• What is a Notification Letter?

    Notification letters are your official notice of accommodations, approved by our office, for a student in your class. After a student generates their Notification Letter for your course, you will receive their letter via a link sent to your email. These letters state the accommodations students have requested for your course for the noted semester.

    The college, faculty, and staff are obligated under the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities.

    Learn more about why we implement accommodations on campus: Click here!

    • I received a Notification Letter; what do I do now?

      1. Review the official accommodation request using your Accommodate Portal 

      2. Sign the Notification Letter to let us know that you have read the letter and are aware of the accommodations, as well as the responsibilities of both you and the student

      3. Wait for the student to reach out to you. They should initiate the conversation with you about how the accommodations will be implemented in the classroom. This may be done through email, phone, or in person.

      4. Collaborate with the student and our office to implement the accommodation in a timely manner.

    The staff is awesome. Without people like them, it would be so much more stressful to implement accommodations.

    Instructor using SAS & EAC Services

    Feasibility and Timing of Requests

    Implementation

    Please view a student's accommodation letter as a conversation starter to determine how best to provide an accessible learning environment. If you have other ideas regarding creating access for your course beyond what is listed in this letter, we encourage you to speak with the student to explore alternative modifications. Instructors are encouraged to utilize the Accommodation Planning Tool (linked below) to help facilitate that conversation. 

    Note:  It is important to never deny a student's accommodation request without first consulting with our office.

    Concerns about Feasibility

    If you have any concerns about the feasibility of an accommodation in your course, please contact us and we will engage in the interactive process. We want to learn more about your course design and collaborate on a plan that works for everyone. We also encourage you to consult with CELT to discuss course design, learning objectives, and reasonable access options.

    Note: Instructors are not required to substantially alter course requirements or instructional design as an accommodation but must promptly contact SAS if they believe the accommodation is unacceptable within the context of their course.

    Timing of Requests

    Students can register with SAS and/or request accommodations in a course at any time during the semester. However, students are expected to make proactive requests within a reasonable timeframe to give adequate notice (typically one week) to the instructor. Accommodations are designed to be implemented at the point of request moving forward.

    Note: Retroactive accommodations are typically only given at the instructor's discretion. We encourage you to consult with us when considering retroactive requests.

    Syllabus Statement

    Iowa State University is committed to advancing equity, access, and inclusion for students with disabilities. Promoting these values entails providing reasonable accommodations where barriers exist to students’ full participation in higher education. Students in need of accommodations or who experience accessibility-related barriers to learning should work with Student Accessibility Services (SAS) to identify resources and support available to them. Staff at SAS collaborate with students and campus partners to coordinate accommodations and to further the academic excellence of students with disabilities. Information about SAS is available online at www.sas.dso.iastate.edu, by email at accessibility@iastate.edu, or by phone at 515-294-7220.

    Still have questions?

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