Getting Help for Students

Classroom Services

FAQs About Disabilities From Faculty at the Academy of Art University

What, exactly, is a reasonable accommodation?

    A reasonable accommodation is intended to ease a functional limitation which will allow a student equal access to a program of study so that he/she is competing on a level playing field.

    Think of eyeglasses as an accommodation for a visual impairment. People wear eyeglasses because they need assistance with their visual limitations. Similarly, a student with dyslexia and slow processing speed gets extra time on tests, while students who are deaf need a sign language interpreter to relay communication between them and the hearing world. Interpreters, extra time, and other reasonable accommodations allow people with the disability to function on a level playing field with others.

Which disabilities does the Academy serve?

    Most of the students that we serve have a learning disability, which may affect them in a variety of different subjects. Other disability types that are in our caseload include medical/ mobility, attention (ADD/ADHD), psychiatric, visual and hearing. These disabilities all have different diagnostic criteria, which will in part determine the accommodations that they are eligible for.

The student won’t receive accommodations such as extended time in the working world, so why should he or she get this accommodation in school?

    Legally speaking, because of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, individuals may qualify for reasonable accommodations in the work force.

Other than giving accommodations to a student with a learning disability, how else can I help a student who discloses that he or she has a disability?

    Ask the student what you can do to help him or her.
In addition, you may also talk to Vicky Garcia since she reviews students’ documentation and is familiar with their strengths and weaknesses.
If the student has not been diagnosed, refer him or her to Classroom Services on the second floor of 180 New Montgomery. Classroom Services provides referrals within the community for educational and psychological support for students who believe they may need intervention.

What resources are available to me if I have questions or concerns?

    Please feel free to call Classroom Services at 263-7742 if you have an issue with one of the accommodations. The administrative assistant will refer you to one of the following people:

   Sarah Estes Classroom Services Manager
   Vicky Garcia Educational Therapist