Many students with documented disabilities request academic adjustments to facilitate their classroom learning. DRS advisers prepare general-purpose letters for each individual student who needs such a service. These adjustments frequently involve extended time for test administration, tape-recording or note taking in class, sign language interpreter service, or consideration for medically-related absences. Students are still responsible for completing all academic requirements regardless of their disability.

Students are asked to meet with their instructors and discuss the recommendations listed in their academic adjustment letters. They must request electronic copies of these letters at the beginning of each academic year. DRS staff strongly encourage students to have face-to-face meetings with instructors to present a print copy to you.

In view of the individual differences among course requirements and varying teaching methods, we realize that occasionally, a few recommendations may need to be adjusted for certain situations.  We encourage you and the student to have an open discussion to explore situations where alternative means of providing reasonable accommodation can be agreed if a proposed recommendation does not work.  

DRS does offer ways to help instructors with needed academic adjustments, including the availability of test proctoring and reader (text conversion) services. Please refer to our test proctoring procedures, if you would like DRS to proctor an exam for a student with a disability. If you have questions, we invite you to call 215-204-1280 for details.

Since information about disabilities and related accommodations are considered confidential, instructors are urged to respect student privacy.  We encourage your discrete conversation to focus on the academic adjustments and accommodations, not the nature of the specific disability itself.