WVU’s faculty and staff are a vital part of a student's accommodation team. Disability is a dimension of diversity, and OSA welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with faculty to foster an inclusive learning environment for all Mountaineers.
A Notification of Authorized Accommodations is the official notice from our office to you of a student’s authorized accommodations. These accommodation emails identify the specific academic accommodations for an individual student. They are accompanied by a Guidance Document that provides additional information about implementing the accommodations in your classroom.
These emails are sent automatically to your official WVU MIX email. However, you can locate accommodation letters for all students in your assigned classes by going to accessibilityservices.wvu.edu, clicking SAMM, logging in under faculty, and clicking Accommodation Letters.
You should sign the accommodation letter upon receipt. By signing the letter, you attest that you have received the student's authorized accommodations, have read the accommodation letter, and are are aware of your responsibilities as the instructor of the course (outlined in the electronic accommodation letter). Faculty do not have to have a discussion with students prior to signing the letter. Your signature is merely an acknowledgement of receipt and intent.
Additional course instructors should also receive an accommodation letter. It is the responsibility of the primary instructor to ensure that all instructors (i.e., visiting instructors, coordinators, co-teachers, etc.) receive and sign a copy of the accommodation letter.
Authorization emails may come at different times throughout the semester. While we encourage students to request accommodations at the beginning of the semester, students can register with our office and request or renew their accommodations throughout the semester.
If a student experiences new access barriers during the semester, they may request different accommodations, which can result in receiving an updated accommodation letter later in the semester.
Faculty are asked to sign their accommodation letter within 7 days, following the first day of the semester. In cases where the letter is received after the start of the semester, faculty should sign their accommodation letter within 7 days of receiving it. In these instances, accommodations only apply to the course moving forward and are not applied retroactively to work that has already been completed.
Under many circumstances, faculty will be able to simply implement accommodations using the guidance provided in our accommodation descriptions without having to meet with the student or with minimal interaction.
However, there may still be circumstances that would complicate implementation or require additional discussion. In those cases, faculty should make themselves available to students who wish to discuss how their accommodations will be implemented in the classroom. These discussions can occur via email, Zoom, phone, or in person.
Among these options, OSA recommends email, when possible, as this offers the benefit of privacy/confidentiality, and creates a written record of the discussion, should questions arise later. If faculty and student meet face to face, via phone, or via Zoom, then faculty are encouraged to take notes and follow up via email afterward to create a written record of what was agreed upon.
We understand that you may not be able to implement some accommodations until the student has reached out. Otherwise, accommodations must be implemented within 7 days of receiving this letter and/or the first day of class.
If you have questions or concerns about any of the student’s authorized accommodations, reach out to OSA right away. If you feel an accommodation impedes the technical standard of your course or program, you should contact OSA to discuss your concern before denying the accommodation. Through the interactive process, the accommodations and standards can be discussed to determine if the accommodation is inappropriate in the specific class. Alternative accommodations can also be discussed at this time.
OSA may also be in touch with you to coordinate the specifics of implementing certain student access needs (e.g., Sign Language interpreting, Live or closed captioning, Braille, etc.). This may happen before you receive an official Notification of Authorized Accommodations. Given that translating/formatting/captioning documents and course media can be time-consuming processes, we often reach out in advance of the semester to begin collecting materials in courses where we know a student will be making a request. Under those circumstances, it is reasonable to communicate with OSA directly and to begin making provisions for services in the upcoming semester, even though you have not yet received an official notification of accommodations email yet.
We thank you in advance for your support in ensuring access to University programs! If you have additional questions, please consult our Faculty FAQ page and/or contact us.