Instructor reading syllabus to class.
In collaboration with the WSU Access Center, instructors play a crucial role in facilitating academic accommodations so that students with disabilities can engage with course material and equitably demonstrate knowledge.
The WSU Access Center determines student eligibility for accommodations. To be eligible for accommodations, students must submit (to the Access Center) an application and documentation of a disability. Instructors will be notified if/when a student in their course has an approved accommodation.
Notifications for accommodations
These accommodations are listed in a Faculty Notification Letter (FNL) and emailed to the student's instructors. These emails are sent through MyAccess and may be routed to Junk/Spam inboxes. Please check all inboxes for these messages. You may also view accommodations requests by course in the MyAccess Faculty Portal. Notification letters are sent out the Wednesday before classes begin each semester, and ongoing as accommodations are approved/requested.
The Faculty Notification Letter (FNL) is a document generated by the Access Center informing instructors that a student has a documented disability and has been deemed eligible for specific academic accommodations. The information in the letter is confidential and should be treated as such.
Students are encouraged meet with instructors to review and discuss accommodations. Students are also encouraged to meet with faculty and instructors during office hours; however, all parties should prioritize this meeting. These meetings can take place in person, via Zoom, via Teams, or phone. Students and instructors should engage in an interactive process to determine how the accommodations will be provided in the instructor’s course.
Access Center staff are available to provide consultations. We encourage all faculty, staff, and students to contact us with questions or concerns.
Everyone has a role in accessibility.
Student Responsibilities
Students must apply for accommodations through the Access Center. Once approved, students must request accommodations each semester through MyAccess. Students are encouraged but are not necessarily required, to meet with each instructor within two weeks of receipt of the Faculty Notification Letter. However, several accommodations do require a meeting (e.g., flexible attendance, flexible assignment deadlines).
Faculty & Instructor Responsibilities
Instructors are responsible for implementing approved accommodations. Instructors can request clarification regarding specific accommodations or how best to implement accommodations. Instructors are asked to consult with the student’s Access Advisor if questions or concerns arise. Accommodations are to provide equal access and not compromise the integrity of the course, the course requirements, or the student’s learning.
Access Center Responsibilities
The Access Center approves accommodations, collaborates with students and faculty, assists with accommodation implementation, and works with instructors and students when questions or concerns arise.
Additional Information:
Reasonable accommodation
A modification or adjustment to a course, program, service, facility, or activity that enables qualified persons with disabilities to have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their ability. Institutions must make reasonable accommodations only to the known limitations of an otherwise qualified individual. Reasonable accommodations should not alter a course's essential components or learning objectives or compromise the curriculum or the institution's standards. Reasonable accommodations afford students with disabilities a level playing field.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504
The ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are the relevant statutes concerning university students (and employees) with disabilities. The intent of the law is to ensure that no otherwise qualified person with a disability will be denied access to, or the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination by any program or activity provided by any public institution or entity. These laws are enforced by WSU’s Compliance and Civil Rights (CCR), the Washington Human Rights Commission, and the Office of Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice, in conjunction with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.