• Seton Hall University
• Office of Disability Support Services

General Information

What is a Disability?
The legal definition of a disability from Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a physical or mental condition that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of the individual.

• Major Life Activities: The phrase major life activities refer to normal functions such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.
• Physical Conditions: A physical condition includes any physiological disorder or condition, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following bodily systems: neurological, musculoskeletal, special sense organs, respiratory and speech organs, cardiovascular, reproductive, digestive, genitourinary, hemic and lymphatic, skin and endocrine.
• Mental Conditions: A mental condition includes any mental or psychological disorder such as developmental conditions, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities.
• Learning Disabilities: A learning disability is a generic term that refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical abilities. These disorders occur in people of average to very superior intelligence.

What laws cover a student with a disability at the post-secondary level?
Students with disabilities are protected by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which was revised to the ADA Amendments Act in 2008. According to these laws, "no otherwise qualified person with a disability in the United States shall, solely by reason of disability, be denied the benefits of, be excluded from participation in, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance."

"Otherwise qualified," with respect to post-secondary education, means a person who meets the academic and technical standards requisite to admission. Seton Hall University does not have any special admission provisions for students with disabilities. Students with disabilities must meet all standard requirements.

What services are offered through the Office of Disability Support Services?
Disability Support Services (DSS) at Seton Hall University seeks to foster an inclusive learning environment for all students. To this end, DSS provides reasonable accommodations based on appropriate documentation. All documentation is reviewed by a DSS staff member, who determines appropriate accommodations in compliance with University policy, and state and federal law.

What are some typical accommodations for students with disabilities?
The accommodations depend on the nature of the disability. Based on the specific diagnosis and the student’s strengths and weaknesses, an accommodation plan is developed. Although extended time on tests is the most common accommodation due to difficulty processing information, it is not the only option. Other accommodations may include: audio version of textbooks, readers, note taking assistance, recording lectures, use of laptops, use of word processors or spell-checker, or sign language interpreters. Test accommodations may include extended time, alternate test format, distraction reduced environment, etc. Faculty consultation is an essential part of this process. Creative and cooperative efforts are required to provide students with an equitable education while maintaining academic integrity.

Who is responsible for the accommodations?
Accommodations are a shared responsibility between the student, faculty, and DSS. The accommodation process is designed to be collaborative and interactive. A breakdown of some of the roles and responsibilities are discussed below.

Student Responsibility
A student with disabilities has three primary responsibilities, which must be completed to receive accommodations at Seton Hall University. First, the student must identify themselves as a person with a disability to the DSS Office. Second, the student must provide current documentation or supporting evidence that the disability substantially limits the ability to function in a major life activity. Finally, the student is responsible for following the policies and procedures of DSS, meeting with DSS staff to create an accommodation plan, and talking with faculty about their accommodations when arrangements need to be made.

Faculty Responsibility
If you receive a DSS approved accommodation letter for a student, it is your responsibility to ensure the learning environment is accessible and the accommodations are provided. It is strongly recommended that you have office hours available to meet privately with these students to discuss the accommodations. While students are not required to share the nature of their disability with professors, their needs as they relate to particular accommodations should be discussed so that both of you understand and agree upon what arrangements are necessary.

Disability Support Services Responsibility
The DSS staff is responsible for reviewing documentation, determining eligibility, identifying appropriate accommodations, creating accommodation letters for the student, and arranging for contract services such as a sign-language interpreter. DSS is available to consult with faculty regarding the implementation of accommodations, as well as to answer any questions or concerns regarding the approved academic adjustments. DSS will also assist with the implementation of accommodations, when possible; however, it is ultimately the responsibility of the university as a whole - not just DSS - to meet the accommodation needs of documented students with disabilities. This requires that a partnership exists between DSS and faculty/academic departments, and resources of all these units must be considered in meeting accommodation needs.

Understanding Accomodations for Students

How do I know what I should do for a student with a disability?
Students with disabilities should register with Disability Support Services. If the student is registered with the DSS office, you will receive a letter detailing the accommodations. The letter will not identify the specific disability; that information is confidential and only the student may choose to disclose to their professors. Students are encouraged, but not required, to meet with their professor to review accommodations. Some accommodations, such as testing accommodations, must be requested by the student to the professor. Other accommodations, such as accessible materials, are provided by the professor without the student meeting with the professor. If you need any assistance in working with an accommodation or in making an aspect of your course accessible, please call the DSS Office.

What if I suspect a student has a disability but I have not received a letter from DSS?
You should not assume a student has a disability nor should you ask if they have a disability. Both could be seen as discriminatory actions. You should also encourage a student who you think is struggling in your class to utilize campus resources including ARC, DSS, CAPS, etc. If you are uncertain where or how to refer a student, refer them to the Dean of Students Office; they will explore options with the student.

What if a student asks for an accommodation that is not included in the letter from DSS?
Contact DSS. It is not always possible to predict the precise interaction between a student's disability and a specific course requirement; as a result, it may be necessary to amend the accommodation letter. In consultation with you and the student, DSS will be able to advise you as to the best academic adaptation. As a matter of best practice and guidance from the federal government, faculty should not provide any accommodation that has not been approved by DSS.

Should I waive assignments and course requirements for students with disabilities?
No. Students with disabilities should be held to the same standards and learning outcomes as any other student. Accommodations should not alter the course or program in any substantive manner.

Do field experiences have to be accessible to students with disabilities?
Yes. Equal access must be provided to all components of a class or program even if it is not a required element. This would include labs, field trips, internships, and transportation provided by Seton Hall.

What if I disagree with an accommodation?
Please contact DSS at 973-313-6003 if you have any questions or concerns. If a student has self-identified, provided appropriate documentation, and has an accommodation letter, they are entitled under law to receive the specified accommodation(s), as long as it does not present a fundamental alteration to the curriculum or compromise an essential requirement of the course. DSS is happy to consult with you and discuss any concerns regarding accommodations to both meet the student’s needs and the course objectives.

What if a student discloses that they have a disability but doesn't provide me with an accommodation letter?
Please refer the student to DSS so we can ensure that the student is qualified to receive the requested accommodation(s). Professors should not provide accommodations without consulting with DSS. Also, it is important to note that accommodations are not retroactive and will not apply to any work already completed prior to the approval of the accommodation.

How can I help to maintain student confidentiality?
The student with a disability is entitled to confidentiality under the law. This means that if a student with a disability happens to be in your class, you cannot mention that student by name (i.e. "Tom, here's your test so you can go take it in Disability Services" or "We need a note taker for Katie, so I need someone to volunteer"). Also, you should not discuss the student by name with anyone else, including other faculty. 

Accommodations and Testing

Some General Information about Testing
The goal of student assessment is to measure what students have learned. However, traditional assessment methods may limit the opportunity that students with a disability have to demonstrate their learning. As a result, these tests give inaccurate information on how effective you've been as an instructor and how successful your students have been as learners.

Consider ways to assess your students' learning that are effective for all students. While there are many creative strategies that minimize the need for individual accommodations, the following are a few options that may fit in with your class and instructional style:

• Administer tests and quizzes using the learning management system where you can design untimed tests or build extended test time into the schedule for students with disabilities.
• Use take-home exams to assess applied concepts.
• Use group projects to both assess learning and encourage the development of collaborative skills.
• Allow students to write papers outside of class to demonstrate their learning or use research papers as a part of the course assessment.

DSS is available to assist you in exploring alternative ways to assess what your students have learned in ways that minimize the need for individual accommodations, such as extended test time.

A student says she has test anxiety. Is this a disability?
Usually test anxiety on its own does not constitute a documented disability that is protected by law. If test anxiety is part of a more pervasive condition that substantially limits a major life activity, the student may be considered a person with a disability and may be eligible for services and accommodations. Students with test anxiety may also benefit from workshops through ARC, services through CAPS, and other campus resources.

How do I work with a student who needs testing accommodations?
It is the student's responsibility to approach you with an accommodation letter which specifies that they have been approved for testing accommodations. We ask that instructors discuss with students how the testing accommodations can be provided in their particular course.

Depending on the individual student, it may be effective for you to provide extended test time by:

• Allowing the student to test in a quiet office or a departmental conference room- tests should not be administered in the hallway outside a classroom or in a busy office with ringing phones or other interruptions.
• Testing the student in the classroom if you can stay after class and the room is available for the amount of extended time determined to be reasonable.
• Having a TA or department staff proctor the student in a quiet location within your department.
• Beginning the student in the classroom and allowing him or her to finish the exam after class in your office or at another appropriate location if necessary.

As a service to faculty, DSS also assists by proctoring exams in our testing center. If this option is better for both the student and instructor, students must initiate the process by submitting an exam request within AIM, and faculty must provide proctoring information within AIM.

How does DSS protect academic integrity in their testing area?
DSS takes several steps to provide for the integrity of the testing environment. These include:

• Requiring students to leave all personal belongings, including phones, outside of the testing room.
• Not permitting students to wear coats or hoodies inside the testing room.
• Monitoring all testing with recording cameras and live proctors.

If a student is identified to have violated any academic integrity policy, they are permitted to complete the test but all information, including any relevant video recording, is provided to the professor to determine outcome.

Why do students need extended time for tests?
The use of extended time is a frequently used accommodation through DSS. Extended time for testing situations normally allows the student with a disability to compensate for the limitations imposed by their disability. For example, students with learning disabilities may have difficulty with processing information and need additional time to read, understand, and respond to questions. Students with ADHD or mental health issues may have difficulty concentrating. Some students need to utilize assistive technology, which usually takes additional time.

Is providing exam accommodations fair to other students?
Exam accommodations are determined after carefully reviewing documentation of a disability and the effects of the disability in a test taking situation. Exam accommodations minimize the disability and “level the playing field.” They do not give the student with a disability an unfair advantage. Faculty should express any concerns regarding exam accommodations to a DSS staff member who can verify the appropriateness of the requested accommodation and provide assistance to both the student and faculty member.

How do I make arrangements for a student to take their exam with DSS due to their accommodations?
We have created short videos to help faculty navigate the AIM system where they can upload their exams and provide any important details for proctoring. See “AIM Tutorials” under Faculty Resources.

I have a student with a disability who must take an exam on a different day and/or time than the rest of the class. Can I give that student a different test?
Yes. It is appropriate to alter the content as needed if you have legitimate concerns about the security of the exam, such as when the answers have already been shared with the class. If you must give a different test, you must give an exam of comparable difficulty and time and must not apply a more demanding grading system to that exam. DSS would recommend you do not routinely give differing exams to students with disabilities, as a rule. Giving different exams simply because the student receives accommodations is inappropriate because that would be treating the student differently simply because they have a disability. 

What is a reader? What is a scribe?
A reader is a staff member, faculty member, proctor, or assistive technology that reads tests aloud to students with visual impairments or possibly learning disabilities. A scribe is a proctor who types or writes exactly what the student says in response to test questions or utilizes speech to text technology. Reader or Scribe is an infrequently approved or used accommodation. We strongly encourage the student to have his or her professor read or scribe as the course content/vocabulary may be difficult for a proctor to read or spell correctly.

Universal Design and Course Accessibility

What is Universal Design and why should I consider it for my classes?
Universal design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. It benefits people of all ages and abilities Universal Design places emphasis on creating multiple means for students to express themselves, multiple means for students to engage with course materials, and multiple means for faculty to assess a student’s knowledge.

Incorporating the principles of universal design into a class enhances the accessibility of the curriculum to a variety of diverse learners: minority students, second-language learners, returning students, students with disabilities, etc. While re-envisioning the design of a course may seem overwhelming at first, experience has shown that once faculty members experience the increase in student engagement and learning that is achieved through a universally designed curriculum, they also find that learning objectives for courses are more fully met and the need for accommodation may be less.

How can I make my course accessible to all students?
A Faculty Guide to Accessibility is a self-paced course that offers practical tips and tools to help you create accessible, inclusive course materials that support all learners. To get started:

1. Click the enrollment link.
2. Click Enroll in Course.
3. Click Go to Your Dashboard.
4. Select A Faculty Guide to Accessibility from your dashboard to begin.
   Please reach out to your Instructional Design Liaison for additional questions.

In person resources are available through the DSS Office and through TLTC Instructional Design team.