Section 4

Registered students should be familiar with those policies that apply to their particular accommodation needs. The Center may change, alter, or modify policy at any time. If so, students will be notified by U.S mail or University of Arkansas e-mail address of policy changes. It is therefore IMPERATIVE that students keep their contact information up to date at the Center. The following are synopses of the major policies of the Center for Educational Access (more detail is distributed to the student when the applicable accommodation is approved.)

Test Accommodations

Student Guidance: Accommodated Testing

Access to Lecture Content

Audio Recording of Class Lectures

Students who are eligible to audio record class lectures as an accommodation must purchase their own recording device, and ensure that it does not disrupt the class lecture or other students.

Students who audio record lectures as an accommodation must not sell, redistribute, copy, or divulge recorded material.

Receiving Copies of Peer Notes

Note-taking services require the student with a disability to communicate with the Center, and with the note-taker. The student with the disability will use notes for personal study purposes only, and must not sell, redistribute, copy, or divulge class notes provided as an accommodation.

The Role of a Note-taker

The role of the note-taker is to provide a digital copy of their typed notes or handwritten class notes for a student(s) with a disability by uploading them via their CEA Student Profile. In doing so, the note-taker facilitates equivalent access to class information available to all students, with or without disabilities. It is not acceptable for a note-taker to refer a student with a disability to NoteHall or any other paid service for a copy of their notes.
Note-taking services are supplemental and are not meant to be instructional. Students with disabilities should not use note-taking services as their sole means of study for the course. Class attendance, participation in class discussions, course readings, handouts, a student’s own class notes, and discussions with the instructor, together constitute essential elements of study for a course.
Students with disabilities should not request the note-taker to engage in roles that are unrelated to note-taking. Note-takers are not responsible to “re-teach” the material to the student or to engage in a “tutoring” (or other) relationship with the student.
The student with a disability requests official Faculty Notification Letters from the Center by logging into their CEA Student Profile. Select “note-taker” as an accommodation for those classes in which you will need a note-taker. You may not need a note-taker in some classes such as online courses, practicums, drills, clinicals, studios and labs or when materials/resources are provided that are considered equivalent to a note-taker (PowerPoints, instructor notes, class recordings, etc.) Assess your needs before requesting note-takers. (You can always modify your request by checking or unchecking the note-taker box.) Peer notes may not be reasonable or appropriate when materials/resources are provided that are considered equivalent to a note-taker. Examples include but are not limited to PowerPoints, instructor notes, and class recordings.

The Process of Securing a Note-taker

1. Request Faculty Notification Letters

A student with a disability must first request official Faculty Notification Letters from the CEA by logging into CEA Student Profile. Select “note-taker” as an accommodation for those classes in which the student with a disability will need a note-taker.

2. Confirm note-taker requests.

A student with a disability must confirm note-taker requests in each class it is requested before recruitment of a note-taker begins.

1. Log into CEA Student Profile
2. On the left-side navigation, click the "Note-taking Services" link.
3. Click "Confirm Now".

3. Discuss accommodations with instructors.

The student with a disability is responsible for discussing accommodation needs with instructors of the courses when the Faculty Notification Letter is delivered. Please inform the instructor that an email will be sent from CEA if their help is needed to recruit a note-taker. (We may already have a volunteer in the course.)

4. CEA contacts instructors if necessary to secure a note-taker.

After the student with a disability has requested Faculty Notification Letters and confirmed need for a note-taker, the CEA will email instructor(s) with an announcement to recruit a note-taker unless we already have a volunteer or the student with a disability has chosen a note-taker. In this case, email ceanotes@uark.edu to let us know and have the note-taker sign up through CEA Student Login. The instructor may personally identify a class note-taker in lieu of making the announcement. After the delivery of the Faculty Notification Letter (and discussion with the student) the instructor may read the announcement to the class, post the announcement on Blackboard or email it to the class roster to recruit a note-taker.

NOTE: Want to be a note-taker? Students who are interested in being a note-taker should sign up via CEA Student Login. Click on note-taker login. Enter UARK email and password. Click “Sign Up as a Note-taker” and complete the online information. Note-taker volunteers do not need to go to the instructor. The CEA will select a volunteer and the student with a disability will receive an email when a note-taker has been assigned.

5. Check for uploaded notes.

The student with a disability is responsible to log into CEA Student Profile to check for uploaded notes by clicking on the note-taker link to the left. The student with a disability may contact the note-taker and discuss with the note-taker how notes will be provided if there is a problem with uploaded notes. Alternatives are emailed notes or copy of notes, or carbonless note-taking paper. The CEA prefers that notes are uploaded or delivered immediately following class, whenever possible.

6. If the student with a disability does not receive notification of an assigned note-taker within two class periods of the class announcement, the student should contact the CEA office at ceanotes@uark.edu to inquire if a note-taker has volunteered. If no volunteer has come forward, the CEA office will contact the instructor and ask that the announcement be made again to the class.

7. The student with a disability is responsible to maintain contact with the CEA office regarding note-taker status and/or if any problems occur by emailing ceanotes@uark.edu or calling 479-575-3104.

8. Students are also encouraged to record class lectures (as applicable) so lecture content can be accessed and reviewed (see #3, below).

Attendance

Students who receive copies of peer notes are required to attend classes (notes are supplemental in nature and are not intended to replace or substitute for class attendance).
Students who miss more than three classes without discussing their situation with a Center staff member may forfeit their right to continue to receive class notes.
Note-takers are not obligated to provide notes for classes of which the student has missed.

Concerns

If the student with a disability does not receive notification of an assigned note-taker within two class periods of the class announcement, the student should contact the Center’s office at ceanotes@uark.edu to inquire if a note-taker has volunteered. If no volunteer has come forward, the Center office will contact the instructor and ask that the announcement be made again to the class.
Students have the right to be assigned a new note-taker if the volunteer is not providing timely or adequate notes. In this case, the student is encouraged to contact the Center as soon as possible so alternative arrangements can be made.

The student with a disability is responsible to maintain contact with the Center regarding note-taker status and/or if any problems occur immediately by emailing ceanotes@uark.edu or calling 479-575-3104.

Interpreters

More detailed guidelines for students who use Sign Language Interpreters, Transliterators or Transcriptionists are available at the Center for Educational Access and on its website. The following are general guidelines for students:

Students who use American Sign Language Interpreters must register with the Center and request this accommodation at least 4 weeks in advance of the semester starting in order to ensure adequate interpreter coverage for classes
Students must contact the Center via e-mail at ceaterps@uark.edu, text 479-871-9185, or call 479-575-3104 through a relay service at least 24 hours in advance if the student knows ahead of time that they are going to miss class.
Students must arrive within the first 15 minutes of class (for classes under 90 minutes) or within the first 30 minutes of class (for classes over 90 minutes), or the Interpreter will leave and the student will be assessed a “no-show”.
If the student accumulates more than 3 “no-shows” or failures to notify the Center of impending absences, the provision of Interpreters will be suspended until the student meets with one of the Center staff to discuss their situation.
Every effort will be made to accommodate student requests for Interpreters for other academic-related meetings and appointments (e.g., meeting with an academic advisor). However, at least 48-hours notice is requested to ensure the Center staff is able to thoroughly inquire with local Interpreters about their availability.

Interpreter services needed to access a University-related activity or program (other than academic related needs) should be requested through the organizer of the activity or program as far in advance as possible.

Receiving Accessible Course Documents

Students who receive accessible course documents (textbook/document conversion) are asked to register for courses during the advanced registration period and to place completed orders to the Center for Educational Access document conversion lab within 2 weeks of registration.

Students request textbook/document conversion via CEA Student Profile by selecting “Accessible Course Documents: Textbook/Document Conversion" as an accommodation on their Faculty Notification Letter request.

Conversion of other course materials (such as a download) are requested through the following process:
Log into CEA Student Profile
In left-side navigation, click “Accessible Course Documents”
ForEACHitem, complete “Additional Book or Reading Materials” section
Digital file should be immediately sent to cealab@uark.edu.
Student are to contact cealab@uark.edu to set up a time to meet regarding the hard-copy material.

Students are required to purchase or rent a copy of each text requested and to provide proof of ownership for each text they request to be converted. Students should request their texts from the Customer Service area of the University Bookstore if they are not currently available on the shelves, and let the Document Conversion Lab Manager know that the books are on order (student still needs to pick them up). If the hard copy textbook is needed for conversion, the student will be notified.

Even if you are still waiting on books to arrive through the Bookstore, students are encouraged to submit their requests so conversion may begin on their course materials. Requests are processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

If a student’s schedule changes (courses added or dropped), he/she MUST notify the CEA Lab Manager immediately for changes to be made. Student is responsible for:

Canceling Faculty Notification Letter requests for any courses which are dropped, and
Requesting Faculty Notification Letters for courses which are newly added.

Students are invited to make an appointment with the Associate Director - Assisitve Technology to discuss new software options available or best options to meet their needs.

Any loaned materials or equipment from the Center or other organizations must be returned in good working order to the Center at the end of the semester in which it was checked out. If not returned, a hold may be placed on the student's account until such time that items are either returned or CEA is reimbursed for the cost of equipment.

Advanced Registration

All undergraduate students who have registered and remain on active status with the Center for Educational Access and are currently registered in UA courses or were registered in UA courses the previous semester are eligible to schedule their classes for upcoming semesters on the first day of advanced registration for that term. Advanced registration does not apply to graduate students, law students, students with ‘temporary’ disabilities, or those who are full-time employees.

Students are strongly advised to take advantage of this accommodation, to create a schedule that best meets their needs (i.e., classes at good times of the day, in optimally accessible locations, allowing for extended test time, etc.).

Students are notified of this date via their University of Arkansas e-mail address each semester.

Students are encouraged to contact their academic advisor for assistance with course scheduling PRIOR to this date (note: In some college, several weeks’ notice are needed to see an advisor, so early appointments are encouraged).

Typewell Transcription Services

Students who are eligible to receive transcription as an in-class accommodation are required to appropriately utilize the service while in class (i.e., either sit next to the transcriptionist to view their computer screen or utilize another laptop to view course content in another location within the class). The same applies for remote transcription services.

Students are required to regularly attend class and to be timely (within the first 15 minutes of a 90 minute course or the first 30 minutes of a course over 90 minutes). If a student needs to miss class (i.e., because of illness), they must notify the Center via text message at 479-871-9185, email ceaterps@uark.edu, or call 479-575-3104 through a relay service as soon as possible. More than three absences (or excessively late) without notification to the Center will result in suspension of the service pending a student meeting with a Center staff member.

Students will receive a copy of the transcribed course lecture via upload into their CEA Student Profile if they attended class and are to use the transcribed course lecture for their own study purposes, and will not sell, redistribute, copy, or divulge any material without the consent of Center staff.

Assistive Listening Devices

Students must submit requests for ALD’s at least 2 weeks prior to the start of a semester at the University to allow the Center staff to access the appropriate type of device for students’ needs.

Students check out units and appropriate accessories for each academic semester and are responsible for their security throughout the semester. Students are also responsible to immediately report any malfunctions with the unit to the Center for repair. Units and accessories are to be returned at the end of semester for maintenance. Failure to return units may result in a hold on the student's account until the issue is resolved.

Course Substitutions

Pursuant with Academic Policy Series 1520.10, the University recognizes that in some cases, substitution of courses that would not fundamentally alter the curriculum or program of study is an appropriate accommodation for students with disabilities.

Students are encouraged to discuss this need with a Center staff member early in their academic career in order to determine if this is a reasonable request, and to guide the student through the University process.

Policy for Review of Personal Records

Students may review the information contained in their file at the Center for Educational Access, in accordance with the Family Educational rights and Privacy Act.

Students are asked to schedule an appointment with a Center staff member to discuss file contents during regular business hours.

Housing/Dining Accommodations

Housing and Dining Accommodations Page

Other Policies

In some cases, students may be eligible for accommodations that are not reasonable in every situation, based on specific course or curriculum requirements. These are reviewed each semester with the student, and individualized instructions on the appropriate means to access such accommodations (if deemed reasonable for the particular term and courses in question), as well as the limits of the requested accommodations, are communicated to the student.