Outcomes of Audit Courses

Introduction

WSU ROAR students participate in university-level coursework through audit enrollment, allowing them to engage meaningfully in academic learning without the pressure of formal grading. These experiences are intentionally aligned with each student’s personal, academic, and career goals. By understanding their learning plans and offering a welcoming classroom environment, faculty help foster a space where all students can contribute, grow, and thrive.

Why Audit Courses?

Audit enrollment is a central part of the WSU ROAR program, providing students with the opportunity to participate fully in college-level coursework without the pressure of earning a grade. ROAR students engage with course content, peers, and faculty in ways that align with their individualized learning goals and long-term aspirations.

• Build academic confidence

• Strengthen college and career readiness skills

• Practice self-advocacy and independence

• Engage meaningfully with their campus community.

Each student’s learning plan includes specific objectives, such as developing time management skills, note-taking strategies, effective communication, or group collaboration. These goals are supported by ROAR staff and academic coaches and are intentionally aligned with the content and expectations of the courses students audit.

Audit participation offers an inclusive pathway into higher education that reflects each student’s strengths and interests. Students choose courses based on their academic and professional goals, gaining exposure to college learning in a way that promotes growth, motivation, and belonging. Research supports the benefits of inclusive postsecondary environments in fostering holistic student development, including in areas such as health, employment, and interpersonal relationships (Butler et al., 2016).

WSU faculty play a vital role in supporting this learning by welcoming students as full participants and engaging with them as they pursue meaningful, purpose-driven academic experiences.

Faculty Partnership and Participation

Your role as an instructor is essential in helping WSU ROAR students grow in confidence, academic skill, and connection to the university community. We deeply appreciate your partnership in creating inclusive learning environments where all students can thrive.

While our goal is to minimize additional responsibilities for faculty, we also recognize and value the meaningful impact of your engagement with ROAR students. Here’s what you can anticipate when a ROAR student audits your course:

No Grades or Full Assignment Completion

Students in audit courses are not earning credit, which means their participation may look different from that of their degree-seeking peers. They may not complete all assignments, tests, or projects, as their focus is on skill-building rather than academic achievement.

Grading and Assignments

ROAR students are enrolled as audit students, which means they do not receive formal grades or academic credit. Some may not complete every assignment, exam, or project. Their focus is on developing key academic and personal skills aligned with individualized learning goals.

Instead of grades, ROAR students are evaluated based on their engagement in the course. Faculty can keep the following areas in mind:

• Academic Engagement: Are they actively listening during lectures, taking notes, or attempting assignments?

• Personal Growth: Are they showing improvement in time management or advocating for themselves when they need support?

• Classroom Participation: Are they coming to class on time or engaging with peers?

At the midterm and end of the semester, ROAR students sit down together with our staff to make these evaluations. We may reach out to you for any insights on their growth over the semester. 

Some students are exploring or preparing for a degree-seeking pathway and may request to fully participate in your class. If this is something you're open to, great! If it is not feasible, the ROAR team will provide feedback and alterantive evaluation. We respect your teaching load and appreciate your collaboration.

Flexible Expectations

Faculty may notice that assignment submissions from ROAR students sometimes differ in format, length, or frequency. These adaptations are thoughtfully co-developed by the student and ROAR staff to align with the student’s learning goals while honoring the structure of your course.

For example, if your course includes a five-page research paper, a ROAR student may work toward a shorter version that demonstrates effort and understanding. In a class with two weekly assignments, a student might focus on completing one—an approach that supports meaningful participation without becoming overwhelming.

These individualized approaches are part of the student’s learning plan and are not intended to create extra work for instructors. If you ever have questions or ideas, we welcome your collaboration.

Attendance

Here is a more inclusive, asset-based revision that maintains your original message while avoiding language that may unintentionally other ROAR students:

At WSU ROAR, attendance is a key part of each student’s individualized learning plan. Students often set goals to attend 90% to 100% of their scheduled classes each week (allowing for ROAR appointments, illness, or otherwise). This reflects our shared commitment to developing strong habits around presence, time management, and accountability, skills that matter in both academic and workplace settings.

Students are encouraged to contact instructors directly via Canvas or email when they need to miss class. Even if attendance is not required in your course, we ask students to practice professional communication and responsibility by notifying you in advance.

Students may need time and support to build consistent routines. We guide them in using calendars, setting reminders, and managing health-related absences. If you notice that a student seems to be missing class, arriving late, or struggling to stay engaged, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’ll follow up and work collaboratively with the student and their academic coach to offer support.

In larger or lecture-based courses, we recognize it may not be realistic to monitor individual attendance. That’s okay! Any observations you’re able to share are welcome, but we do not expect you to track anything beyond your typical classroom routines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Audit courses provide WSU ROAR students with meaningful opportunities to explore academic interests, build confidence, and develop college and career readiness skills. As faculty, your inclusive practices and flexibility help create a welcoming learning environment where all students can thrive. Your partnership supports student success and strengthens WSU’s commitment to inclusive excellence.

Resources and Further Reading

The Dignity of Risk is the belief that taking reasonable risks is a human right, and presents opportunities for learning as students navigate increased independence in college. This means that WSU ROAR students have the same right as traditional students to take risks (such as walking around on campus, trying assignments, or raising their hand in class) and learn from the natural consequences. For students who struggled with academics in high school, they may feel uneasy engaging in an academic setting ("What if I fail?" or "What if my teacher calls on me and I don't know the answer?"). Taking risks and learning from them is how our students grow. Sometimes this means that ROAR students will fail before they fly, which is critical for their growth in academic and self-management skills.

Citations

Butler, L. N., Sheppard-Jones, K., Whaley, B., Harrison, B., & Osness, M. (2016). Does participation in higher education make a difference in the life outcomes for students with intellectual disability? Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 44(3), 295-298. https://doi.org/10.3233/JVR-160804

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