Virtual Accommodation FAQs

• How can I get my classes changed from face-to-face to online due to my disability?

  Unfortunately, converting a class from face-to-face to an online class is not an accommodation. 

  SAS does not have the purview to convert class formats as that is a complicated matter of contracts between professors, their departments, and the Union. All departments have been encouraged by President Macpherson to consider online options for students who are medically vulnerable or students who feel unsafe returning to campus. 

  As a first step, we encourage you to contact your advisor to see if there are online alternatives available for you to take within your degree requirements.  If alternatives are not available per your advisor, we recommend that students contact their assigned professors and the department chair to inquire about possible unpublished alternatives or substitutions that can be taken instead.  

• How will SAS provide individualized testing for students in virtual environments? 
  To account for remote testing through Blackboard, instructions for professors to provide extended test time to students with accommodations have been published in the Daily Eagle, here. 
• What if a professor disputes the extended time because they feel it can lead to academic dishonesty (because the students could have extra time to look up answers online or in the textbooks)?
  Blackboard is already equipped with a remote proctoring service through RPNow. Should a professor decide that a student must be proctored in order to use their extended test time, they can upload their test/quiz into RPNow through the Tools option in Blackboard. SAS is in the process of developing user-friendly documents for the utilization of this tool. Professors should know that the current billing system is set to result in a bill of $12 per test, per student to be sent to and paid by their academic department.  
• Can a student with a disability be provided an alternative project to do instead of completing the test that the rest of the class is taking?

  Students must be provided “equal access” to the same goods and services as their peers.

  If a professor offers a test OR a project to the whole class, then that student was provided equal access. A student with a disability cannot be made to complete an alternative project because they require accommodations. If a professor has a technical question about Blackboard, they must contact ASIS at Blackboard Support 585-395-5151 Option 6 or email CourseDesign@Brockport.edu to schedule one-on-one appointments. Also, faculty can schedule an appointment by visiting QuickReg. ASIS has many resources that faculty will find helpful as well. 

• What are some alternatives to online quizzes and exams? 

  Professors may choose to offer alternatives to tests such as research papers, PowerPoint presentations, live debates through Blackboard Collaborate or VoiceThread submissions, or have students create a podcast or YouTube video to demonstrate mastery of course objectives to name a few ideas. 

  For more ideas to elicit action and expression from your students, consider Universal Design for Learning (UDL) teaching strategies. 

  Links to UDL Resources: 

  • YouTube UDL Introduction
  • UDL via Cast
  • UDL Checklist for Quick Reference

• What if a student has an accommodation to use a calculator on tests?  
  Students who are eligible to use a calculator on tests are still eligible to use a calculator in the virtual environment. There is a caveat on this accommodation where a student can be asked to refrain from using a calculator if the instructor feels that the use of the calculator would interfere with the fundamentals of the objectives or test (used when assessing a student’s ability to calculate).
• What if a student is eligible for captioning on videos?
  Captioning of videos is an accommodation used for various qualifying disabilities. Kaltura is equipped to provide captions but the professor must review the initial draft for accuracy before publishing. For more information and details on the captioning process, please contact ASIS at Blackboard Support 585-395-5151 Option 6 or email CourseDesign@Brockport.edu to schedule one-on-one appointments. 
• What about students who utilize interpreters?
  Students who use interpreting services through SAS are still eligible to receive interpreting services virtually. If a professor is using Blackboard Collaborate to host a live, virtual class, please contact SAS as soon as possible to schedule an interpreter to be in attendance. The professor will have to add the interpreter to the Blackboard roster in order to provide access to the streaming. SAS will need as much notice as possible because the third-party vendor, Interpretek, typically requires 5 days notice to provide an interpreter.
• What about students who use screen readers?
  Many of our students utilize screen reading software. Please make sure you are following standards for Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) accessibility which can be found on the SUNY EIT website

Last Updated 7/8/20