Accommodations Handbook
Accessing Accommodations
Concurrent Enrollment
High school students with disabilities enrolled in concurrent courses are taking courses for Boise State University credit, which means students have the right to receive reasonable and appropriate accommodations for their courses through the EAC. If a student has a current 504 or IEP, they still need to establish accommodations with the EAC because 504s and IEPs do not apply to Boise State concurrent enrollment courses.
To learn more about the purpose and implementation of this accommodation, read our Concurrent Enrollment Accommodations resource document.
Establishing Services and Activating Accommodations
Students with disabilities and/or diagnosed conditions who are seeking accommodations for academics, housing, and/or dining need to establish services with the EAC. The entire process may take up to 30 days for accommodation approval. Documentation is required for accommodations, but provisional ones may be appropriate on a case-by-case basis. Due to the complexity of some accommodations, they may need to be reviewed by the Accommodation Review Team. Once accommodations are established, students will activate their accommodations every semester to apply them to their new classes.
To learn more about establishing services with the EAC, read our Establishing Services and Activating Accommodations resource document.
Rights and Responsibilities
Boise State University, the EAC, instructors, and students with disabilities and/or diagnosed conditions all have rights and responsibilities related to standards, access, and accommodations. Students with disabilities and/or diagnosed conditions have the right to accommodations in order to access services, extracurricular activities, housing, dining, academics, and any other components of the academic experience at an equal level as provided to any student on campus.
To learn more about your rights and responsibilities, read our Rights and Responsibilities resource document.
Specific Accommodations
Accessible Course Materials and Related Accommodations
To learn more about accessible course materials, visit our Alternate Format and Accessible Course Materials webpage or read our resource document that explains the purpose and implementation of this accommodation.
Alternative Testing
To learn more about alternative testing, visit our Alternative Testing webpage or read our resource document that explains the purpose and implementation of this accommodation.
Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Related Accommodations
There are several key considerations staff and instructors need to keep in mind when working with deaf or hard of hearing students related to communication and the learning environment. They should also consider how to work with ASL interpreters, including the role of the interpreter and how to communicate through the interpreter.
Students who are deaf or hard of hearing may receive ASL interpreting or live captioning/CART services for accommodations. Students who receive these services have specific cancellation procedures that need to be followed. Students who repeatedly late cancel or do not attend for their scheduled service may need to work with their coordinator to determine the barriers related to cancellations.
To learn more about the purpose and implementation of this accommodation, read our Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Related Accommodations resource document.
Individual Classroom, Lab, or Accommodation Assistants
Some students may be eligible for a classroom, lab, or accommodation assistant. In general, assistants are extensions of the student’s eyes, arms, and/or voice, or they may remediate inaccessible course documents or process course materials using specialized technology. Assistants are not tutors or personal aids.
To learn more about the purpose and implementation of this accommodation, read our Individual Classroom, Lab, or Accommodation Assistants resource document.
Note Taking and Related Accommodations
To learn more about note taking accommodations, visit our Note Taking Support webpage or read our Note Taking and Related Accommodations resource document that explains the purpose and implementation of this accommodation.
Occasional Absence Notification
Some disabilities are episodic or unpredictable in nature, and as a result, it may occasionally impact the student’s ability to attend class. The occasional absence accommodation is not intended to be impacted every week and/or for every synchronous class meeting; it is also not an automatic excuse for absences.
Students have the responsibility of notifying their instructor as soon as possible, preferably before class, if they are needing to use their accommodation for attendance. We understand every class is different, and it may be difficult to understand the expectations and flexibility allowed for each class.
To clarify expectations, an Absence Plan may be initiated. The purpose of the plan is to clearly outline the flexibility allowed in regards to the attendance notification, while still maintaining appropriate course outcomes. The Absence Plan can be initiated by the instructor (or student) by completing the Accommodated Absence Plan form, then the assigned coordinator will review the information and follow-up on the plan with the student and instructor.
To learn more about the purpose and implementation of this accommodation, read our Occasional Absence Notification resource document.
Occasional Extension on Assignment Deadlines
Some disabilities are episodic or unpredictable in nature, and as a result, it may occasionally impact the student’s ability to complete an assignment by the designated due date. The occasional extension on assignment deadlines is not intended to be used every week and/or for every assignment.
Students have the responsibility of notifying their instructor as soon as possible, preferably before the assignment deadline, if they are needing to use their accommodation for an extension. For assignments in which an extension is appropriate, the extension may allow for an additional 48-hours from the original due date. Even if a student completed the assignment within the 48-hour time frame, if the student did not notify the instructor of the necessary extension and the relation to their accommodation, the instructor cannot assume the assignment was submitted late due to disability-related reasons and therefore late penalties as outlined in the syllabus may still apply. If extenuating circumstances require more than an additional 48 hours to complete the assignment, the student needs to notify their instructor as soon as possible, preferably before the assignment deadline. The instructor may determine an appropriate and reasonable deadline for the assignment, and consult with the EAC if necessary.
An instructor may wish to establish an Occasional Extensions on Assignment Deadlines Plan. The extension plan can be initiated by the instructor by completing the Occasional Extensions on Assignment Deadlines Plan form. Once completed, the assigned coordinator will review the information and follow-up on the plan with the student and instructor.
To learn more about the purpose and implementation of this accommodation, read our Occasional Extension on Assignment Deadlines resource document.