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Policies and Procedures

Confidentiality and Release of Information

Disability Access Services (DAS) views all materials pertaining to a student's disability as confidential. This policy is based upon government mandates regarding the confidential treatment of disability-related information. Any written material obtained by DAS is used to verify the disability, plan for appropriate services, and document services and contacts with this office.

Following are the guidelines used by DAS regarding disability-related information:

  • All disability-related information for students at Oregon State University is housed in one location, which is in the Disability Access Services office.

  • All disability-related information is kept in separate files for each student and housed in secure file cabinets.

  • Only authorized personnel working at DAS have access to these files.

  • Disability information may be released only when a student has signed a ?Release of Confidential Information? form, giving written permission.

  • The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), also known as the Buckley Amendment, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), do not allow faculty access to disability-related information. According to the Association on Higher Education and Disabilities (AHEAD), ?Disability-related records provided by a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or other recognized professional are not subject to free access under FERPA.? In addition, according to AHEAD, ?It is only necessary to share with the faculty the information that a student has a documented disability and the need for accommodation(s).? Faculty has no need to know the nature of the disability, ?only that it has been appropriately verified by the individual (office) assigned this responsibility on behalf of the institution.?

  • When necessary, faculty and academic departments will be involved if accommodations pertain to course content or academic requirements. Submitting an online request for services gives DAS permission to contact your professors to notify them of the services you are eligible to receive. Direct ongoing involvement of the DAS staff and/or brief consultations with the staff may be required.

  • A student may request to review the contents of his/her own file. This must be done with staff present. All information in the file is the property of DAS.

  • A student may request a copy of the documentation of his/her disability; however, DAS will not forward documentation which originated with another institution or professional.

Students' Rights and Responsibilities

The Rehabilitation Act and the ADA require that no qualified person shall, solely by reason of disability, be denied access to, participation in, or the benefits of, any program or activity operated by the University. Each qualified person shall receive the reasonable accommodations needed to ensure equal access to employment, educational opportunities programs, and activities in the most integrated setting.
Students with disabilities have the RIGHT to:
  1. An equal opportunity to learn. If the location, delivery system, or instructional methodology limits your access, participation, or ability to benefit, you have a right to reasonable alterations in those aspects of the course (or program) to accommodate your disability, as long as it does not fundamentally alter the nature of the program or activity, lower academic standards, present an undue financial or administrative burden on the university, or pose a threat to personal or public safety.

  2. You have a right to an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the academic community. This includes access to services, extra-curricular activities, housing, and transportation at a comparable level as that provided to any student.

Students with disabilities shall be RESPONSIBLE for:
  1. Submitting appropriate documentation of a disability from an appropriate professional prior to receiving requested accommodations.

  2. Providing documentation that demonstrates how the disability affects a particular delivery system, instructional method, or evaluation criteria when requesting accommodations.

  3. Meeting and maintaining the University's fundamental academic and technical standards.

  4. Collaborating with DAS to assist with obtaining accommodations. Identifying themselves as needing accommodations in a timely fashion to the Disability Access Services department (DAS). In addition to registering with the DAS office, students with disabilities must register the CRN numbers of their classes online, early enough for the DAS office to arrange accommodations. The guideline below states the minimum amount of notice our office needs to arrange accommodations.

  5. Meeting with their professors and other service providers to discuss accommodations. Information about the disability is confidential. Anonymity is not guaranteed.

Timeline

If a request is submitted after the relevant deadline, DAS will make every reasonable effort to accommodate the request but cannot guarantee that such a request can be met. Untimely requests may result in delay, substitutions, or denial of accommodation.


Type of Service Time Required
Interpreting, Real-time Captioning, Real-time Transcribing, Video Captioning, Classroom Relocation, E-Text, and Braille materials Immediately upon registration.
At least six (6) weeks prior to the beginning of the new term.
Notetaking Services Upon registration or one (1) week prior to the new term.
Alternative Testing Students need to complete the Alternative Testing Contract with their professor before the end of the second week of the term. A contract needs to be created for each class that testing is needed in.
No exceptions will be made for late requests.

Notification Times:

Quizzes and Mid-terms - Seven days' notice

Finals - Two weeks' notice
Laboratory/Library Assistance Immediately upon registration.
Accessible University Housing A minimum of two (2) months' notice prior to the beginning of the term.

Academic Support Services

In determining appropriate accommodations, the student and DAS's Director will meet to discuss which academic support services the student is eligible to receive. Academic support services include but are not limited to the following:

Making Requests in a Timely Manner
As long as no qualified person with a disability is excluded from a program because of lack of appropriate services, such support need not be on hand at all times. In order to ensure sufficient time to make provisions for appropriate auxiliary aid(s) in a timely manner, the student must submit their CRN numbers online within the appropriate time frame (see Student Responsibilities).