding a disability will be kept confidential according to Federal and State privacy regulations unless a student signs a Release of Information Form in accordance with college procedures.

Quizzes and Exams

  • All quizzes and exams will need to be provided to the SAS office ahead of time.
  • The amount of time needed to make the conversion depends on the class, and the format in which it will be converted.
  • Material being Brailled will need to be provided at least two weeks in advance.
  • If the student will be taking quizzes or exams at the SAS office or Accommodated Testing Center, the times/dates for the exams will need to be provided (for example, on the syllabus) at the beginning of the quarter so that we can be sure to have the student’s accommodation needs met during the exam.
  • Please visit our Testing Accommodations page for more in-depth process and detail about applications in evening and online courses.

Lectures

  • When lecturing, be sure to describe everything that you are writing or referring to on the board.  Rather than saying “this thing moves over here.”  It is better to say “the rod moves four inches to the left.”
  • The student should ask questions if they do not understand what is being presented, but sometimes they feel more comfortable expressing by alternate means (such as office hours or in written email or discussion post) than when the instructor has directly requested that they speak up if they do not understand.

Applying Reasonable Accommodations Together

Academic accommodations are services that are put in place to give students with disabilities equal access to education. Accommodations are individualized to each student, and are based on the way their disability impacts them academically.  Examples of types of accommodations include but are not limited to: notetaking services, text in alternative format, Sign Language interpreters, use of adjustable chairs or adaptive technology, large print materials, and exam accommodations including additional time or the use of a computer.

There are federal and state laws mandating that students with disabilities have equal access to an education, and the SAS office is here to assist you in making sure those students receive accommodations. It is not the sole responsibility of the SAS office to provide the accommodations; we are here to assist the faculty members and the institution in the provision of accommodations.  Sometimes we are able to set up accommodations without working with the instructors.  Other times we may need to gather information from faculty members prior to the beginning of the quarter in order to ensure that accommodations are provided in a timely manner.

Generally, students must provide documentation of their disability from a qualified professional (such as a physician or psychologist) and set up an access appointment with the Program Specialist from the SAS office in order to determine which accommodations are appropriate.

In most instances, the implementation of accommodations goes smoothly and students receive the accommodations they need.  However, there are times when complications arise, and in these cases you are strongly urged to contact the SAS office to discuss the difficulties and potential resolutions.  On rare occasions, an accommodation that has been approved by the SAS office may create a “fundamental alteration” to the course, and therefore may not be appropriate.  In these cases the faculty member should contact the SAS office for consultation prior to denying the accommodation for the student.

There are legal considerations to make before denying an accommodation, so it is in everyone's best interest to consult with the SAS office.  Since the provision of accommodations is legally mandated, students do have legal options to pursue if they feel they have not been accommodated or been discriminated against due to their disability.

Please contact Miranda Levy in Student Accessibility Services with any questions via email at mlevy@shoreline.edu or via Teams.