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<p>Hopefully your spring semester is off to a great start.&nbsp; Below is&nbsp;a list of frequently asked questions related to accessibility and&nbsp;remote/online learning. &nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Q: </strong>What is an <strong><em>Accommodation Letter</em></strong>?</p>

<p><strong>A:</strong>&nbsp; Students are responsible for the distribution of their Accommodation Letters to their instructors each semester.&nbsp; The purpose of an Accommodation Letter is to notify faculty of the student&rsquo;s approved accommodations.&nbsp; When reviewing accommodations it is essential that both student and instructor connect to identify the specific accommodations the student will be utilizing for that particular course.&nbsp; This creates a common understanding between the instructor and student.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Q:</strong>&nbsp; Do all accommodations listed on an Accommodation Letter apply to my class?</p>

<p><strong>A:</strong>&nbsp; Accommodations approved for an in-person class, may not apply to an online class.&nbsp; Begin by having a conversation with your student and contact Disability Services for additional assistance.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Q: </strong>How do I accommodate a student taking an online course who has been approved <strong><em>extended test time</em></strong>?</p>

<p><strong>A:</strong> Faculty have the ability to adjust the allotted test time for students approved either time-and-a-half or double exam time within Blackboard.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Q:</strong> How do I accommodate my student approved <strong><em>&ldquo;Tests Read&rdquo;</em></strong> for quizzes/exams?</p>

<p><strong>A:</strong> The accommodation &ldquo;Tests Read&rdquo; permits students to use assistive technology during their tests/quizzes.&nbsp; The primary text-to-speech program used at MCC is Kurzweil 3000 (Read the Web extension).&nbsp; Each student approved this accommodation is provided with the instructions on how to download this free program.</p>

<p>For additional assistance, you may click on the following link for a video tutorial on how to install this software: <a href="https://www.kurzweiledu.com/kurzweilacademy/video.html?id=272793981&amp;tab=getting-started">https://www.kurzweiledu.com/kurzweilacademy/video.html?id=272793981&amp;tab=getting-started</a></p>

<p>Click on the following for a text version on how to install this software:<a href="https://www.kurzweiledu.com/files/pdf/2018shared/rtw_getting_started_guide.pdf">https://www.kurzweiledu.com/files/pdf/2018shared/rtw_getting_started_guide.pdf</a></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Q: </strong>What if I use &ldquo;<strong>Respondus Lockdown Browser</strong>&rdquo; or &ldquo;<strong>Respondus Monitor</strong>&rdquo; through Blackboard will my student be able to access Kurzweil?</p>

<p><strong>A:</strong> No, Kurzweil will NOT work; however, we recommend your student tries another screen reader software, NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access), which is a free screen reader available&nbsp;for Windows/PC. For downloading instructions, please visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nvaccess.org/download/" target="_blank">NVDA website</a><strong>.</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Q: </strong>What if my student is approved &ldquo;<strong>Tests Read</strong>&rdquo; and I use a <strong>third party vendor</strong> for exams/quizzes?</p>

<p><strong>A: </strong>Begin by working with your student approved &ldquo;Tests Read&rdquo; in advance of any exams/quizzes to ensure access.&nbsp; When an exam (or any course material) is housed within Blackboard, the Kurzweil 3000 Read the Web extension is compatible.&nbsp; If you are using another platform in Blackboard during quizzes/exams, MCC does not directly support third party vendors, therefore it is recommended that you contact the vendor directly to troubleshoot any accessibility issues.&nbsp; The vendor may have solutions on ways to support with Kurzweil 3000 Read the Web extension and/or NVDA to interface with that platform.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Q:</strong> How do I accommodate my student approved &ldquo;<strong>Note-Taking Assistance</strong>&rdquo; in an online/remote course?&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>A:</strong> The College does not hire note-takers, below are suggestions on ways to support your student approved &ldquo;Note-Taking Assistance&rdquo; in the online/remote setting:</p>

<ul>
<li>Provide electronic versions of your lecture notes, transparencies, PowerPoint presentations etc.</li>
<li>Assign students to teams and rotate responsibility for each team to create a complete set of notes for posting each week (This approach has the added benefit of having students work in teams and share accountability for each other&rsquo;s learning.)</li>
<li>If the class is lecture-based, provide students with guided notes. Guided notes can be used for lectures, audiovisual presentations, or readings.</li>
<li>Record your ZOOM lectures to the &ldquo;cloud&rdquo; and offer the recording and/or transcript to all students.&nbsp; For further information, please visit the ZOOM website: <a href="https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/203741855-Cloud-recording">https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/203741855-Cloud-recording</a></li>
</ul>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Q: </strong>What if my student is approved the accommodation of <strong>flexible attendance/deadlines</strong>?</p>

<p><strong>A: </strong>For students with chronic conditions which are episodic in nature, there may be periods of time that impact their attendance. The purpose of this reasonable accommodation is to ensure access and this extends to providing flexibility to ensure students with disabilities are not disproportionately penalized for exacerbations of their condition, as their condition may be unpredictable and inevitable despite ongoing health and time management practices. Disability Services staff collaborate directly with faculty and students to ensure student access, while maintaining the essential academic requirements of each course. If faculty need assistance with the Flexible Attendance/Deadline Agreement please contact Disability Services.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>For additional assistance, please contact Disability Services at <a href="mailto:disabilityservices@monroecc.edu">disabilityservices@monroecc.edu</a>. Also, please refer to our &quot;<strong><em>Faculty Resource Guide: Supporting Students with Disabilities</em></strong>&rdquo; available within MyMCC -- Faculty Essentials -- Faculty Resources.</p>

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MCC Daily Tribune

Disability Services - Accommodation Q&A

 

Hopefully your spring semester is off to a great start.  Below is a list of frequently asked questions related to accessibility and remote/online learning.  

 

Q: What is an Accommodation Letter?

A:  Students are responsible for the distribution of their Accommodation Letters to their instructors each semester.  The purpose of an Accommodation Letter is to notify faculty of the student’s approved accommodations.  When reviewing accommodations it is essential that both student and instructor connect to identify the specific accommodations the student will be utilizing for that particular course.  This creates a common understanding between the instructor and student.  

 

Q:  Do all accommodations listed on an Accommodation Letter apply to my class?

A:  Accommodations approved for an in-person class, may not apply to an online class.  Begin by having a conversation with your student and contact Disability Services for additional assistance.

 

Q: How do I accommodate a student taking an online course who has been approved extended test time?

A: Faculty have the ability to adjust the allotted test time for students approved either time-and-a-half or double exam time within Blackboard. 

 

Q: How do I accommodate my student approved “Tests Read” for quizzes/exams?

A: The accommodation “Tests Read” permits students to use assistive technology during their tests/quizzes.  The primary text-to-speech program used at MCC is Kurzweil 3000 (Read the Web extension).  Each student approved this accommodation is provided with the instructions on how to download this free program.

For additional assistance, you may click on the following link for a video tutorial on how to install this software: https://www.kurzweiledu.com/kurzweilacademy/video.html?id=272793981&tab=getting-started

Click on the following for a text version on how to install this software:https://www.kurzweiledu.com/files/pdf/2018shared/rtw_getting_started_guide.pdf

 

Q: What if I use “Respondus Lockdown Browser” or “Respondus Monitor” through Blackboard will my student be able to access Kurzweil?

A: No, Kurzweil will NOT work; however, we recommend your student tries another screen reader software, NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access), which is a free screen reader available for Windows/PC. For downloading instructions, please visit the NVDA website.

 

Q: What if my student is approved “Tests Read” and I use a third party vendor for exams/quizzes?

A: Begin by working with your student approved “Tests Read” in advance of any exams/quizzes to ensure access.  When an exam (or any course material) is housed within Blackboard, the Kurzweil 3000 Read the Web extension is compatible.  If you are using another platform in Blackboard during quizzes/exams, MCC does not directly support third party vendors, therefore it is recommended that you contact the vendor directly to troubleshoot any accessibility issues.  The vendor may have solutions on ways to support with Kurzweil 3000 Read the Web extension and/or NVDA to interface with that platform.

 

Q: How do I accommodate my student approved “Note-Taking Assistance” in an online/remote course? 

A: The College does not hire note-takers, below are suggestions on ways to support your student approved “Note-Taking Assistance” in the online/remote setting:

  • Provide electronic versions of your lecture notes, transparencies, PowerPoint presentations etc.
  • Assign students to teams and rotate responsibility for each team to create a complete set of notes for posting each week (This approach has the added benefit of having students work in teams and share accountability for each other’s learning.)
  • If the class is lecture-based, provide students with guided notes. Guided notes can be used for lectures, audiovisual presentations, or readings.
  • Record your ZOOM lectures to the “cloud” and offer the recording and/or transcript to all students.  For further information, please visit the ZOOM website: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/203741855-Cloud-recording

 

Q: What if my student is approved the accommodation of flexible attendance/deadlines?

A: For students with chronic conditions which are episodic in nature, there may be periods of time that impact their attendance. The purpose of this reasonable accommodation is to ensure access and this extends to providing flexibility to ensure students with disabilities are not disproportionately penalized for exacerbations of their condition, as their condition may be unpredictable and inevitable despite ongoing health and time management practices. Disability Services staff collaborate directly with faculty and students to ensure student access, while maintaining the essential academic requirements of each course. If faculty need assistance with the Flexible Attendance/Deadline Agreement please contact Disability Services.

 

For additional assistance, please contact Disability Services at disabilityservices@monroecc.edu. Also, please refer to our "Faculty Resource Guide: Supporting Students with Disabilities” available within MyMCC -- Faculty Essentials -- Faculty Resources.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aubrey Zamiara
Counseling Center & Disability Services
02/01/2021