Disclosure of Accessibility Need
Students who are registered with Accessible Educational Services (AES) will disclose their need for academic accessibility measures (accommodations) by giving you an Accessibility Memorandum (‘Memo’).
All information about a student’s qualifying medical condition, under the Americans with Disabilities Act, is confidential. Instructors are prohibited from asking about the nature of a student’s qualifying medical condition or requesting to see documentation.
Accessibility Memorandum (Memo)
AES creates an individualized memo for each student who is approved for accessibility measures. The Memo describes the specific accessibility measures needed in the classroom and/or the testing environment. It also provides instructions for arranging each of the student’s accessibility measures and for referring the student to AES for taking assessments.
The AES access coordinator listed on the Memo is the best person to speak with about any questions or concerns.
Schedule a meeting to discuss accessibility measures delivery with the student
AES access coordinators instruct each student receiving a memo to contact their instructors early in the semester to arrange individual meetings (‘memo meetings’) with each instructor by virtual meeting or in person. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the accessibility measures listed in the Memo and how those accessibility measures will be implemented. By the end of this meeting, you and the student should understand each other’s responsibilities and how exam/test accessibility will be arranged (if applicable).
If a student attempts to give you a Memo immediately before or after class, you have the right to inform the student that you will not be able to provide accessibility measures for them on this occasion but will on future assessments, as referred to in the Memo.
If the student is asking for something not included on the memo, please refer them to AES.
Students without memos
Sometimes a student who does not have a memo from AES will claim to have a qualifying medical condition. Indiana University requires students to establish eligibility for qualifying medical conditions assistance before they may be provided accessibility measures in the classroom. AES is the office designated to collect and maintain confidential qualifying medical condition materials and to coordinate accessibility measures for students.
You should arrange accessibility measures only for students who provide a memo from AES to you.
No legal difficulties will be incurred by informing a student that they must provide an AES Memo to establish accessibility measures in your class.
If a student brings you the documentation of a qualifying medical condition, refer the student to AES.
Students without current memos
Sometimes a student might provide you with a memo from a past semester. Students need to share memos which include the current semester, so you know they are up to date with AES. If you receive a memo from a past semester, please refer the student to AES so they can receive support on how to request the Memo for the current semester.
What if I have concerns about an accessibility measure?
If you have concerns about how a student’s accessibility measures will apply in your course, contact the AES access coordinator listed on the student’s Memo. Instructors do not have the right to refuse to provide accessibility measures that have been approved by AES, but they do have the right to discern course requirements.
Note: Accessibility measures are forward-moving from the time the student meets with you. AES does not approve retroactive accessibility measures. We share this information with students.