Faculty Resources
Instuctor Responsibility
Faculty are required by law to provide approved reasonable accommodation per the student's individualized Academic Accommodation Plan (AAP). EVC's certificated staff identify appropriate academic accommodations and/or auxiliary aids through an interactive process to develop the Academic Accommodation Plan to address the student's disability related barriers and allow equal access. Compliance does not require lowering or substantially modifying academic or program standards, or fundamentally altering the integrity of a program or course curriculum.
Please consult with the Disabilities Support Program (DSP) Coordinator if you have questions or concerns about any approved accommodations per a student's academic accommodation plan.
You can visit the U.S. Department of Education to read about protecting students with disabilities as mandated by Section 504 and the American's with Disabilities Act.
Course Accessibility
Your documents and presentations need to meet current accessibility standards. Online lectures and videos must be captioned. The EVC Faculty & Staff page is a great resource page, and you can also check out the IOTL Canvas Course for faculty which includes accessibility workshop videos and training.
Other Online Accessibility Training Resources:
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EVC Training:
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California Community Colleges Accessibility Center:Self-Paced Accessibility Courses
Maintaining Student Confidentiality
Under Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and related laws affecting higher education and disability information, students have the right to confidentiality.
Do not ask the student for specific information about their disability. As best as possible, keep all communications about accommodations private (i.e via email or office hours) to maintain confidentiality.
Exceptions: A student can be reported if the student is determined to be a danger to self or others, or when there is reasonable suspicion of child abuse or the abuse of a dependent adult.
Course Syllabus Statement
Below is an example you may use for a Course Syllabus Statement:
"If you have a disability, or think you may have a disability, you may connect with the Disabilities Support Program (DSP), to begin this conversation and/or request an official accommodation. You can find more information about the DSP, including contact information, here:
https://www.evc.edu/support-resources/support-programs/disabilities-support-program-dsp.
If you have already been approved for accommodations through the DSP, please submit your Academic Accommodation Plan (AAP) to your instructor and connect with DSP to coordinate any additional services. You are also encouraged to meet with your instructor to discuss any additional needs. "
Please refer students to the Disabilities Support Program office directly to the extent possible to address any student questions or concerns. Feel free to consult our office if you have questions about accommodations, need intervention assistance, testing accommodations, or want to learn more about how disability laws are applicable to instruction.
Faculty FAQs
A student is requesting accommodations, but has not given me their AAP, what's next?
You are only responsible for accommodations authorized by DSP. In this case, you may wish to speak with the student in private and refer them to DSP.
How do I ensure accessibility for my online course?
Certain accessibility requirements must be addressed when developing learning materials for electronic dissemination to students. Distance education courses, resources and materials must be designed and delivered in such a way that the level of communication and course-taking experience is the same for students with or without disabilities.
Examples include: ensuring all audio materials are accurately captioned and visual materials are tagged correctly for screen readers. Check out "Course Accessibility" under Faculty Resources for more information.
Can I accept an AAP after the semester has started?
Yes. Student's can join DSP at any point in the semester and can turn in their AAP's at any point in the semester. However, accommodations are not retroactive. Meaning, accommodations are active from the day you receive the notification.
Can I accept an AAP from another school or a high school IEP/504 plan?
No. Instructors are not to provide accommodations that have not been approved through EVC DSP. EVC DSP Certificated Staff (Coordinator or DSP Counselor) must meet with the student individually to review their fictional limitations and approved EVC DSP accommodations.
If a student provides you with an AAP, doctors note, or other accommodation letter requesting accommodations, please let the student know you can provide accommodations for them once they have gone through EVC DSP and please redirect the student back to our office.