Instructor Responsibilities

Using an Accessible Syllabus is an essential place to begin to ensure student access.

Why should I ensure that my syllabus is accessible?

• Ensuring that course material is accessible provides diverse learners with the means and opportunity to obtain information in ways that meet their individual needs. 

• An accessible syllabus is formatted to allow a screen reader to turn text into speech for students with print-related disabilities (blind, low vision, reading comprehension, processing, various learning disabilities).

• Your syllabus outlines course rules and expectations. A clear, well-organized syllabus can help students understand what is expected of them and gives them a way to organize their time and workload. 

• Accessible course material is required by federal law under Section 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

There is a built-in accessible syllabus template in Canvas for you to use. 

• This template is designed to cover content particular to your course.

• Based on LBCC's recommended syllabus content, the template is divided into sections that can be rearranged, removed, or modified to fit your course and teaching style. 

• The syllabus includes common language and serves as a guideline for you. Be sure to read each section and change the language to fit your course needs.

• Adjust heading language and content to fit your course.

• It is preferable to use sans-serif (Arial, Tahoma, or Helvetica) font, size 12-14, for readability while formatting your course syllabi. 

Reference the College Syllabus in your Course Syllabus

• There is a separate College Syllabus built into Canvas that is also accessible and designed to provide consistent language about LBCC's College Policies and Student Resources.

• It is highly recommended that you:

  1.  Include a link to the College Syllabus in your own Course Syllabus

  2.  Move the College Syllabus to be directly under your Course Syllabus in the Canvas menu for your course.

  3. Talk about the College Syllabus during your first class period.

Other Helpful Tips

• It is a good Universal Design practice to post your syllabus and all other printed materials online to ensure access in a variety of formats. 

• Review Digital Accessibility at LBCC for more information on how to make accessible documents. 

• If you have any additional questions about document accessibility, please email formata@linnbenton.edu or submit materials for an accessibility audit to Accessible Roadrunner Submissions. 

Faculty Notification Letters are emailed to the instructor on record after a student requests their accommodations. 

The letter lists the student’s approved accommodations and includes links and other information to help facilitate the accommodations.  

Please keep in mind, not all accommodations listed in the letter may apply to your class:

• This is particularly true for online and virtual classes.

• Students can request accommodations as soon as they register for classes.

  • They often “check all the boxes” and request all their accommodations at this time.

  • This can occur weeks prior to classes beginning or having access to the syllabus.

• Some accommodations are for notification only and do not require you to do anything (i.e. E-Text, OERs Provided in Print, Adjustable Table, Ergonomic Chair, etc.).

• We recommend reaching out to the student to acknowledge the receipt of the Faculty Notification Letter.

You are not expected to be an expert in facilitating accommodations:

• This guide is a great resource.

• The student’s assigned Accommodation Specialist listed in the notification letter is a support for you and we encourage collaboration to ensure equitable access for the student. 

• Communicating directly with the student about their accommodations and how they function/learn/test best is highly recommended.

Faculty and Students should communicate with each other EVERY TERM regarding the details of how accommodations will work in each particular class.  

• Students need to identify which accommodations they want to use, and when.

  • Students can request accommodations but choose not to use them

  • Students may only need accommodations in certain situations (i.e. need assistive technology for writing essays but not for multiple choice tests).

• Accommodations may not apply to all classes

  • Universally designed classes typically do not need accommodations.

  • Students may inadvertently request accommodations when they are not needed in a class (i.e. a volunteer note taker is not needed when class notes are already provided by the instructor, or the class is an asynchronous online class with no live lecture).

• Some accommodations require coordination and/or communication plans between the student and the instructor.

  • Students need to know certain details in order to plan ahead (i.e. how much time the rest of the class will get for a test to plan for their extra testing time, or what items they can use on the test).

  • Communication plans between the student and the instructor are required in advance of using certain accommodations (i.e. flexibility for attendance, flexibility for assignment deadlines, memory aids).

Even though it is recommended that this conversation is initiated by the student, faculty are encouraged to invite students to have a conversation about their accommodations if the student does not.

• It may be a difficult conversation for the student to initiate for a variety of reasons, (i.e. embarrassment, anxiety, unfamiliarity with the process, memory issues, communication disorder, etc.).  

• You might consider inviting the student to “check-in” with you during your office hours.

  • The same invitation might be extended later in the term if you know the student to be struggling and not using their accommodations.

This should be a collaborative conversation between you and the student about how the applicable accommodations can be met in your course. 

• It should be a private conversation through an in-person meeting, over Zoom, or through email for online classes. 

• Conversations should occur within the first week or two of the term, or shortly after receiving the Faculty Notification Letter if services are approved or accommodations requested later in the term. 

  • New accommodation plans can be approved up through the end of week 9 each term.

  • Some students choose not to use accommodations until later in the term or not at all.

  • Students with approved accommodations can request them at any point during the term up through the end of week 10.

Please reach out to the student’s Accommodation Specialist listed on their Faculty Notification Letter should you have any questions or concerns regarding how a student's accommodations may or may not work in your class.

• If you do not know who the Accommodation Specialist is, or would like help with a student who may not yet be connected to our office, please contact our office.

• We are happy to clarify and collaborate on how best to work with a particular student, as well as help determine what would be considered reasonable when working with unique situations.