Accommodation Letters for Professors: Disabled Student Development staff will discuss your classroom needs with you and then, upon request, provide you with letter(s) of introduction and a general description of your disability for your teachers. These letters will also include recommendations for appropriate classroom and testing accommodations.

Testing Accommodations: Test administration may be modified or adapted for students with disabilities when appropriate. Such accommodations may include extended time, alternate location, assistance of a writer, use of a word processor, large print, or oral administration. Recommendations for accommodations are made by the DSD Director. Students and teachers may make any arrangements for testing accommodations which are fair to the student and to the class requirements. A very good option for testing accommodations is the program administered by the Learning Center of University College (North Quad 323). If a student and teacher decide to utilize the Learning Center, contact can be made with them at 285-8107, or more information is available from DSD.

Use of Tape Recorders: Students with disabilities who are unable to take or read notes have the right to tape record class lectures for their personal study only. Lectures taped for this purpose may not be shared with other people without the consent of the lecturer. Should questions arise concerning the use of a tape recorder in the classroom please contact DSD for a copy of the Tape Recorded Lecture Policy Agreement.

FM Infrared Audio Systems: The Disabled Student Development office works with the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology to introduce students to hearing enhancement systems. Contact the Disabled Student Development office for further information.

Video Captioning: Your teacher(s) can work with Educational Resources (5-5334) and the University Teleplex (5- 2766) to possibly arrange for a captioned or transcript format. To that end, please make sure that you convey your needs to your instructors early in the semester.

Equipment Loan/Repair: In addition to the equipment listed in the Adaptive Computer Technology brochure, the Disabled Student Development Office loans wheelchairs, push sticks, and canes on a short term basis. Minor repairs can be made for tape recorders and wheelchairs with the only charge being for parts.

Auxiliary Services: Auxiliary services are those which assist students in meeting needs specifically related to their disability. These services are approved by the Director after reviewing the appropriate medical and/or diagnostic material. Auxiliary services include: Notetaker Services, Taped Textbook Services, Scanner/Reader Services, and Sign Language Interpreting Services. For more information on these services than is printed below, please contact the Office of Disabled Student Development.

Notetaker Services: For those for whom notetaker service is appropriate, the DSD Office will assist in the recruitment, matching, and/or referral of notetakers. Notetakers take lecture notes and review these notes for clarification, when requested. Notetakers are either from outside the class or recruited by the student and teacher from within the class. Requests for notetaker services (and a copy of your schedule) must be provided in writing with ample lead time, preferably at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the semester.) Notetakers for Vocational Rehabilitation clients are paid for by VR; for others, by Ball State. Supervision of notetakers is the primary responsibility of the student. Please notify the DSD office if you are experiencing problems, and we can assist you.

Taped Textbook Services: Disabled Student Development will help students obtain taped textbooks from Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D) the first semester on campus. Thereafter, students will be provided instructions concerning how they can order taped texts. DSD recommends that the student get his/her own account with RFB&D. However, if the student does not have an account with RFB&D, DSD will order the taped texts for you on our institutional account. DSD has information on how you can become a member of RFB&D, or you may consult the website which is linked above.

Taped texts from RFB&D are played on four-track cassette players. (Four-track cassettes are longer playing cassettes.) Initially, DSD can loan you a four-track player. However, you will be expected to purchase your own. You may purchase a four-track player from one of the following companies:

American Printing House for the Blind
(800) 223-1839
Independent Living Aids
(800) 537-2118
Lighthouse International
(800) 829-0500
Long's Electronics
(800) 633-3410
LS&S Group
(800) 468-4789
Maxi Aids
(800) 522-6294
Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic
(800) 221-4792
Sight Connection
(800) 458-4888

Scanner/Reader Services: When textbook materials are unavailable from RFB&D or the student has classroom material he/she needs read, students may request reader services from the director of DSD. Readers read the material to cassette tape (with or without the student present.) If the student would prefer the material to be put onto disk so that the student can later listen to it using a speech output device on a computer, DSD can find someone to scan the material onto disk.

Sign Language Interpreter Services: Interpreters are available upon request. Disabled Student Development does not train or evaluate the interpreters who provide this service. Requests for interpreter services must be made well in advance due to the limited number of interpreters in this area of the state.

Course Substitutions: Ball State works with its students with disabilities to identify reasonable and appropriate accommodations and auxiliary aids so that students can have the opportunity to be successful in their academic work.  Such accommodations must be balanced against not changing the essential elements of a course in a substantial manner.

In the very rare cases where there are no reasonable accommodations within the framework of a course, students with disabilities may request a course substitution. The important considerations in making this determination would be:

• documentation prepared by an appropriately licensed professional that is clear, comprehensive, age-appropriate, and indicates how the disability interacts with the course requirements;
• demonstration that accommodations within the framework of the course had been appropriately considered; and
• the availability of a substitute course that would provide an experience that would meaningfully approximate the original requirement.
  

A preliminary request must be made to the Disabled Student Development office which would then work collaboratively with the proper academic unit to determine how essential the course is to the major or degree and if the request is reasonable.