Essential Faculty Information
The information below can assist faculty and staff in partnering with SAS to create an accessible and inclusive environment for individuals with disabilities.
Purpose of the Accommodation Process
Understand more about the fundamental goal of nondiscrimination and equitable access.
What Faculty Need to Know about the Course Accessibility Letter
Important information about the Course Accessibility Letter emailed every semester.
Faculty Resources for Creating Accessible Course Materials
Course accessibility strategies and resources provided by the Office of the Provost.
Syllabus Statement
The accessibility statement for your syllabus is incorporated into the Simple Syllabus tool. Simple Syllabus is a centralized, template-driven platform that enables instructors to quickly personalize and publish interactive class syllabi directly within Webcourses@UCF (Canvas).
Here is the recommended statement used within Simple Syllabus:
The University of Central Florida is committed to providing access and inclusion for all persons with disabilities. Students with disabilities who need access to course content due to course design limitations should contact the professor as soon as possible. Students should also connect with Student Accessibility Services (SAS) (Ferrell Commons 185, sas@ucf.edu, phone 407-823-2371). For students connected with SAS, a Course Accessibility Letter may be created and sent to professors, which informs faculty of potential course access and accommodations that might be necessary and reasonable. Determining reasonable access and accommodations requires consideration of the course design, course learning objectives and the individual academic and course barriers experienced by the student. Further conversation with SAS, faculty and the student may be warranted to ensure an accessible course experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
Many students come to SAS based on a referral from a professor. If the student mentions specific academic concerns, such as needing more time for exams or challenges with concentration, let them know about SAS and our resources. If unsure if SAS is the right place, you can also mention CAPS and SARC or other options based on circumstance.
When referring to SAS, we recommend saying something along the lines of “SAS will determine if any accommodations are reasonable for you.” It is critical to not promise upfront that you will facilitate certain accommodations upon SAS approval. Many students who come to SAS do not have disabilities or they request accommodations that are not reasonable to their situation. Advance promises can create significant problems.
Students can receive accommodations at any point in the semester. However, for some accommodations, it may not be reasonable for it to be applied right away since time may be needed to implement.
No, faculty do not have to retroactively apply accommodations prior to receiving a Course Accessibility Letter or other contact from SAS but may choose to do so at their discretion.
Reach out to SAS directly to discuss any accommodation concerns you may have. We are happy to help faculty talk through if an accommodation may not be reasonable in a specific course. Be sure to consult with SAS first before denying the student the accommodation.
Students with disabilities as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). SAS is not able to assist students for whom English is a second language or who may be facing difficult life circumstances unrelated to a disability.
Students are informed they must notify course instructors of the intent to use extra time for any online test or quiz at least two days prior to each assessment. Professors may choose to proactively program the extra time before receiving student notification or may choose to wait for the student to make a formal request.
Instructions on how to extend time for tests and quizzes can be found at: https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/webcourses/guides/quiz-extensions/
More information on how to add accommodations to Honorlock can be found at: https://cdl.ucf.edu/support/webcourses/guides/honorlock/
