SAS Message Regarding COVID-19 05.26.20
Is Student Accessibility Services open?
- Student Accessibility Services (SAS) remains open Monday thru Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
- SAS is no longer holding in person meetings but can communicate with students via phone or virtual WebEx meetings.
- SAS is currently scheduling virtual meetings for all incoming students and students new to our services. During June, SAS wants to connect to incoming students to ensure that their accommodations are ready to go in August.
Is the Exam Accommodations Center open?
- The Exam Accommodations Center (EAC) remains open by appointment only Monday thru Friday, 9:00 a.m - 3:00 p.m.
- Hixson-Lied Student Success Center will be locked at all times beginning 3/18/2020. Please call to arrange an appointment, if needed.
- EAC is currently proctoring exams by appointment as needed
Student Information
What are protocols for students with disabilities during this time?
SAS will remain open following the above hours of operation. There will, however, be temporary procedures implemented to limit exposure to illness:
- Phone appointments and virtual meetings are available to students
- Hand sanitizer, tissues, and disinfecting wipes are available in every office and at the front desk
- Avoid contact with infected persons by staying 6 feet away or more
- Avoid touching your face, mouth or eyes
- Electronic submission of paper documents, forms, and requests instead of paper as much as possible
- Unscented disinfecting wipes will be used to clean the Exam Accommodations Center after each exam in the room.
- Unscented disinfecting wipes will be used in the SAS and EAC offices for doorknobs, keyboards, and edge of desks every hour
Students with Compromised Immune Systems:
- Contact our office to discuss your specific situation and any additional accommodation needs, e-mail accessibility@iastate.edu or call 515-294-7220
What if I experience access barriers to my online course?
We understand that online courses may not automatically include all the access needs for every student, though the SAS is working with campus partners and the administration to ensure Canvas accessibility for online courses. If you experience barriers to accessing your online classes, please reach out to SAS immediately (e-mail accessibility@iastate.edu or call 515-294-7220). Here are some additional resources:
- Screen overlays are useful to limit visual fatigue and onset of headache/migraine
- Take frequent breaks from the computer to reduce eye strain and fatigue
- If you find the amount of text on the screen overwhelming, use this free app to break up the text to make it easier to read.
- If you need a free screen reader for support with a visual impairment, try Non-Visual Desktop Assistant to assist in navigating your courses
- If you use Kurzweil text-to-speech to read exams, you may download the web browser extension for Chrome or Firefox to read Canvas-based exams
For more suggestions or additional support, e-mail accessibility@iastate.edu or call 515-294-7220
Faculty Information
How do faculty provide Remote Access?
- If you are a faculty member attempting to prepare for transition to an online course through Canvas, please follow steps outlined on CELT's Course Continuity in Response to COVID-19 webpage
- If a Deaf or Hard of Hearing student identifies they need captioning, transcription, or interpreting support, please contact us immediately at accessibility@iastate.edu or 515-294-7220
How do I provide exam time extensions in Canvas?
- Please consult this Canvas resource for information on how to extend time of exams for an individual student
- If a student needs to make up an exam or reschedule an exam due to a disability-related absence, you can find information here about how to provide an exam deadline extension in Canvas
How do I make my online course accessible?
If you are moving your course online and need assistance or tools to make your Canvas course accessible please consult: