Students With Disabilities

Notes to Faculty

This section is to provide information for faculty regarding the policies and procedures of the Learning Center and Disability Services.  The LCDS staff also encourages faculty to consult “Frequently Asked Questions for Faculty.”  If faculty have questions or concerns, (s)he is encouraged to contact a staff member.

Faculty Referrals and Recommendations

The LCDS relies on faculty to find the finest SXU students to serve as peer tutors.  Know a student in your discipline who would be an asset to the peer tutoring team?  Stop by the Learning Center to get a recommendation form or click on the link below.

While many students seek out academic assistance from the Learning Center on their own, faculty members are encouraged to refer students who may need tutoring for a specific subject or with general writing. 

Faculty members who would like to refer a student may fill out one or both of the referral forms below.  Completed forms should be returned to the Director or Assistant Director of the Learning Center.

Disability Services at SXU

Saint Xavier University is committed to providing equal access and reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities as defined under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. 

The Learning Center and Disability Services (LCDS) works closely with students and faculty providing services and academic assistance to students with documented disabilities.   
Specific accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis by the Director of the LCDS utilizing the required documentation and individual consultation with the student.  Upon request, the LCDS will notify individual faculty members of the student’s need for accommodations.
Depending on the nature of the disability, there are many types of accommodations.  The LCDS utilizes four categories of disabilities:

  • Medical (Mobility, Vision, Hearing, Health, Developmental, TBI, etc.)
  • Psychiatric
  • Learning
  • ADD/ADHD

The LCDS has disability verification forms for each specific disability.  Each registered student must have his or her health care professional complete a disability verification form.
Please make note that it is the student’s responsibility to discuss specific accommodation needs with their professor at the beginning of each semester.


For more information, contact the Director of The Learning Center and Disability Services at (773) 298-3308.

Procedures for Requesting Accommodations

  • Students seeking academic accommodations should contact the Director of the LCDS at (773) 298-3308 or stop by L-109B.  The student will be given a disability verification form to be completed by his or her health professional.  The verification form, along with a copy of the most recent medical report and/or evaluation documenting the existence of a specific disability, should be delivered, mailed, or faxed to the Director of the LCDS.  Documentation shall be recent, preferably within the last three years, and should have been compiled by an appropriate licensed professional, e.g., psychologist, psychiatrist, learning specialist, physician, etc.
  • The student has an obligation to provide appropriate and verifiable documentation in a timely fashion. 
  • If it is necessary for the LCDS to confer with the health care provider(s) or other professional(s) to determine the appropriate accommodation, a release will be requested from the student.
  • No accommodations will be made that fundamentally alter the content, nature, or requirements of a course.
  • Accommodations are determined by examination of documentation provided by the student and through consultation with the individual student.

Under Section 504, personal attendants, individually prescribed devices such as wheelchairs, readers for personal use or study, or other devices or services of a personal nature are excluded as mandated academic adjustments.  Personal needs that necessitate an attendant are the responsibility of the student.  Requesting such services from non-trained, random individuals can be a safety threat to both the student with a disability and the individual who is providing the assistance.  The University cannot assume the liability of the risk involved.

Syllabus Statement

Students feel more comfortable approaching faculty members if they perceive that there is an accepting environment.

Examples of the statements you could use that help establish this environment might include:
“Policy for Students with Disabilities: If you need adaptations or accommodations because of a disability (learning disability, attention deficit disorder, psychological, physical, etc.) Please make an appointment with the Director of The Learning Center and Disability Services (L-109B). Accommodations will not be honored without proper paperwork registered with The Learning Center and Disability Services. Accommodations are the responsibility of each student."

“Policy for Students with Disabilities: If you have documentation pertaining to a learning disability on file in The Learning Center and Disability Services, you are expected to bring proof of that documentation to me. Documented Learning Disabilities, according to section 504 of The Americans with Disabilities Act, will be honored. Without proper documentation, it will be difficult to support your needs. Please consult the Director of The Learning Center and Disability Services (L-109B) with any questions you might have."

Testing Procedures

The University has established a successful testing procedure that has been in place for three years. The LCDS only provides testing accommodations and does not serve as a testing center for the university.  Only students who have testing accommodations as a part of their accommodation plan can test in the LCDS.

Any accommodation presented for the purpose of testing gained knowledge needs to be discussed between student and professor. A testing form is provided to the student by the the Learning Center and Disability Services and should be presented to the professor at least one week before the scheduled exam.

Professors should deliver the completed form (middle section) along with the test at least one day before the exam. The wishes of the professor will by honored by the Learning Center and Disability Services.

Emergency Evacuation Procedures

The Learning Center and Disability Services strives to ensure the safety of all SXU students, especially those who have physical disabilities.  As a result, the LCDS collaborates with faculty and Public Safety to coordinate evacuation procedures for persons with disabilities.
 

A copy of the Emergency Evacuation Procedures for Persons with Disabilities can also be obtained in the LCDS.

Resources

Amen, D.G. (1995, July). Windows into the adult ADD mind. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Association on Higher Education and Disability, San Jose, CA.
Hallowell, E.M., & Ratey, J. J. (1993) Driven to Distraction. Cincinnati, OH: Tyrell & Jerem Press.
Hallowell, E. M., & Ratey, J. J. (1994). Answers to Distraction. Cincinnati, OH: Tyrell & Jarem Press.
Quinn, P. Q. (Eds.) (1994). ADD and the College Student: A guide for High School and College Students with Attention Deficit Disorder. New York: Magination Press.

Saint Xavier University, 2004-2005 Undergraduate Catalog, Student Services, First-Year Programs, page 32-33.

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