Faculty & Staff Guidelines & Resources

A student with attention issues must be tested in an environment which is as free of distracting visual and auditory elements to this student as possible. Instructors who are proctoring their own exams must also provide this adjustment if it appears in the Authorization Letter.

The instructor is responsible for identifying another student in the class who is willing to take notes for the student with a disability. The student with a disability will have a NCR (no carbon requirement) notebook for the notetaker to use. If the instructor cannot find a student to serve as a notetaker, the instructor should contact the DSS office as quickly as possible. (NOTE: the student should NOT be told to find the notetaker on their own). Notetakers receive $50 at the end of the quarter.

The use of a tape/digital recorder, whether to record the entire class or portions of it, must be permitted. The instructor may prefer to record lectures using Panopto, LWTech's class recording and editing software in Canvas. Panopto Quick Start Guide.

The use of laptop computer to take notes or to do in-class assignments must be permitted. If the computer has Internet capability, the instructor has the right to set parameters as to whether and to what extent the student can utilize this aspect of the computer during class time.

Student will chronic health problems which might have unexpected, acute episodes should not be penalized for simply missing class. However, if the class involves in-class group participation, such flexibility may not be possible. Only those absences directly related to the condition are affected by this adjustment. Even when the absences are directly related to the condition, instructors should contact the DSS Office if they believe the absences are going to prevent the student from being successful in the class. 

A scribe is someone who writes out the answers dictated by the student. A reader is someone who reads print material aloud to the student. Instructors who are proctoring their own exams must also provide these adjustments. 

There are certain learning disabilities that affect written expression. Such students are much better at demonstrating their mastery of the instructional material if they are allowed to do so in an oral format.

Deaf and profoundly hard of hearing students rely on American Sign Language interpreters to translate English into ASL for they can understand the information. They also voice in English what the deaf or profoundly hard of hearing student signs to them. There is set protocol on how to work with interpreters. Unless instructors have had training in working with hearing impaired individuals and interpreters, they should contact the DSS office to set up one-on-one training on the protocol.

Individuals with sight impairments may need to use speech recognition software to access printed information that other students can read. This includes textbooks, instructional packets, and class handouts. The DSS Office will take the lead in trying to obtain the electronic format from publishers. Instructors should contact the DSS Office if they need assistance in converting other instructional materials into electronic format.

Other visually impaired individuals prefer to use enlarged font materials. Again, if instructors need assistance in creating such materials, they need to contact the DSS Office as soon as possible.

Some individuals benefit from using a FM Loop system. This consists of a small microphone worn by the instructor with a power pack. The student wears a hearing device and has a receiving unit which allows adjusting the volume of the incoming sound. The DSS Office checks out the FM Loop system to the student for the academic quarter.