Disability Support Services (DSS) collaborates with the University community to create accessible educational environments for students with disabilities. For faculty, we are your resource and collaborator in ensuring that academic accommodations and services provide student equity and access.
When and How to Refer Students to DSS
If a student discloses to you that they have a diagnosis that is affecting their participation, please regard it as confidential information and encourage the student to contact DSS.
If a student hasn’t disclosed to you that they have a disability but you suspect they may need DSS support, provide them with various campus resources including DSS. Other campus resources can include the Center for Counseling and Student Development and the Office of Academic Enrichment.
Disability Statement for Syllabi
All instructors are encouraged to include a disability statement on their course syllabus. This statement introduces the university’s accommodation process, creates a collaborative vehicle for making legally-mandated accommodations, and helps to build a positive and welcoming environment for students with disabilities.
Example
Any student who may need an accommodation based on a disability should contact the Office of Disability Support Services (DSS) as soon as possible. For more information, please visit Getting Registered at DSS.
Contact DSS by phone: 302-831-4643; fax: 302-831-3261; website: www.udel.edu/dss; email: dssoffice@udel.edu; or visit 240 Academy Street, Alison Hall, Suite 130 during business hours (8-5 M-F).
What Happens When a Student Seeks Help
Students who register with DSS will work with an Accommodation Coordinator to determine the functional impact of their diagnosis. Accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis using an interactive process.
Students registered with DSS are responsible for sending their faculty notification letters. DSS encourages all students to speak to their instructors about accommodation implementation.
All Students Benefit When Materials are Well Designed and Accessible to Everyone
DSS provides guidelines to help faculty and staff create communications that are useful across a range of individual abilities and are in compliance with ADA standards. These resources are rooted in the Principles of Universal Design and further informed by our work with University of Delaware students.
DSS will continue to work with students who are registered with our office to provide alternate formats as they are needed. Most platforms (Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Adobe, Canvas, etc.) have built-in accessibility checkers.
- UD Accessibility website has information on how to make websites, documents, social media, and more accessible to your audiences.
- Access University courses include “Digital Accessibility 101” and “Introduction to Section 508” along with other valuable topics.
- Questions about Canvas or Ally can be directed to: canvas-info@udel.edu.
Thank you for your commitment to student access and support of our ADA compliance.
Syllabi and Digital Documents
- Create the document in Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Adobe InDesign or another program that will allow you to Save As a PDF. Do not scan documents or print to PDF; that text cannot be extracted.
- Use your program’s Heading functions to specify the hierarchy and reading order of your text.
- Clearly and concisely state your expectations in writing. What is being discussed and when? What work is required of the reader, and when are the specific due dates / deadlines?
- Provide any changes to your information in writing, as far in advance as possible so that any necessary arrangements for alternative document format can be made.
- Open your document in Adobe Acrobat, ensure that you can select text, and run the program’s accessibility checker.
- Review common document mistakes and how to fix them.
Print Materials
Provide materials digitally when possible, as far in advance as possible so that any necessary arrangements for alternative document format can be made. Verify that your design choices have adequate color contrast online or using the UD colors cheat sheet. Clearly and concisely state your expectations in writing. What is being discussed and when? What work is required of the reader, and when are the specific due dates / deadlines?
Websites
- Clearly and concisely state your expectations in writing. What is being discussed and when? What work is required of the reader, and when are the specific due dates / deadlines?
- Check for common website mistakes and review your accessibility score in SiteImprove.
- Visit WebAim.org for additional training on designing accessible digital content
Face To Face
- Announce changes to your class or event digitally in advance; a note on the door does not work for all.
- Begin your interaction with a summary of information to be covered, or provide a written outline for your time together, and proceed sequentially.
- Minimize distractions in the environment and discourage others from interfering with support animals or equipment.
- Use a microphone when possible.
- Read aloud what is on a board or overhead, or on any visual aid that was not provided in advance.
- Provide all assignments in writing.
- End your interaction with a review of major points.
Digital Accessibility Resources
- WebAIM(link is external): a site with a mission “to empower organizations to make their web content accessible to people with disabilities”
- Web Accessibility Tutorials(link is external): A helpful resource for meeting WCAG 2.0 accessibility standards, published by the W3C
- Center for Teaching & Assessment of Learning
- WAVE Accessibility Evaluation Tool(link is external): WebAIM’s accessibility checker can automatically detect some accessibility issues on any site.
- Tips for Delivering an Accessible Presentation (link is external)
- UD Accessibility Website
- Academic Technology Services