Accessibility Services

Implementing Accommodations

Lourdes strives to ensure equal access to programs and facilities, provide reasonable and appropriate auxiliary services, and improve the understanding and support of the campus community

Implementing Accommodations

Once you have documented your disability with the Director of Accessibility Services, you will need to meet with the Director at the beginning of each semester to identify the academic adjustments that you will need and to discuss how the adjustments will be implemented.

Adjustments are not implemented automatically after the first semester because you will change, and you will respond to your courses differently as your courses change. Therefore, your needs, your ongoing academic growth, and the requirements of particular courses determine academic adjustments. Lourdes does not provide attendants, individually prescribed devices, readers for personal use, or other devices or services of a personal nature.

Notifying the Instructor

If your disability will affect your classroom performance, we recommend that you speak directly with your professor; for you have the best knowledge of your disability and how it affects your classroom performance. Such a meeting will begin a dialogue on how you and your professor can work together to meet your learning needs and academic requirements throughout the semester. While academic adjustments, tutoring, and support classes can meet specific needs, your interactions with your instructors will be the most helpful in meeting the requirements of the courses. You will also be responsible for delivering your academic adjustment letters to your professors personally each semester.

Special Test Taking Environment

Some disabilities require that you take your exams under special conditions, such as in a distraction-free environment or with extended testing time. Special conditions may be implemented under your professor’s supervision or with the assistance of the WIN Center. It is your responsibility to make arrangements with both your professor and the WIN Center to take your exam.

Audio Books

Audio books can be very helpful to students with learning disabilities and/or visual impairments. The best resource for audio books is Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D). Lourdes has an institutional membership, so audio textbooks can be provided free of charge to the student. To order your books in a timely fashion, leave your request with the Director of Disability Services as soon as you are registered for classes. If the audio books are not available from RFB&D or if other coursework must be read, please inform Disability Services so that the reading can be accomplished locally. In some cases, if a book is not available on audio, Disability Services can provide reading services for audio or scan the book to CD with permission from the publisher. You are responsible for the purchase of any book to be placed on audio or CD by Accessibility Services.

Note Takers

Note takers

If your disability requires the services of a note taker, your professor will be asked to assist in locating that service person. Discussion with your note taker about your particular needs may result in notes that are more helpful. A note taker, however, is only required to provide a copy of the notes to you. Also, the note taker is not a substitute for failing to attend class. Failure to attend class could result in the cancellation of note taking assistance.