Faculty and Staff Accommodation Guidelines

Students with a wide array of physical, sensory, cognitive and mental health disabilities attend Tacoma Community College across all areas of studies and departments. T.C.C. is an open-access and public institution. 

Access Services will partner with the student, faculty and appropriate campus departments to implement and maintain approved accommodations needed to remove the student’s unique access barriers in the learning environment. 

The role of accommodations and support provided by Access Services is to allow students with disabilities the opportunity and equal access to their educational experiences and courses at the college. Accommodations are not intended to impose an undue hardship to the student or the college, or fundamentally alter the educational program. 

Accommodations and supports granted to students with disabilities strive to create and sustain equity in the educational environment, though they do not guarantee a student’s success or failure in any particular course or program. 

Accommodations are determined for each student on an individual and case-by-case basis by Access Services staff through an intake and interactive process with a student. The interactive process includes but is not limited to: 

• Contact established with Access Services (this may include a referral by Faculty). 
• Student disclosure and self-report of disability including verification of disability and professional assessment by Access Services staff.

• Intake and planning meeting with Access Services.
• Follow-up and updates with students and faculty as needed to ensure reasonable accommodations are considered, implemented and sustained when approved.

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1. Start by inviting your student to have a 1:1 conversation with you.
2. Please do not ask about disability status, instead explain which behaviors or habits are concerning you, and invite your student to tell you a little bit more if they want.
3. Remind students of their resources on campus.
4. Tip: Pick two resources to highlight, and make Access Services one of them.
5. Offer to walk students over to Access Services front desk if you both have time.
6. Offer to write an introductory email, if your student consents.
7. Email Access Services staff with your concerns. 

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The Access Services office aims to serve and support both students and the faculty at T.C.C. when implementing approved accommodations in the learning environment. We assist students once they have self-disclosed and requested services through our office. 

For faculty, we aim to be your resource and collaborator in implementing the academic accommodations and ensuring they are appropriately effective. If you as faculty have questions, concerns or problems establishing an accommodation or service, Access Services is available to help. We provide services for faculty delivering instruction, such as: 

• Troubleshoot and assist with establishing approved accommodations.

• Facilitation of extended time and distraction-reduced testing environments. 
• Provide consultation on working with various types of disabilities and accommodations.
• Assist students and faculty remediate issues related to approved accommodations as much as possible.
• Assist faculty in ensuring they have accessible course materials.
• Providing faculty training and educational resources.

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Faculty are responsible to provide the accommodations approved by the Access Services Office on the quarterly Letter of Accommodation and to work with Access Services staff and students to make reasonable accommodations in a timely manner. Other responsibilities include: 

• Read and maintain copies of Letter of Accommodation provided to you by Access Services staff and/or the student. 
• Provide only the adjustments on the DRS Letter of Accommodation unless it is an accommodation that you are willing to offer all students in the class. 
• Contact Access Services if there are questions or concerns about requested adjustments and/or assistance in identifying the best method for providing approved accommodations for students enrolled in classes. 

• Refer any student to Access Services who is requesting adjustments but you have not received a copy of the Letter of Accommodation for the student. 
• Ensure instructional materials are accessible in accordance with Policy 188. Access Services and eLearning staff can collaborate with faculty to ensure access. This may include: video captioning, transcripts of audio lectures/podcasts and accessible materials. 
• Maintain confidentiality. Faculty should not ask students about the specific nature of their disability or request medical documentation. The student is not required to disclose private information about their disability, including the specific nature of their disability to faculty. 
• Implement best practices in teaching to reach a diversity of learners.

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Access and Accommodations: (original version; word count - 137) 

Your access in the learning environment is important to me. If you have already established disability accommodations with the Access Services office, please share your approved accommodations to me at your earliest convenience so we can discuss your needs in this course. You can request that Access Services email your Letter of Accommodation to me, or you can provide me with printed copies. 

If you have a disability or health condition that may benefit from accommodations to ensure access and support success in this course—and have not yet established services, please contact Access Services at (360) 504-6357 or access@tacomacc.edu. 

Access Services offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and/or temporary health conditions. Services are established through an interactive process that begins with an intake appointment. Access Services is located in Building 7. 

Access and Accommodations: (shorter version; word count - 74) 

If you have established disability accommodations with the Access Services office, please share your approved accommodations to me at your earliest convenience. You can request that Access Services email your Letter of Accommodation to me, or you can provide me with printed copies. 

If you have a disability or health condition and have not established services, please contact Access Services at (360) 504-6357 or access@tacomacc.edu. 

Access Services coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities.

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1. Self-identify to the college. Students are encouraged to register with the Access Services office and make requests in a timely manner to create the best opportunities for their own success. 
2. Request services from Access Services and engage in the interactive process. 
3. On a quarterly basis, faculty will receive the Letter of Accommodation notice from Access Services staff and/or the student. 
4. The responsibility of providing the academic accommodations does not go into effect until the letter is delivered to the required faculty. 

Please note: Faculty will likely receive the majority of the Letter of Accommodation notices during the first 3 weeks of classes, but they can be delivered or modified as needed at any time throughout the quarter. 

Services are not retroactive. If a letter is presented in the middle of the quarter adjustments are only required from that day forward.

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• There are several types of “Priority Meeting” accommodations. The specific one approved for the individual student will be clearly notated on the individual’s accommodation letter.
• These meetings can be held in person or remotely. The modality, date, time, and length of the meeting will be decided on between the professor and the student.
• Prior to the use of this accommodation, the student and Professor MUST meet and discuss/review:
  • The method of communication the professor desires to receive these meeting requests
  • How much advanced notice the professor needs to be able to honor and schedule a meeting with the student
  • Types of meetings available (for example, if only in person meetings are available)
• For all types of Priority Meetings, the STUDENT is responsible for initiating contact with the professor IN WRITING to use these accommodations.
• The student understands that they need to reach out in advance to request a meeting with the professor and it may take several days for the meeting to take place.

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• Student’s need to initiate the meeting request with your professors as soon as each new quarter begins…remember, you can not use this accommodation until you and your professors have met and discussed it together!
• Reach out as early as possible in writing. It may take several days for you and the professor to arrange the meeting.
• You may use the template provided by your Accommodation Specialist or you may use the following guidelines for your written message:
  • Include a greeting to your professor.
  • State that you need to use your Priority Meeting Accommodation and the state the REASON you would like to meet with them.
  • Request a return message to arrange the day, time, and type (in person or remote) of meeting with them.
• Attend your requested meeting. If you miss it, there may not be an opportunity to reschedule.

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• Keep a copy of the Accommodation letter on file to review. Since there are several types of Priority Meeting accommodations, you will need to know which type of meetings the student is able to request.
• Ensure that when you receive a Priority Meeting request from a student, that you respond in writing and schedule the meeting with them as soon as is possible for both of your schedules.
• Ensure that you give the student private or one-on-one time with you to have these meetings.

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• Meeting with Professor before Assignment Deadlines
• Meeting with Professor for Feedback
• Meeting with Professor for missed classes
• Meeting with Professor before Exams

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