Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

An accommodation is a modification or adjustment to a class, the learning environment, or the way things are usually done in the university environment.

Any student with a disability is eligible for services. Eligibility does not guarantee accommodations. Students new to our office can start in two places. One, you can schedule an informational meeting with a counselor to learn more about our office and services, or two, you can jump right to filling out an application.

Accommodations are individualized for each student and their specific situation. An Access Manager will help you identify appropriate accommodations. Check out our Accommodations Guide to get a sense of some of the accommodations, though please know this is not an exhaustive list.  

View our Documentation Guidelines.

Yes. Admitted students can schedule an informational meeting with an Access Manager to learn more about our office and services or visit drop-in hours (information posted on our homepage).  

It depends. High school and college are different in environment and pace. College might have different barriers for students with disabilities than they experienced in high school. An Access Manager can help you navigate those differences and help identify potential accommodations for a college environment.

No. The accommodations process at the DAC is about informed choice. You may be eligible to use an accommodation and it is your choice whether to use the accommodation in a given class or not.

The DAC will need to know about your disability in order to approve an accommodation. The DAC does not share information with other offices, family members, faculty, or staff.

This depends. The DAC will always know what accommodations you have. If you attach accommodations to a class, your instructors will know. If you tell another student, they will know. The DAC may share information to an instructor about an accommodation you have attached to their class. The DAC will not share information about accommodations not attached to a class or why you have the accommodation. If you take your tests in the DAC, then students might know that you have accommodations, but they will never know why unless you tell them.  

Yes. Stopping by Access Manager drop-in hours would be a great place to learn more.  These days/times are listed on our homepage.  

Every quarter, each student with accommodations is responsible for attaching those accommodations to the classes which they want to utilize them in. This process sends an automatic email to the instructor for that course. It is always a good idea to follow up with your instructor to make sure they received this notice and if they have any questions.

Yes, students are encouraged to request an appointment to discuss adjusting or adding accommodations at any point during their matriculation at WWU. Students can either email their Access Manager about this or contact the Front Desk to schedule this appointment (360-650-3083, drsfrontdesk@wwu.edu). 

It depends. The required interactive process generally takes 2-4 weeks, though it may be longer depending on the accommodation request. We encourage students to fill out a New Student Application and schedule their Access Planning Meeting as soon as possible to avoid delays in access.

What is the Best University Mechanism for Temporary Injuries or Medical Procedures?

We recognize that students may experience health challenges, such as injuries or medical procedures, that temporarily prevent them from attending classes in person. It’s important to understand that Remote Participation and an Emergency Medical Leave of Absence serve different purposes, and one may be more appropriate than the other depending on the situation.

The Emergency Medical Leave of Absence is designed specifically for students who are temporarily unable to attend classes due to an illness, injury, or medical procedure. This leave is issued by the Student Health Center once appropriate documentation from a healthcare provider is submitted. DAC accommodations are not retroactive, so our accommodations can help support students once they are back to campus.  If you are facing a temporary injury or medical issue, and need short-term relief, the Emergency Medical Leave of Absence is likely the better option. Once you have recovered and are ready to return to campus, you can work with the DAC to discuss any accommodations you might need to continue your coursework.

Important Note: If more than 14 days of leave are needed, the student should consult with the Office of Student Life for further options. Instructors may also have discretion to deny requests for extra time or accommodations depending on the course requirements.

The Remote Participation accommodation through the DAC is typically used when a student knows in advance that they will not be able to attend in-person classes due to a temporary disability-related barrier to attendance.  However, remote participation is not the best mechanism for short-term injuries or emergency medical procedures. Here’s why:

• Implementation time: The process of arranging Remote Participation accommodations can take 3–4 weeks, as it requires coordination with academic departments and instructors to ensure that the accommodation can be implemented without fundamentally altering the learning objectives of the course.
• No retroactive adjustments: Remote Participation accommodations cannot be applied retroactively for missed work or classes. Therefore, if a student has already missed time due to a medical issue, they cannot apply for remote participation to make up for that lost time.

If you're uncertain which option is right for you, or if you have questions about the process, feel free to reach out to the Student Health Center or the DAC for guidance.

• Notify the Instructor: The student should inform their instructor as soon as possible.
• Agree on a New Exam Time: The student and instructor must agree on a new exam date and time. Please note that the DAC requires at least 2 business days' notice to ensure proper staffing and space in the testing center. After confirming the new time, the student should email the DAC (drs@wwu.edu) with their instructor’s written approval for the rescheduled exam.
• Schedule the Exam via myDAC: The student must modify their original request through their myDAC dashboard.

To ensure a smooth process, the DAC recommends scheduling all exams, quizzes, and finals at the beginning of the quarter. This helps avoid late requests, and we are happy to assist you with this.

Please note that your instructor determines the times when exams can be taken. Contact the DAC for this information and then schedule your exams in alignment with both your professor's guidelines and your work schedule.

While we understand that work shifts can change, we require a minimum of 3 business days’ notice to schedule any exams, quizzes, or finals.

Contact the DAC as soon as possible by either calling 360-650-7977 or emailing drs@wwu.edu.  Please note all exams/quizzes must be scheduled at least 3 business days in advance, whether or not your instructors have filled out the agreement, so contact us ASAP.  

The DAC's scheduling requirements ensure we have enough time to properly arrange accommodations for students. By requiring at least 3 business days’ notice, we can ensure adequate staffing and space in our Testing Center.  

• A quiz/exam is considered late if it is scheduled closer to the date of an exam than the scheduling requirements above. These scheduling requirements are set by DAC procedures and your instructor cannot override these procedures
• If you are scheduling a late request due to reasons outside your control, such as a pop-quiz, your instructor did not complete the Alternative Testing Agreement in time, etc., please reach out to DAC Testing Center Staff.

When students approved for this accommodation check in for their exam they will . . . 

1. Put their phone into airplane mode
2. Connect their phone to Bluetooth headphones
3. Start the playlist
4. DAC Testing Center Staff will review playlist
5. Leave their phone with DAC proctor and pick it up after the exam is completed 

High school and college are different in environment and pace. College might have different barriers for students with disabilities than they experienced in high school. An accommodation counselor can help navigate those differences and help identify potential accommodations for a college environment.

No. The DAC will not share information about any student, their application status, appointments, or use of their accommodations.

It depends. If the student gives permission for a parent or guardian to attend their meeting, then yes.

No. The DAC will not share information about any student, their application status, appointments, or use of their accommodations.

No. The DAC will not share information about any student, their application status, appointments, or use of their accommodations.

It depends. You can set an appointment up with an accommodations counselor to discuss what a disability is and how people typically navigate questions and processes regarding disability.

You can ask questions about how to implement the accommodation requested in your class. You should not ask a student why they have an accommodation or put a student in a position to disclose personal medical information to you.

No. The accommodations process at the DAC is about informed choice. Students are not required to use an accommodation in every class or every pertinent situation. E.g. a student with a testing accommodation may choose to take their exam at the DAC or in the classroom. 

Yes! Please contact the DAC and speak with an access manager. Access managers regularly provide guidance about implementing accommodations. Access managers’ office hours for faculty and students are posted on the DAC homepage.

Please contact the DAC and speak with an access manager. Access managers regularly provide guidance about implementing accommodations. Our staff can work with faculty to address student behavior related to an accommodation that seems disruptive. Access managers’ office hours for faculty and students are posted on the DAC homepage.

Please let the student know about the DAC and encourage them to make an appointment with an access manager. You might point them to our webpage about applying for DAC services. If a student would like to talk with a peer about seeking accommodations, the student staff in the Disability Outreach Center are a great resource. Please do not advise students about what accommodations you think they need.

To address these questions, the DAC and Western colleagues in ATUS and CIIA created the Equity, Accessibility, & Privacy Considerations resource. If you have additional questions after reviewing this resource, please contact an access manager.

To implement extra time in Canvas please reference this two minute long Accessibility: Quiz Accommodation video on YouTube or this guide on Extending Time on a Published Quiz.

Notices of approved accommodation are written to be generally applicable. Access managers are glad to work with faculty to provide clarity about an accommodation and discuss ways to apply the accommodation in a particular class. Please call the DAC or contact an access manager during their office hours to discuss. Access managers’ office hours for faculty and students are posted on the DAC homepage.

Here is a sample syllabus statement:

"I am committed to fostering inclusion and access. Every course, including this one, is intended for all WWU students, regardless of their disability status.  Students with apparent and/or non-apparent disabilities will be provided equitable access to educational experiences and opportunities. If, at any point in the quarter, you find yourself not able to fully access the space, content, and experience of this course, please first contact the Disability Access Center (DAC) to discuss potential accommodations. Though a limited number of accommodations require time to implement, disability can be acquired at any point and therefore accommodations can be granted and implemented at point during a student's academic career.

If you already have accommodations set up through the DAC, please be sure to send your Faculty Notification Letter through the myDAC portal. Reach out to me or the DAC as appropriate to discuss implementation of approved accommodations. Faculty and staff partner with the DAC in the implementation of accommodations.

If you are unsure if accommodations are appropriate for you, contact the DAC for more information, temporary assistance, or connections to other resources: https://disability.wwu.edu or 360-650-3083." 

There are two methods for uploading exams:

• Use the Upload Exam link we send in our reminder emails > "Upload Exam for This Exam Date"
  • Please note that you must name the file for it to be submitted

• Upload the file through your Faculty Portal

  • Click on Alternative Testing under the HOME section towards the left of the page.
  • Scroll down to Step 1: Select Exams
    • Next to each student's request you will see a check box. Select the student you want to upload the exam for and then scroll down to Upcoming Exam File Upload
    • Type in the file title and then click Choose File >  Upload File.

   

• Please note: If only one exam file is uploaded per CRN, DAC will assume all students in that section will receive the same exam file. However, you may still receive reminders if a file is not uploaded for each student.
• The DAC recommends labeling exam files with as much distinguishing information as possible. For example, class name, date, quiz/exam number, etc. 

The DAC is committed to returning exams to instructors as soon as possible.  We aim to deliver at least 3 times per week, but more may be arranged as needed.  

Because exams are highly sensitive and confidential, they must be signed for by a University employee upon delivery. This employee will be responsible for ensuring the completed exams reach the correct instructor.

Departments with specific questions or concerns about delivery timing, who is authorized to sign for exams, or other related matters are encouraged to contact us via email at drs@wwu.edu or by calling 360-650-7977. 

Consult this 7-minute tutorial for how to add additional time to Canvas assessments.  

A text version of the instructions for allowing additional time is available.