We offer many support services—most of them in the form of classroom accommodations—to students who provide supporting documentation of a diagnosed disability. Services can be provided in ways that are both confidential and discreet. The list below details some of our more commonly used services.
Applies to in-class and testing center exams; does not apply to take-home tests where students have multiple days to complete the work.
(Exam policies, Senate Policy, Accommodated Exam policy)
Student Responsibility
- Let instructors know five business days before the test/exam/quiz that you will be
using your accommodations
- In situations where less than five (5) days' notice is given to the instructor, accommodations may not be available.
Note: In order to ensure you have accommodations for in-class tests/exams/quizzes, we recommend you go to your instructor's office hours the first week of class and discuss how this will be implemented.
Instructor Responsibility
- Instructors are responsible for providing extended time on those exams/tests/quizzes which are not take-home, which allow multiple days to complete.
- The Provost's policy as of 2025 is that even when extended time is provided for all students, accommodated students are still to be given their additional time.
Student Responsibility
- Let instructors know five business days in advance of the test/exam/quiz that you will be using your accommodation.
- The Testing Center will reach out to you to complete the registration process. If
you do not hear from them two days before your test, reach out to them at 906-487-1001,
or contact our office - sds@mtu.edu.
- You will know you have completed the testing center registration process when you receive an email confirmation.
Testing Center staff only carry out the instructions that instructors provide them. If you cannot reach your instructor once you are in the testing center and encounter a problem, then you will have to follow up with Student Disability Services and your instructor after the fact. This doesn’t happen often, but if you encounter a problem you must let SDS know within 24 hours.
Instructor Responsibility
- All RegisterBlast Exam Requests must be submitted 2 business days before the day of the exam.
- Scheduling Procedures can be found online.
- Instructor Checklist provided by the Testing Center
Note: The Testing Center is closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Student Responsibility
- Students should remind the instructor at least five days before the exam that they will need a copy of the test that they can write on.
Instructor Responsibility
- The student will circle answers on the exam booklet unless other arrangements are made.
Student Responsibility
- Remind the instructor at least five (5) days before the exam that recording is needed.
Instructor Responsibility
- Digitally recorded exam questions will need to be provided to the Testing Center along with a hard copy of the exam.
- An instructor or graduate TA from the field, who knows the language of the field,
will have to read the test.
- Digital files can be provided to the Testing Center either on a handheld recorder or as audio files that the Testing Center will download to a computer.
Student Responsibility
- Remind your instructor about this accommodation if necessary.
Instructor Responsibility
- Allow students extended time for any in-class reading assignment, such as a case study, poem, or directions. How much time will depend on the length of the reading assignment; typically allow 1.5 time.
Student Responsibility
- Students will self-administer a blood test prior to an exam.
- If student’s blood sugar numbers are two low/high, then the student will need to reschedule their exam and clearly communicate this with their instructor.
- If medical aid is needed, request that emergency responders are contacted.
Instructor Responsibility
- Instructor can note the number the student is reporting if they wish to discuss the context later with Student Disability Services; also reach out to SDS if student is not proactive about rescheduling their exam.
Student Responsibility
- Students are responsible for providing their own food/drink that may be needed.
Instructor Responsibility
- Allow students to bring food/drink in; if there is concern with lab or other setting, discuss with student and reach out to Student Disability Services for support when required.
Student Responsibility
- If the need arises, you can leave the classroom; be respectful, sit near exits, minimize the disturbance to others in the room.
- You are responsible for following up with the instructor regarding missed work.
Instructor Responsibility
- Allow the student to leave as needed.
- The student will be responsible for following up regarding any missed work or assignments.
Student Responsibility
- Let instructors know five business days in advance of the test/exam/quiz that you would like to use your accommodation.
- Know that if the class is testing after 5:00 PM, you may need to use the Testing Center
to take the exam.
- The instructor will then work with the Testing Center to arrange for the test to be conducted there.
- The Testing Center will reach out to you to complete the registration process. You are responsible for ensuring the registration has been completed.
- You will know you have completed the registration process when you receive an email confirmation.
Instructor Responsibility
- Plan for the student to start their exam by 5:00 PM.
- If this involves the Testing Center, remember that all RegisterBlast Exam Requests must be submitted 2 business days before the day of the exam.
- Scheduling Procedures can be found online.
- Instructor Checklist provided by the Testing Center.
Note: The Testing Center is closed on Saturday and Sunday.
Student Responsibility
- Remember this is for in-class work that is handwritten, where a spellchecker is not available.
Instructor Responsibility
- The student has a language processing disorder and cannot be expected to spell correctly without the use of a word processing program.
Student Responsibility
- Bring instructor the microphone that has been supplied by SDS/IT.
Instructor Responsibility
- Take part in the arranged preview with the CART provider that Student Disability Services and IT will conduct prior to the start of the semester; this is a 30 - 60 minute session with opportunities for hands-on practice.
- Wear the microphone during class or lab presentations.
Student Responsibility
- Request a specific seat or seating area when registering for accommodations or when it becomes apparent that an area of seating is needed in a class.
Note: SDS will have Facilities place a sign on a desk reserving it for specific times/days. If the sign is removed, contact SDS office immediately.
Instructor Responsibility
- If you note someone removing a sign that reserves a desk, please ask them to return it.
Student Responsibility
- Students will be allowed to record the audio portion of lectures.
- Students must do this themselves and may not ask another to do this for them when they are not present in class.
Note: Digital recordings are for your use only. Any distribution of recordings would be considered a student code of conduct violation.
Instructor Responsibility
- Allow students to record the audio portion of the lecture on their devices.
Student Responsibility
- Assist the instructor in identifying mobility issues and how they could be worked around.
Instructor Responsibility
- Identify how safety issues due to mobility could be a safety concern.
- When needed, consult with Student Disability Services to find ways for the student to participate, or to obtain support equipment.
Student Responsibility
- Students will notify student disability services within 24 hours of the absence by filling out the absence request form located at the top of the Student Disability Services webpage.
- The student is responsible for following up with the instructor regarding missed work.
Instructor Responsibility
- The instructor will work with the student on a reasonable deadline for making up missed work. Follow up with SDS if there are concerns with the student not making up work.
Student Responsibility
- Students must first fill out the absence request form located at the top of the Student Disability Services webpage.
- Student is responsible for contacting their instructor(s) to negotiate the new deadline or time for the exam.
Note: instructors have to return material to other students, which will impact how much they can negotiate a new deadline.
Instructor Responsibility
- Once instructors have been notified of a students absence by Student Disability Services, they should be prepared for the student to contact them with regard to negotiating a new deadline.
Student Responsibility
- Negotiate with the instructor what a memory aid may or may not contain.
- Create the memory aid and show it to the instructor, who may require changes.
- Ensure you have shown the final draft to the instructor two days before the exam; if further changes are required, you must have them to the instructor the next day.
Instructor Responsibility
- Meet with the student, outlining what the memory aid may contain.
- Aids are not to contain information being tested on; it is up to you, as the instructor, whether or not you will allow formulas on the aid.
- When SDS indicates memory aids, we are thinking of something like a mnemonic device: e.g. HOMES (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior).
- The memory aid may be collected from the student after approval and handed back out at the time of the exam.
Student Responsibility
- When registering with SDS you will be asked for an approximate size of font you can see, e.g. Times 18. This will be passed on to your instructors.
Instructor Responsibility
- Print all materials in the requested specified font size.
- SDS can support printing but requires two days' notice prior to a test or other deadline.
Student Responsibility
- Remind instructor if they forget to turn on captioning in class.
- Let SDS know if you are having trouble with captioning on assigned work outside of class.
Instructor Responsibility
- Turn Closed Captioning on for all videos.
- Any video produced by you will also need to be captioned.
- The Center for Teaching and Learning can assist with the Guide to Accessible Video.
Student Responsibility
- When registering for services with SDS, be prepared to name any software you have found useful in the past.
- If you haven’t used software, be prepared to discuss the obstacles you’re encountering so we can look for support solutions.
- You may return to SDS at any time if you encounter a new obstacle and would like to explore potential support.
Instructor Responsibility
- You may be asked if you are aware of any specialized software available in your field.
- You may be asked to work with IT on implementing a support solution.
Student Responsibility
- Students will need to bring their own device for taking notes during class.
Instructor Responsibility
- The instructor will allow students to have an electronic device out during class to facilitate note-taking.
- If you have concerns with how the student is using their device, please reach out to us: 906-487-3558; sds@mtu.edu
Student Responsibility
- Student will be responsible for bringing the microphone to each class, providing it
to the instructor, and collecting it at the end of class.
- Ensure you are arriving to class in a timely manner so that each instructor has time to mic up.
Instructor Responsibility
- Wear the microphone provided by the student during their class period so that a service provider who is captioning the lecture can hear what is being said; hand mic back to student at the end of class.
Student Responsibility
- Student will bring a basic, four function calculator to class
Instructor Responsibility
- Instructor will allow students to use a four function calculator when they are not being tested on their ability to do basic mathematics.
Student Responsibility
- Students will provide their own headphones/earbuds.
- Notify the Testing Center upon arrival of the approved accommodation.
- Follow Testing Center rules with regard to devices that may be playing music/white noise while testing.
- Come prepared with a Bluetooth-enabled phone or music-dedicated device
Instructor Responsibility
- No instructor responsibility
Student Responsibility
- Ask a staff-member of the testing center to read a word/phrase for you as needed.
Instructor Responsibility
- None. A member of the testing center staff will read words as needed.
Student Responsibility
- Sit near the edge or back of the classroom.
- Step out of the line-of-sight for students seated behind you.
- If you need to move, either step to the back of the classroom or leave the room.
Instructor Responsibility
- Do not penalize student for needing to stand or leave the room.
We can work to provide additional resources as needs are identified. If you have any questions or needs are not listed, please contact our office by phone: 906-487-3558 or email: sds@mtu.edu.