General Information
Disability Access Services (DAS)
Disability Access Services (DAS) has the responsibility for administering, reviewing, maintaining, and supervising a variety of disability support procedures and services for students in accordance with state and federal laws. When appropriate, DAS provides oral and sign language interpreters, note taking tools, audio textbooks, assistance in working with instructors, or equipment loans. Faculty and DAS staff must work cooperatively to decide when adjustments to academic requirements, testing formats and substitution of classes may be necessary.
Non-Discrimination Policy
Federal and state laws as well as NMSU Policy prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. DAS encourages faculty and staff to go beyond legal requirements in fostering an atmosphere of enhanced learning. LEADS 2025 includes a Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Goal that is aimed at making our campus operations and programs accessible to all.
Student Responsibilities
NMSU students with disabilities who need accommodations should contact the DAS office. It is the student's responsibility to acquire information concerning technological accommodations, resources on campus for parking, housing services and Student Health Services. Students are responsible for providing documentation, making timely requests for services and communicating with their professors regarding accommodations approved by DAS specific to the course.
Documentation of Disability
Assistance is available to students whose disabilities have been documented by the appropriate professional and in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Disability verification is solely the responsibility of the DAS office. The student is responsible for providing appropriate documentation. Faculty should not be involved in the process of documenting a disability. As a faculty member, you can assist students by directing them to the DAS office to follow the accommodation process for students identified in NMSU procedures. If you do receive an accommodation notification from DAS, the student's disability has been documented. Please feel free to contact our office if you have any quesions.
Confidentiality
Information concerning a student's disability should be disclosed only to those with a legitimate "need to know." Sharing of information with other faculty and staff needs to be balanced with the student's interest while maintaining their privacy. Further disclosure should only be made with the express permission of the student or in consultation with appropriate DAS staff. Please do not discuss a student's disability or need for accommodations in front of other students.
Web Access
All course web pages must be constructed in an accessible format. Web pages need to be accessible across multiple platforms (text-to-speech software, screen readers, screen enlargers etc.). If media is embedded into pages, descriptive text or captioning must also be provided.
Specific Information Regarding Accommodations
Attendance and Course Work Adjustment Accommodation
If a student has a disability with random or cyclical acute episodes that may occasionally impact the student’s ability to attend the course or complete exams/assignments at the scheduled time, Flexibility in attendance and course work adjustments may be considered an appropriate accommodation. Students are expected to attend classes on a regular basis. The number of allowable absences depends on the interactive or participatory nature of a course, or is based on department, college, or accrediting agency rules. Therefore, attendance policies are set by instructors at the college or departmental level.
Students are expected to meet all deadlines for assignments and exams. Instructors have the right to establish late work policies based on course design and learning outcomes.
Please note:
- The Attendance and Course Work accommodation is not intended to be used every week, for every assignment, or every exam. This accommodation does not mean that the student is able to miss as many classes as they want. The student is responsible for completing all coursework.
- Discussion boards act as “in-class” participation time, particularly for online or hybrid classes. Engagement between peers is important for the course topics to be discussed and for the class to move forward to new topics. As a result, the discussion board component of the course may not be able to be extended, or an alternative may not be available.
- Group work generally does not fall under this accommodation because a student's individual accommodation should not impact the progress of other students.
- We ask that students and/or faculty contact the DAS office if student’s missed attendance reaches 20% of the courses offered classes and attendance is an essential component for the course to learn and demonstrate the course objectives.
The Attendance and Course Work Adjustment accommodation is to address disability flare-ups in which you are able to resume your academic work within 1-2 days. Therefore, flexibility is not automatically applicable to asynchronous participation assignments which are open for a week or more, such as discussion board posts or short quizzes. You are expected to complete these exams/assignments within their standard timeframes. However, if you experience a hospitalization or significant flare-up and cannot resume your academic work within 1-2 days, or if you experience a flare-up on the due date, please contact your Accessibility Specialist and instructor so that we can discuss options.
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Emergency Procedures:
If you have students who have a disability (i.e. blind/visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, mobility impairement, seizures), please be sure to discuss and develop an evacuation plan in case of on emergency. Please contact the DAS office if you have any questions or concerns.
