Purdue students and instructors in an academic setting

Faculty Resources

Implementing Accommodations

Understanding your role in providing equal access for students with disabilities.

Access is a shared responsibility.

The Disability Resource Center (DRC) determines reasonable accommodations through an individualized process with students. Once an instructor is notified of a student's approved accommodations, the instructor is responsible for ensuring those accommodations are implemented within the course.

The DRC is available to help instructors understand accommodations, consider course-specific implementation, and address concerns when an accommodation may intersect with an essential course requirement.

Course Accommodation Letters

A Course Accommodation Letter (CAL) is Purdue University's official notification to an instructor of a student's approved accommodations. Once a CAL is received, instructors should begin taking the steps necessary to implement the accommodations listed.

How an accommodation is implemented may vary based on the design of the course. Implementation in a lecture course may look different from implementation in a laboratory, clinical, practicum, studio, research, or other experiential course. The method may vary, but the student's approved access must still be provided.

Important: Students are encouraged to communicate with instructors when coordination is helpful, but implementation should not be delayed solely because a student has not scheduled or attended a separate meeting with the instructor.

Approved accommodations are generally implemented prospectively from the time the instructor receives the student's CAL.

Learn more about Course Accommodation Letters

Questions or Concerns About an Accommodation

The DRC welcomes questions about how an accommodation can be implemented within a particular course. For questions involving a specific student, contact the Access Consultant listed on the student's CAL.

If you believe an approved accommodation may conflict with an essential course requirement or fundamentally alter the course, do not independently deny, discontinue, or modify the accommodation. Submit an accommodation implementation concern so the DRC can review the course design and concern with you.

Submit Accommodation Concern Instructor Flex Guide

Attendance and Deadline Flexibility

Some accommodations, including Attendance Flexibility and Deadline Flexibility, require consideration of course structure and essential requirements. These accommodations are not unlimited and do not waive essential course requirements or learning outcomes.

Instructors should review the applicable guidance and respond to DRC requests when course-specific implementation information is needed.

Review Attendance Flexibility guidance

Testing Accommodations

The Disability Resource Center and Purdue Testing Services are separate offices.

The DRC determines reasonable testing accommodations. Instructors are responsible for ensuring that approved testing accommodations are provided.

Instructors may either:

arrange and provide the student's approved testing accommodations within the course or department; or
arrange for an exam to be administered through Purdue Testing Services (PTS), subject to PTS policies, procedures, deadlines, and capacity.

Testing accommodations may apply to exams, quizzes, and other timed assessments, including assessments administered through Brightspace.

Visit Purdue Testing Services Accessible Brightspace Content

Accessible Course Materials and Communication Access

Course materials should be accessible to students who use assistive technology or require alternative access. This includes documents, presentations, images, videos, digital course content, and assessment materials.

Instructors should respond promptly when contacted by the DRC regarding accommodations that require advance coordination, which may include:

accessible or alternative-format materials;
screen reader or magnification access;
captioning or CART;
American Sign Language interpreting; or
other assistive technology or communication access needs.

The DRC Access and Materials team can assist when disability-specific conversion or remediation is needed for a registered student.

Accessible Materials Guidance Email Access and Materials

Confidentiality

Disability and accommodation information is confidential. Information should only be shared with members of the instructional team who need the information to implement the student's accommodations.

A student's diagnosis is not included on the CAL. Instructors should not ask students to provide medical documentation or to justify an accommodation that has already been approved by the DRC.

When a teaching assistant, co-instructor, or other member of the instructional team needs access to accommodation information, follow the DRC's guidance for providing appropriate instructional-team access.

Review CAL and instructional-team guidance

Faculty Development

Want a deeper introduction?

The DRC offers an online faculty training for instructors who would like additional guidance on disability access, the accommodation process, faculty responsibilities, and working with students with disabilities.

Complete the DRC Faculty Training

Visit (WL):
YONG Room 105 Visit (Indy):
Purdue Student Center, 2nd Floor Call:
(765) 494-1247 Email:
drc@purdue.edu

Contact the Disability Resource Center

For questions about a specific student's accommodations, contact the Access Consultant listed on the student's Course Accommodation Letter.

Our office hours are Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For general questions, contact the DRC by phone, email, or by visiting one of our offices.

Contact Us

Phone: (765) 494-1247
Email: drc@purdue.edu

Young Hall Room 105
155 S. Grant St.
West Lafayette, IN 47907

Engineering Technology, Suite 331
799 W. Michigan St.
Indianapolis, IN 46202
drcindy@purdue.edu