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This page also includes the following subsections, with the first three relating to possible entries in your syllabus: (click to jump to section)

• Syllabus Statement
• Accommodating Students with Mobility Impairments
• SOAR: Strategies, Organization, and Achievement Resources
• Tips for Creating Inclusive Syllabi and Moodle pages
• Universal Design for Instruction and Learning
• Disabilities, Disorders, and Medical Conditions
• Videos Explanations of Specific Disabilities

Syllabus Statement

Each faculty member is expected to include in each of your syllabi this current
 "Accommodating Students with Disabilities" Syllabus Statement. This statement serves 3 important purposes:

1. It informs students with disabilities how to request or put in place academic accommodations.
2. It articulates your (and Dickinson's) commitment to equity and inclusion.
3. Such a statement renders the College in legal compliance with disability law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Accommodating Students with Mobility Impairments

Note that there are multiple members of our community who will rely on mobility aids (such as a wheelchair, crutches, or a cane for the blind) and others who contend with mobility impairments that are not outwardly apparent. Some require the use of an elevator, others may be able to navigate only a few steps, while some may occasionally have a flare-up of a chronic medical condition (such as arthritis or a heart condition) that renders them temporarily unable to climb or descend stairs.

Using the templates on the Disability Syllabus Statements page, inform your students (and colleagues) of any potential barriers to your classroom and/or office, along with your willingness to make alternate arrangements, thus giving those with mobility limitations an opportunity to convey any needs they may have for an accessible meeting location.

If any students contact you with questions related to building accessibility, please share with them the link to this webpage: www.dickinson.edu/ADS-mobility.

Strategies, Organization, and Achievement Resources (SOAR)

Certain members of the ADS professional team also staff the office of SOAR -- which is a resource for ALL students (not just those with disabilities). Faculty referrals for support from the office of SOAR are welcome. Since we are located in Old West's Lower Level (aka "the OWLL"), you can tell students that an easy way to remember this resource is that they can "Go to the OWLL, to SOAR!"  Here is a SOAR Syllabus Statement that faculty are encouraged to include in their syllabi: 

Universal Design

Universal Design is a construct based on the premise of maximizing accessibility for all. An example would be elevators, which are needed for wheelchair users, but beneficial to all. Principles of UD that relate to education are referred to as Universal Design of Learning (UDL), Universal Design of Instruction (UDI), and Universal Course Design (UCD). Often when UD principles of inclusive learning are incorporated, the need for specific accommodations is reduced. Learn more about , as well as how to create a Universally Designed syllabus.

Disabilities, Disorders, and Medical Conditions

There are times when students may tell you their diagnosis in hopes that this will shed light on the potential impact their disability may have on their academic participation. For information about how certain disabilities may impact various aspects of a student's educational experience, see the . If you're seeking information about specific disabilities, disorders, illnesses, and medical conditions, see below. 

ADS Director Marni Jones is also available to serve as a resource for you if you have any disability-related questions.

Video Explanations of Specific Disabilities

These brief video clips created by the National Center of Learning Disabilities are a part of their excellent "Ask the Expert" series and will provide viewers with an insightful snapshot to help you to better understand the most prevalent cognitive and learning disabilities.