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The University of Memphis Link Bar
Disability Services
Student Disability Services Bar

SDS Home    Disability Services    Services for Specific Disabilities  
Blind and Low Vision Impairments    Chronic Health Impairments   
Communication Disorders   
Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Mobility Impairments    Psychiatric Disorders    Traumatic Brain Injury
Obtaining Services and Academic Accomodations
Notetaker Accommodations
Alternate Format Textbooks Accommodatons

 

Disability Services

A comprehensive program of services and academic accommodations designed to provide access and opportunity is available to qualified students with disabilities through the Student Disability Services Office. Some services are available to all students registered with SDS, however, academic services and accommodations are individually determined and are based on the student's current functional limitations outlined in the medical or professional documentation, the student's compensatory skills and the requirements of a particular course or program.

The following general services are available to all students registered with SDS:

  • Early registration
  • Orientation to using disability services
  • Assistance with strategic class scheduling to enhance academic success
  • Semester plan for accommodations and services
  • Memos to faculty about disability needs
  • Advocacy relating to disability access issues
  • Information and guidance on academic, social, career, and personal issues
  • Orientation to and use of the Adaptive Technology Lab
  • Referral to other University departments and community agencies
  • Liaison with State and Federal rehabilitation agencies
  • Information about specific opportunities for students with disabilities

The University does not provide services of a personal nature, such as personal care assistance, personal study assistance, or individually prescribed aids, appliances and equipment. Tutoring is also considered a personal service, and the University is not legally required to provide tutor service for students with disabilities above and beyond the tutoring available to any U of M student through the Educational Support Program - (http://saweb.memphis.edu/cclt/html/esp.htm) or academic departments.

 

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Services for Specific Disabilities

  1. Blind and Low Vision Impairments

    To obtain disability services and accommodations, students must register with SDS by providing current and appropriate medical or professional documentation and by meeting with an SDS coordinator for an intake appointment. Based on the individual student's documentation, the coordinator will assess the student's functional limitations and academic needs, and from those, will determine the necessary services and accommodations for which the student is eligible. After registering for classes each semester, students are responsible for scheduling an appointment with their coordinator to arrange reasonable accommodations and services for that semester.

    In addition to the general services available to all students registered with SDS, the following services may be available to students who are blind or have visual impairments:

    • Conversion of materials
      • Braille tests, syllabi and handouts
      • Large print tests, syllabi and handouts
      • Enlarged notes
      • Books on tape or CD
      • E-text
      • Tactile image reproductions
    • Reader service
    • Permission to audio record lectures
    • Notetaker service
    • Use of specialized equipment
      • Kurzweil 3000, Kurzweil 1000 and Kurzweil Reading Edge
      • Scanners with OCR software with automatic document feed option
      • Zoomtext screen enlargement and large monitors
      • Closed circuit magnifiers
      • Portable closed circuit magnifiers
      • Duxbury Braille software and Braille printer
      • JAWS screen readers
      • PowerBraille Refreshable Braille
      • Dragon Naturally Speaking voice recognition software
      • Tactile Image Enhancer
      • Type & Speak
      • Braille & Speak
      • Type Lite Notetaker with Refreshable Braille
      • 4-track tape player/recorders for use with RFB+D audio books
      • CD Players for use with RFB+D audio books
      • Talking and large print calculators
      • Talking dictionary
      • Tactile graphing board
      • Tactile music kit
      • Raised line drawing kit
    • Preferential classroom seating
    • Lab accommodations
    • Test accommodations
      • Extended test time
      • Braille, Refreshable Braille and large print
      • Reader
      • Scribe
      • Adaptive computer
      • Closed circuit magnifier
      • Brailler
      • Alternative to scantron answer sheet

    If alternate format materials, such as books on tape or CD, are essential to a student's equal access, the student is responsible for registering early, completing the book list request form, and turning it in to the SDS coordinator at least a couple of months prior to the beginning of the semester so that books can be ordered. If the request is turned in late, SDS will attempt to provide the accommodation; however, there is no guarantee that recorded materials will be available by the beginning of classes. In such cases, the student has the option of using the Kurzweil Reading machines, scanning the materials and using a screen reader to read it.

     

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  2. Chronic Health Impairments

    Disabilities included in this category include a wide range of health and systemic disorders, including but not limited to, diabetes, cancer, cardiac conditions, gastro-intestinal conditions, seizure disorders, renal disease, multiple sclerosis, lupus, sickle-cell anemia, fibromyalgia, AIDS, etc.

    To obtain disability services and accommodations, students must register with SDS by providing current and appropriate medical or professional documentation and by meeting with an SDS coordinator for an intake appointment. Based on the individual student's documentation, the coordinator will assess the student's functional limitations and academic needs, and from those, will determine the necessary services and accommodations for which the student is eligible. After registering for classes each semester, students are responsible for scheduling an appointment with their coordinator to arrange reasonable accommodations and services for that semester.

    The needs of students with chronic health disorders vary widely depending on the specific disability. While not all students in this group will need the same kinds of services, the following services and accommodations are typical for those who qualify:

     

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  3. Communication Disorders (Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Speech)

    To obtain disability services and accommodations, students must register with SDS by providing current and appropriate medical or professional documentation and by meeting with an SDS coordinator for an intake appointment. Based on the individual student's documentation, the coordinator will assess the student's functional limitations and academic needs, and from those, will determine the necessary services and accommodations for which the student is eligible. After registering for classes each semester, students are responsible for scheduling an appointment with their coordinator to arrange reasonable accommodations and services for that semester.

    In addition to the general services available to all students registered with SDS, the following services may be available to students who are deaf, hard of hearing and/or have speech impairments:

    • Interpreting/transliteration service for class lectures, advising, counseling and other University activities and events
    • Notetaker
    • Classroom Captioning Services
    • Assistive listening devices
    • Caption decoder for classroom use
    • Curriculum adjustment for oral communication requirement
    • Alternative to oral recitation requirement in classroom unless it is essential to the course
    • Test accommodations
      • Extended time
      • Computer
      • Spell checker
    • Hearing and speech evaluations and speech therapy through the University of Memphis Audiology and Speech Language Pathology Clinic
    • Tutor Referral

    Classroom interpreting and classroom captioning services should be requested at least one month before classes begin and earlier. Currently enrolled students with disabilities have access to early registration in order to plan appropriately for their disability related needs. New students should be admitted to the University early enough to register for classes in order to meet the advance notice requirement. The student's specific class schedule should be finalized a month in advance to allow time for arranging interpreting or classroom captioning services. If a student does not meet the request deadline for these services, SDS will attempt to fill the request, but cannot guarantee the services can be arranged. Students who are eligible for interpreting and classroom captioning services may have one or the other, but not both services in the same classroom simultaneously. An interpreter and a notetaker will be provided simultaneously for those who are eligible.

    Requests for interpreting service for University sponsored events outside the classroom should be made separately on an as-needed basis and should be done as far in advance as possible, preferably a week or more. Every effort will be made to fill all legitimate interpreting requests, given the availability of qualified interpreters in the area.

    When students are going to be absent from class, it is their responsibility to cancel an interpreter or classroom captioning service in advance. Repeated failure to do so, except in an unexpected emergency, can result in termination of the student's interpreting service. Interpreters and typists have permission to leave class after fifteen minutes when the student is late or does not show up for class, although they must be paid for the full class period for which they are under contract. Interpreting and classroom captioning services are expensive and students are expected to act responsibly by making timely cancellations when necessary.

     

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  4. Learning Disabilities & Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

    To obtain disability services and accommodations, students must register with SDS by providing current and appropriate medical or professional documentation and by meeting with an SDS coordinator for an intake appointment. Based on the individual student's documentation, the coordinator will assess the student's functional limitations and academic needs, and from those, will determine the necessary services and accommodations for which the student is eligible. After registering for classes each semester, students are responsible for scheduling an appointment with their coordinator to arrange reasonable accommodations and services for that semester.

    In addition to the general services available to all students registered with SDS, the following services may be available to students who have learning disabilities or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder:

    • Special advising and strategic scheduling of classes
    • Preferential classroom seating
    • Permission to audio record lectures
    • Kurzweil reading machines
    • Books on tape or CD
    • Access to Naturally Speaking voice recognition software
    • Access to large screen monitors and screen enlargement
    • Access to Inspiration-software that organizes or outlines by visual mapping to prepare to write papers or essays
    • Loaner equipment
      • 4-track player/recorders for use with RFB+D audio books
      • CD Players for use with RFB+D audio books
      • Cassette and digital recorders
      • Electronic dictionary/thesaurus
    • Notetaker service
    • Assistance with developing study strategies for specific courses
    • Assistance with organization and time management skills
    • Weekly meetings with professional staff to monitor progress
    • Coaching to deal with AD/HD symptoms
    • Tutor referral
    • Test Accommodations
      • Extended time
      • Low stimulus environment
      • Computer
      • Spell checker
      • Calculator
      • Reader
      • Alternative to scantron answer sheet

     

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  5. Mobility Impairments

    To obtain disability services and accommodations, students must register with SDS by providing current and appropriate medical or professional documentation and by meeting with an SDS coordinator for an intake appointment. Based on the individual student's documentation, the coordinator will assess the student's functional limitations and academic needs, and from those, will determine the necessary services and accommodations for which the student is eligible. After registering for classes each semester, students are responsible for scheduling an appointment with their coordinator to arrange reasonable accommodations and services for that semester.

    In addition to the general services available to all students registered with SDS, the following services are available to students with mobility impairments, when necessary to their educational access:

    • Accessible parking permits
    • Strategic scheduling of classes to meet disability needs
    • Lab accommodations
    • Classroom relocation
    • Permission to audio record lectures
    • Notetaker service
    • Access to adaptive computer aids
      • Dragon Naturally Speaking voice recognition software
      • Trackballs and other special mouse devices
    • Loaner equipment
      • Word processors for notetaking
      • Tape and digital recorders
    • Test accommodations
      • Extended time
      • Use of computer or other specialized equipment
      • Scribe
      • Alternative to scantron answer sheet

     

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  6. Psychiatric Disorders

    To obtain disability services and accommodations, students must register with SDS by providing current and appropriate medical or professional documentation and by meeting with an SDS coordinator for an intake appointment. Based on the individual student's documentation, the coordinator will assess the student's functional limitations and academic needs, and from those, will determine the necessary services and accommodations for which the student is eligible. After registering for classes each semester, students are responsible for scheduling an appointment with their coordinator to arrange reasonable accommodations and services for that semester.

    In addition to the general services available to all students registered with SDS, the following services may be available to students who have been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder:

     

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  7. Traumatic Brain Injury

    To obtain disability services and accommodations, students must register with SDS by providing current and appropriate medical or professional documentation and by meeting with an SDS coordinator for an intake appointment. Based on the individual student's documentation, the coordinator will assess the student's functional limitations and academic needs, and from those, will determine the necessary services and accommodations for which the student is eligible. After registering for classes each semester, students are responsible for scheduling an appointment with their coordinator to arrange reasonable accommodations and services for that semester.

    In addition to the general services available to all students registered with SDS, the following services may be available to students who have residual symptoms from traumatic brain injury:

    • Special advising and strategic scheduling of classes
    • Preferential classroom seating
    • Permission to audio record lectures
    • Notetaker service
    • Books on tape or CD
    • Tutor referral
    • Assistance with study strategies, organization, and time management
    • Weekly meetings with professional staff to monitor progress
    • Access to Dragon Dictate/Naturally Speaking voice recognition software
    • Access to large screen monitors and screen enlargement
    • Loaner equipment
      • 4-track payer/recorders
      • Tape and digital recorders
      • Electronic dictionary/thesaurus
    • Test accommodations
      • Extended time
      • Low stimulus environment
      • Computer
      • Spell checker
      • Calculator
      • Reader
      • Scribe
      • Alternative to scantron answer sheet

 

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How to Obtain Services and Academic Accommodations

  1. Register with the Student Disability Services Office by providing current and appropriate medical or professional documentation and meeting with an SDS coordinator for an intake appointment.

  2. After registering for classes, schedule an appointment with your SDS coordinator to do a Semester Plan. At this meeting, you and your coordinator will discuss your disability related needs for each class and develop a plan of services and/or accommodations to address those needs for that particular semester. If you need services that require weeks to arrange (such as books in alternate format, interpreting services, classroom captioning or relocation of a classroom), it is your responsibility to register early and to initiate your Semester Plan appointment in sufficient time for the services to be arranged. If it appears during the course of the semester that the planned accommodations are insufficient, you should promptly meet with your coordinator to discuss your concerns. When appropriate, the Semester Plan can be amended.

  3. If the planned accommodations involve cooperation from your professors, your SDS coordinator will provide you with a memo for each professor. The memo will explain that SDS has disability documentation on file that qualifies you for the academic accommodations outlined in the memo. You will be given a choice as to whether you want your disability named in the memo. It is not required for professors to know the specific disability; however, having this information can often be beneficial for them to know how to best help you. It is your responsibility to take the memo to each professor. You should schedule an appointment with each professor or go to his/her office during scheduled office hours to deliver the memo for that class and to have a discussion about your needs and how they can be met in the event the professor has any questions. You should give the memos to your professors as early in the semester as possible, preferably within the first two weeks or earlier if you will require accommodations before then. It is against University policy for professors to provide disability accommodations to students who have not given them a memo from SDS. Professors are responsible for providing accommodations only from the time they receive notice of the disability via the memo from SDS. Students who deliver their memos late in the semester are not eligible for retroactive accommodations.

  4. If your planned accommodations are not working out for some reason (such as a notetaker not taking adequate notes or a professor not allowing you to audio record lectures or suggesting that you try the test without extended time, etc.), notify your SDS coordinator as soon as possible so that we can develop a suitable intervention strategy to resolve the issue in a timely manner.

  5. Sometimes there will be more than one way that a student can be effectively accommodated. In determining the accommodations you will receive, SDS staff gives first consideration to the specific accommodation you request, provided it is reasonable and does not create an undue hardship or administrative burden. The law does not require the institution to provide the specific accommodation you request, but it does require the institution to provide an effective accommodation.

 

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Notetaker Accommodations

Students who are eligible for notetaker accommodations are asked to read and sign the following Notetaker Policy:

Notetaking Policy
Student Disability Services (SDS)
University of Memphis

If you, the student, and your Coordinator determine that you are eligible for notetaking services as a disability-related accommodation, you have several options in obtaining notetakers for your classes. Regardless of which option you choose, you should speak with your professor about your accommodation needs. It is possible that the professor will offer to provide you with their own notes or assist you with finding an appropriate notetaker.

Notetaking accommodations options:

  1. Get your own notetakers by identifying a student in the class and asking that student to share their notes with you. If you get your own notetakers, email SDS their name and contact information in order to have them sign a contract. We will provide you with a notepad which makes a second copy as the notes are taken.
  2. Ask us for a letter requesting the professor make an announcement in class that a notetaker is needed. The letter will specify that your name should not be disclosed but that a volunteer should contact our office.
  3. Have SDS request a notetaker for you.

If you wish to have SDS obtain a notetaker for you, follow these guidelines:

  1. _____ Schedule a semester plan meeting with SDS as early as possible after registration, at least one week prior to the beginning of the semester. (It is best to do this at the end of a semester for the following one.) If you do not meet with us within a week prior to the beginning of the semester, we will still do our best to provide you with notetakers, however, there may be a delay.

  2. _____ Like all students, you can drop or add classes; however, it is your responsibility to let us know immediately if you drop or add a class so that we can obtain a notetaker for that class. It usually takes at least several business days to obtain a notetaker, and in the meantime the class may be meeting.

  3. _____ When SDS obtains a notetaker for you, we will email you that person’s contact information. Make sure to speak with this person either by phone, email, or after class and decide where you will exchange notes. If you have a particular request related to your disability, such as writing in bigger letters, you can ask your notetaker about such requests. We do not disclose information about your disability to the notetaker, and hence they may not be aware of your particular needs.

  4. _____ If you have any problems with your notetaker that you cannot resolve with them, contact SDS.

  5. _____ Students are expected to attend class regularly. Access to class notes is NOT a substitute for attending class.

Initial each item above and sign below to indicate you have read and understand this information.

Student Name (print): _________________________________

Signature: ________________________________________

 

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Alternate Format Textbooks Accommodatons

Alternate Format Textbook Policy & Procedures
Student Disability Services (SDS)
University of Memphis

Many students with learning and/or visual disabilities are interested in obtaining their textbooks in alternate formats as an auxiliary aid to assist them with their reading and coursework. Before students receive this accommodation, documentation that clearly supports the need for the request must be presented. Once the accommodation has been approved, you must meet with an SDS staff member to obtain additional information concerning specific policies and procedures as well as how to make effective use of this accommodation.

Typically, between four and six weeks notice (4-6 weeks) is required to acquire alternate format texts. This wait time can vary depending upon the specific items and the format being requested. SDS will make every effort to obtain materials in a timely manner and in the specific format requested. Consideration will be given to the most expedient manner and format available in the fulfillment of student requests.

General Procedures for Requesting Materials in Alternate Formats

Students requesting alternate format texts must submit a list of books to SDS by filling out the attached SDS Books in Alternate Format Request Form. This form includes (for each requested item):

  • Complete course and section number
  • Complete title of text
  • Publisher’s Name
  • Author or authors (editor, if applicable)
  • Edition and publishing date
  • ISBN number (if possible)

If the book in alternate format is not available through Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D), students are required to purchase each book they request. In addition, the student must provide a copy of the course syllabus to SDS.

A Variety of Alternate Formats

The following are some of the formats currently offered and supported by SDS:

  • Audiotape four-track format recorded by RFB&D.
  • Audio CD in Daisy access format recorded by RFB&D
  • Audio CD recorded by SDS from scanned Texts
  • Electronic Text, scanned and provided to the student on CD or via email
  • Electronic Text from the publisher provided to the student on CD
  • MP3 audio files from scanned materials provided to student on CD

Several of these formats require the use of specialized hardware or software in order to access the materials. For more information, please see: http://saweb.memphis.edu/sds/g-aect.htm

SDS will take the student’s specific format request into consideration when seeking alternate format texts. Students are advised that not every item will be readily available in every format. In addition, some text items do not lend themselves to certain alternate formats. When applicable, the alternate format choices will be discussed with the individual student.

Students eligible for alternate format texts must read and sign the following “Alternate Format Textbooks Student Contract”.

 

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Alternate Format Textbooks Student Contract

Once you have been approved for alternate format texts, please review the following information regarding how to obtain alternate format texts and read and sign the contract at the bottom:

  1. Register for classes as early as possible and obtain the list of textbooks needed for each course. If textbook in formation is not available in the bookstore, contact the professor to obtain the needed textbook information. Typically, four to six weeks is required to acquire alternate format texts. If you have problems or questions please discuss them with your SDS Coordinator at 678-2880.

    Obtaining Alternate Format Text on your own:

  2. If you wish to obtain alternate format texts on your own, utilize your membership for Recordings for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D), or purchase E-text and/or Audio texts from bookstores or directly from the publishers.

    Obtaining Alternate Format Text Through SDS:

  3. If you cannot obtain alternate format texts on your own, complete the “SDS Books in Alternate Format Request Form,” and submit this form to SDS.
  4. If SDS is obtaining your alternate format texts, provide a copy of each course syllabus for which alternate format texts are needed. The syllabus will provide a reading schedule to be used if SDS must create the text from your original source.
  5. If acquiring alternate format texts from sources other than RFB&D, provide proof of book ownership to SDS. In some cases, you may need to provide SDS with a hard copy of the requested texts.
  6. Notify SDS immediately if you drop a course for which alternate format texts are requested from SDS.
  7. SDS will notify you when your texts are available for pick up. Pick up completed textbooks from SDS in a timely manner.
  8. If you do not hear from SDS in a timely manner regarding your alternate format text pickup, please contact your SDS Coordinator.

Student Name (Please Print): __________________________    Date: _______________

Student Signature: ________________________    Semester: _______________

 

SDS Books in Alternative Format Request Form

To view/print a copy of the SDS Books in Alternative Format Request Form, you must have Adobe Acrobat, a free plug-in available from Adobe Systems, installed on your computer. To download a copy of the Acrobat Reader, visit the Adobe Systems web site (http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html). If you are using a computer in one of the campus TigerLAN labs, the Adobe Acrobat Reader is already installed on your computer.

This form may also be picked up from Student Disability Services in 110 Wilder Tower.

Click on this link for Books in Alternative Format Request Form (printable version): Books in Alternative Format Request Form

 

     

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The University of Memphis
Student Disability Services
110 Wilder Tower
Memphis, TN 38152-3520
901-678-2880 Voice/TTY
901-678-3070 Fax

 

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