Flexibility accommodations allow a student to miss class or turn in assignments late without penalty. The need for this type of accommodation must be related to a documented disability.

Students with disability-related access barriers who are requesting accommodations will follow the established process for requesting accommodations:

1. Completing a New SDC Student Application
2. Contacting the SDC to set up an appointment
3. Engaging in the interactive accommodations process
4. Submitting relevant documentation, as needed.

Definitions

The SDC recognizes that instructors use different terminology to describe components of their courses. For the purpose of these accommodations, we will use the following definitions.

• Exam/quiz: An assessment that is designed to be completed in one sitting without interruption, and is scheduled to start and end at specific times with a set amount of time in which to complete the assessment.
  • Example: The exam is scheduled from 1:00-1:50, and students have 50 minutes to answer 30 questions.
• At-home exam/quiz: An assessment for which students have a window of time to start and submit the assessment. Once the exam has been started, it is designed to be completed in one sitting without interruption.
  • Example: students are given seven days to take a 30-minute, 15-question quiz.
• Assignment/project: An activity or assessment for which students are given a window of time to complete. The activity/assessment does not need to be completed in one sitting and can be worked on as much and as often as the student likes within that window.
• • Example: Students have two weeks to write an essay.
  • Example: Student is given one week to complete a take home exam.

Accommodation Procedures 

If flexibility accommodations are approved the following process will occur:

Deadline Extensions

1. 1. Students will log on to their SDC Student Portal to send their accommodation letter to their instructor. The accommodation letter will provide details as to how much flexibility needs to be provided to the student regarding assignment deadlines.
   2. The student and instructor need to develop a communication and logistics plan for when the accommodation will be used. Either party can be the one to initiate this dialogue.
   3. When the student needs to use the accommodation, they will inform the instructor of this. This needs to happen within the timeframe of the extension window. Ideally, this should happen prior to the deadline, and there may be disability-related reasons that prevent the student from communicating before the deadline. As long as the student communicates within the extension window, the accommodation needs to be provided.
   4. The instructor will provide the accommodation.
   5. If any questions or concerns arise, the student and/or the instructor will contact the SDC as soon as possible to inform them of the questions or concerns. The SDC staff will assist in answering any questions or resolving any concerns that arise.

Flexibility with Attendance

1. 1. Students will log on to their SDC Student Portal to send their accommodation letter to their instructor. The accommodation letter will provide details as to how much flexibility needs to be provided to the student regarding assignment deadlines.
   2. The student and instructor need to develop a communication and logistics plan for when the accommodation will be used. Either party can be the one to initiate this dialogue.
   3. The student will inform the instructor when they are using their accommodation. This needs to happen in a reasonable timeframe. Ideally, this communication should occur before class, and there may be disability-related reasons that prevent the student from communicating prior to class. In most cases, the communication needs to occur before the next scheduled class session.
   4. The instructor provides the accommodation.
   5. If any questions or concerns arise, the student and/or the instructor will contact the SDC as soon as possible to inform them of their questions or concerns. The SDC staff will assist in answering any questions or resolving any concerns that arise.

Accommodation Provisions 

Deadline Extensions

• Accommodations are only in place from the date on the SDC accommodation letter through the end of the semester. Faculty are not required to provide accommodations retroactively (prior to the date on the SDC Accommodation letter).
• Any additional flexibility beyond what is listed on the SDC accommodation letter is at the discretion of the instructor.
• Deadline extension accommodations are only to be used for disability-related reasons. Faculty do not have to provide the accommodation if it is not for disability-related reasons.
• Students should not be asked to provide documentation for the need to use their accommodations, other than the SDC accommodation letter.
• Deadline extensions apply to the date the assignment was due. 
  • In instances where the instructor changes the due date to provide more time to the entire class, the extension will apply to the updated due date.
  • In instances where the instructor provides a grace period in which an assignment can be turned in after the due date with out penalty, this grace period is considered part of the extension window. 
    • For example, if an assignment is due on Friday at noon, and students can have until Saturday at noon to turn in the assignment with out penalty; this would sufficiently meet the accommodation of a 1-day deadline extension. If a student had a 2-day deadline extension, the student would be given until Sunday at noon to turn in the assignment without penalty given their accommodation.
• Deadline extension accommodations do not apply to exams/quizzes that are taken in class or on a scheduled date.
• For exams/quizzes that are given a window of time to be completed in (e.g. seven days to take or complete an exam) deadline extension accommodations do apply.
• Deadline extension accommodations do apply to assignments due at the end of the semester. If the extension window extends beyond the end of the semester, the instructor should give the student an incomplete in the course until the end of the extension window.

Flexibility with Attendance

• Accommodations are only in place from the date on the SDC accommodation letter through the end of the semester. Faculty are not required to provide accommodations retroactively (prior to the date on the SDC Accommodation letter).
• Any additional flexibility beyond what is listed on the SDC accommodation letter is at the discretion of the instructor.
• Attendance flexibility accommodations are only to be used for disability-related reasons. Faculty do not have to provide the accommodation if it is not for disability-related reasons.
• Students should not be asked to provide documentation for the need to use their accommodations, other than the SDC accommodation letter.
• Students are responsible for making up any in-class work they miss on a day they use their attendance flexibility accommodation. Thus, faculty will need to provide students with the information they miss and/or opportunities to make up any missed in-class work.
• If a student needs to use this accommodation for an exam/quiz date, the instructor needs to provide the student with an alternate date to take the exam/quiz.

Fundamental Alteration

If a faculty member believes that flexibility accommodations will create a fundamental alteration to the essential objectives of their course, they must engage with SDC’s fundamental alteration process to determine whether this is a fundamental alteration. Until a determination has been made through this process, the accommodation needs to be provided to the student. If it is determined that an accommodation needs to be adjusted, that will be communicated to the student by the SDC.