Accommodations Policy for Distance Education Accommodations Policy for Distance Education
Distance education programs receiving 107 funding must follow these steps for
identifying and preparing for students with disabilities who require reasonable
accommodation. If you have any questions about this policy, please contact Jason Morningstar at 843-5192 or jason_morningstar@unc.edu.
1. All Type 1 and Type 2 (where appropriate) instructional content as outlined in the Electronic Content Chart for any course or module taught after January 1, 2003 must comply with the University's accessibility standards. See the University's Guidelines for Accessible Electronic Content for information on specific content types and campus consultation services.
Distance education programs are not required to make Type 3 course materials
accessible in advance of a student requesting reasonable accommodation, but
are strongly encouraged to build accessibility features into their normal course
materials development process.
2. Fourteen weeks before any distance education curriculum or course is taught, the program representative is required to complete a preliminary assessment of the program's course materials. The primary purpose of this online survey is to help identify course materials that may pose special accessibility challenges should a student with a disability enroll.
3. Copies of the survey responses are sent automatically to the Department of Disability Services (DDS) and to IT Services (ITS). If necessary, someone from the DDS or will follow up with the program contact for clarification on survey responses.
4. DDS and ITS will then review the preliminary assessments for each program and determine appropriate next steps.
a. If course materials can easily be made accessible by the program, the program representative will be referred to appropriate accessibility guidelines and consultation services.
b. If compliance requires the assistance of DDS, ITS or other campus or external organizations, the program will be referred to the appropriate established procedures.
Reminder: Distance education programs are not required to make Type 3 course materials (see Electronic Content Chart) accessible in advance of a student requesting reasonable accommodation, but are strongly encouraged to build accessibility features into their normal course materials development process.
5. Students needing reasonable accommodations should be identified as soon as possible. The new Disability Self-Identification Policy outlines the steps that distance education programs must take to help students self-identify.
6. If an admitted student(s) in the program requests reasonable accommodation, DDS contacts the program and the student with information about relevant policies and procedures.
7. DDS and ITS, in cooperation with the program, review preliminary course materials assessment and establish a prioritized compliance protocol for the course/curriculum.
a. If the disabled student is new to the program, required courses and courses without prerequisites get priority.
b. If the student is not new to the program, DDS and ITS work with student and program to prioritize courses (courses the student has not already taken, courses in student's primary area of study, etc.).
8. DDS notifies the program about accessibility requirements and refers the program representative to appropriate resources (consultation services, accessibility guidelines, published procedures, etc.).
9. Student contacts DDS about any problems accessing course materials during the semester.
© 2002, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ITS.
Last revised: March 5, 2004.