For Students: Information on Specific Accommodations

Students must follow Disabilities Services' procedures for obtaining accommodations (academic adjustments, auxiliary aids and services). Documentation must be provided to establish the existence of a disability and the need for accommodation. Students must also fill out a Reasonable Accommodation Request Form. The request forms are available from Disabilities Services staff in 5-104 and from this site.

Students must request accommodations so that Disabilities Services is afforded a reasonable amount of time to review and evaluate the request and provide the necessary accommodations.

Following is an outline of academic accommodations that may be obtained by students with disabilities once it has been determined by Disabilities Services that they are eligible for such services.

Please note that the accommodations named herein are not an exhaustive listing. Disabilities Services staff members are available to discuss any specific accommodations that are not on the list.

Alternative Exams

• Extended Time: The standard practice in the field of post-secondary education regarding extended exam time is the allocation of time-and-one-half as the extended period. It may be appropriate to increase the allotted amount of exam time in certain situations, such as in cases which the student's accommodation requires the use of technology aids, scribes or readers; or when the student's documentation clearly supports the need for an extraordinary amount of extended time. In courses and/or programs in which student performance within a prescribed time period is considered to be an essential academic requirement, the Institute has established that, as a general rule, students do not have the right to un timed exams or to an unlimited amount of time for exams.
  
  
• Exams on Tape: The student is responsible for filling out the Exam Accommodation Form at least two weeks prior to the exam to request an exam recorded on tape so that the Disabilities Services staff, faculty member/instructor, or the academic department, has a reasonable amount of time to provide the necessary accommodation(s).
  
  
• Readers: The student is responsible for completing the Exam Accommodation Form at least two weeks prior to the exam to request a reader, so that the Disabilities Services staff, faculty member or the academic department has a reasonable amount of time to provide the necessary accommodation(s). Readers will be identified by the faculty and/or Disabilities Services. Readers will be instructed to read only the material on the exam. No additional information may be provided by the reader unless the reader is instructed to do so by the faculty member. A reader must protect the integrity of the exam by not prompting the student or giving any indication of what the answer might be. Readers for exams will only be provided when the student's documentation clearly demonstrates such a need.
  
  
• Scribes: The student is responsible for completing the Exam Accommodation Form at least two weeks prior to the exam to request a scribe, so that the Disabilities Services staff, faculty member or the academic department has a reasonable amount of time to provide the necessary accommodation(s). A scribe will be instructed to write verbatim as dictated to by the student with the disability. Scribes must protect the integrity of the exam: they must not use their own words, interpret, prompt, or suggest answers to the student.
  
  
• Distraction Reduced Setting: The student is responsible for filling out the Exam Accommodation Form at least two weeks prior to the exam, so that the faculty member/instructor, or the academic department, has a reasonable amount of time to provide the necessary location. Disabilities Services is available to assist with logistical difficulties which faculty or the department may encounter.
  
  
• Clarification of Exam Question: When the student's documentation calls for the clarification of exam questions as an accommodation, and Disabilities Services' determination is that such an accommodation will not affect the academic integrity of the exam, then the restating of exam questions by the faculty member (or designee) will require that the following conditions be met:
  
  
  • a) The faculty member, or the person to whom this responsibility has been delegated, will be responsible for rephrasing exam questions in consultation with Disabilities Services, and
    
    
  • b) The scheduling of the exam will be based on the exam time for the class and the availability of the faculty member or her/his representative. Due to the added time required for this accommodation, the student will be allowed extra time to complete the examination. The exam may be taped if it is judged to be an acceptable alternative by the academic department and Disabilities Services.

Materials in Alternative Format

• Textbooks on Tape: Disabilities Services works in conjunction with Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFBD) in Princeton, New Jersey, to provide the accommodation of text read onto a cassette tape. The student with a disability is responsible for applying to receive RFBD services, following RFBD procedures, and ordering course textbooks in a timely manner. If textbook material cannot be provided by RFBD within a sufficient time period, Disabilities Services will employ student readers to record the materials on tape. In either case, the tapes must be returned to Disabilities Services upon completion of the course.
  
  
• Early Notification for Textbooks on Tape: Since textbooks on tape are a time sensitive accommodation, it is important to pre-register as early as possible and inform Disabilities Services if any of the selected courses are subject to lottery or bidding systems. Disabilities Services staff members are also available to assist the student in obtaining required textbook information from faculty. The following information from the student is needed as early as possible to provide this accommodation:
  
  
  • course name/number/section
  • faculty/instructor name/phone number/e-mail address.
    
    
• Readers: If textbooks cannot be provided in a timely manner by RFBD, or if there are other course materials that need to be read, Disabilities Services will hire and train readers. Readers may read materials in person or record them onto tape. It is especially important for students with disabilities to take responsibility for their readers. To assist students with disabilities in effective management and interaction with readers, a guideline entitled, "Helpful Hints for Working With Readers" is available at Disabilities Services in 5-104.
  
  
• Enlarged Course Materials: When the student requires course materials in an enlarged format, it is his or her responsibility to acquire the materials which need enlargement. A recommendation must be obtained from Disabilities Services regarding the source for enlargement.
  
  
• Brailed Course Materials: The student will be assisted by a student employee in translating course materials assigned by instructors. Disabilities Services is responsible for the hiring of the assistant, and the ATIC (Adaptive Technology for Information and Computing) Lab on campus will provide the equipment and training. The student with the disability will be responsible for delegating assignments to the student employee.

Instructional Aids and Services Note takers

MIT Disabilities Services employs a peer note taking system. Disabilities Services' accommodation letter, delivered by the student, through written notification, will inform the instructor that a student may need assistance in selecting a note taker.

The student with a disability will attempt to find someone in the class to take notes for him or her. If s/he does not succeed, the student may ask the faculty member to announce in class that there is a need for a note taker. Faculty members should protect the student's right to privacy by not offering her/his name to the class.
Faculty can direct interested student note takers to contact Disabilities Services staff (3-1674 or dso-www@mit.edu). Disabilities Services will provide a list of prospective note takers to the student with a disability, who can then contact these individuals and assume responsibility for engaging one as a note taker. Students choosing to become note takers are paid by Disabilities Services at an hourly rate.

Disabilities Services can assist the student by providing tips on selecting an appropriate note taker. However, it is the student's responsibility to monitor note takers for accuracy and timely delivery of notes. Any discrepancies should be reported to Disabilities Services immediately. If a student needs assistance in this process, s/he should feel free to contact Disabilities Services staff (3-1674 or dso-www@mit.edu).

If the student cannot find or maintain a note taker and the faculty member has made "a good faith effort" to facilitate the finding of one, it need not be the role of faculty to then assume this responsibility for making sure that the student has a note taker. Some faculty do assume this responsibility, but doing so is their choice.
Student note takers are paid by the Disabilities Services for their services. Once a note taker is obtained, s/he should e-mail Disabilities Services staff ( dso-www@mit.edu) for payment procedures.

It is mandatory that students using note takers attend class. Note takers are not a substitution for the student's attendance. If a student is unable to attend class for an extended period of time, the note taker as well as Disabilities Services must be notified. Failure to do so may result in losing note taking privileges as a person with a disability who can't attend classes (even occasionally) may not be otherwise qualified to take the class.