Faculty and staff information

You are not alone when it comes to accommodating students with disabilities; neither are you expected to be an expert on disabilities.  Call on Educational Access Services (EAS) to request help, to get answers to questions, to raise concerns, or to get clarification on Mesa State's policies and procedures relating to students with disabilities.   The design and implementation of disability-related accommodations is a collaborative process involving the student, EAS, and, often, the faculty member.

There are four main implications regarding the laws governing disability-related services in higher education.

• Students with disabilities must meet the same admission standards as other students.
• Once admitted, they have the same rights to all programs and facilities and are eligible to receive reasonable accommodations that relate to their disability.
• They have a right to confidentiality of all disability-related information.
• Students with disabilities are responsible to meet the same academic standards as other students. While students may receive some reasonable accommodations intended to mitigate the educational impact of their disabilities, these accommodations should not water down the curriculum, alter the standards for performance nor waive any course or class activity that provides students with essential knowledge or skills.

Faculty and Staff Handbook

Exam Accommodations Manual

EAS Syllabus Statement

Online testing accommodations

Online students with documented disabilities may be eligible for extra time on tests, books in alternate formats, and other accommodations. If you know you have a student with a disability in your online class who may need accommodations, contact the EAS Coordinator to discuss.

Extended time for online assessments procedures

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies may reduce or eliminate the need for some individual accommodations in many cases; however, individualized accommodations will be necessary for some students with disabilities. More information on UDL can be found at the ACCESS Project.

Asperger Syndrome

Asperger Syndrome is a term used when an individual has some features of autism but may not have the full blown clinical picture. Some people with Asperger's syndrome are very successful and until recently were not diagnosed with anything, but were seen as brilliant, eccentric, absent minded, socially inept, and a little awkward physically.  More students with Asperger Syndrome are attending Mesa State and other college campuses.  These students may not identify themselves to EAS and may not require any formal accommodations.  Faculty may need background information on Asperger Syndrome to better teach and understand these students.

Understanding Asperger Syndrome: A Professor's Guide (12-minute video)

My Semester with an Asperger Syndrome Student