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 questions.
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 Adjustment and Deadline Extensions
This section provides guidance on how to initiate and manage Attendance Adjustment and Deadline Extensions accommodations provided to students within your courses. While these are two distinct accommodations, they often go hand in hand due to their shared purpose and characteristics. For simplicity, they are discussed together here.
Do not implement either accommodation in a course unless it appears on the student’s official Notification of Accommodation Letter. If it is not listed, contact the Disability Access Office for additional follow-up.
Please note: Retroactive accommodations are typically not provided but may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Purpose of the Accommodations
These accommodations are intended for students whose disabilities are episodic and unpredictable. Such conditions may include (but are not limited to) migraines, epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, cancer, panic disorder, major depressive disorder, and Celiac Disease.
When symptoms flare up suddenly, students may need to miss class or may be unable to complete assignments on time. These accommodations provide flexibility with attendance and assignment deadlines, helping students demonstrate their learning without being penalized for disability-related challenges.
The Attendance and Deadline Extension Accommodations are to address disability flare-ups in which a student can resume academic work within two days or up to a week. 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. Students are expected to complete these exams/assignments within their standard timeframes.
These accommodations are not intended as a blanket waiver for all attendance requirements or assignment deadlines. As outlined in university policy, consistent attendance and timely completion of assignments remain essential components of academic success.
The Flex Attendance Adjustment and Deadline Extension Accommodation are not intended to be used every week, for every assignment, or every exam. This accommodation does not mean that a student is able to miss as many classes as they want. The student is still responsible for completing all coursework. Eligibility and determination of this accommodation is determined at the discretion of the disability office based on the interactive process.
Important Note:
This accommodation is not a waiver of attendance expectations. Students are still required to attend class regularly, in accordance with the NMSU Attendance and Student Performance Policy. As stated in the NMSU System Academic Regulations, academic success is closely linked to active participation and consistent attendance.
Medical Documentation
Students with this accommodation do not need to provide additional medical verification to instructors as their documented need for accommodation is verified through Disability Services. The Accommodation Letter is sufficient documentation. Students are expected to communicate with instructors prior to needing the accommodation, and as symptoms arise throughout the semester.
Considerations for Online Courses
Although Attendance Adjustment may not apply in the same way to online courses, flexibility may still be needed. For example, if a student cannot complete an exam due to a flare-up, they should contact the instructor to arrange for an alternate time to complete it. As stated above, flexibility may not be automatically applicable to asynchronous participation assignments which are open for a week or more, such as discussion board posts or short quizzes. Students are expected to complete these exams/assignments within their standard timeframes.
Applying the Accommodations in a Specific Course
As course formats and expectations vary, it is important for the student and instructor (with Disability Services support if needed) to discuss early in the semester how this accommodation will be applied. Disability Services staff are available to support this conversation and help determine reasonable adjustments.
When determining flexibility, Disability Services and the instructor must consider the following questions and learning outcomes. Accommodations must be reasonable and should not fundamentally alter the course (U.S. Department of Education, 2008).
Instructors should consider the degree of failure to attend class and whether it constitutes a significant loss of the educational experience for the student, and other students in the class.
General Guidelines
Attendance Adjustment
In general, reasonable flexibility may include 50–100% more absences than the syllabus allows. Ex: If a class allows 2 absences, a student with this accommodation may be allowed 1 to 2 additional absences to equal 3 to 4 total absences and represent the 50-100% accommodation allowance. Students are required to attend at least 80% for didactic lecture-based courses and 85% for interactive courses.
Additional leniency may be appropriate in lecture-based courses with minimal in-class interaction.
Less flexibility may be appropriate in experiential or discussion-based courses where attendance is essential.
Here are general questions to consider when applying for flexible accommodation as a student:
- What is the course format? (Lecture-based, online, hybrid, Lab)
- What is the frequency and duration of class time?
- What are the stated course policies about attendance and deadlines in the syllabus?
- How many absences are allowed per course for all students?
- Are attendance and participation graded? If so, how?
- What is the current allotted timeframe for make-up on quizzes/exams?
- What is the current allotted timeframe for make-up on assignments and projects?
- Is there a written late assignment policy in the course syllabus?
- Are points deducted for late assignments? If so, how many points or how many days late?
- Does in-class learning build on previous sessions?
- Is class participation and classroom interaction an essential component of the course standards and requirements?
- Are there alternate ways to make up class participation when students are absent?
- Does the fundamental nature of the course rely on student participation as an essential method of learning?
- How would absences or extensions affect the learning of other students?
- Are there other exceptions made for extenuating circumstances aside from disability related reasons?
Deadline Extensions
Deadline Extensions are intended to provide reasonable flexibility in deadline policies, as outlined in the syllabus.
Deadline extensions are not intended to be used more than twice in a semester without the knowledge of DAS.
This accommodation aims to reduce the impact of disability on the student’s academic performance, while still supporting the integrity and learning objectives of the course. They are meant to give students an equitable opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and mastery of the subject.
Typical extensions range from:
- 24–48 hours past the due date for weekly assignments
- 5 days to one calendar week for larger projects or papers
Greater flexibility may be possible if deadline changes do not interfere with the course's structure. For example:
- A research paper due near the end of the term may be turned in later without disrupting the course.
- An assignment tied to a time-sensitive event (like a journal publication deadline) or practicum, clinical, residency, internship, thesis, group project, dissertation, departmental or state licensure test may not allow for flexibility.
How These Accommodations Apply to Common Course Components
In-Class Participation Points
If a student misses class due to a documented disability and notifies the instructor in accordance with the approved attendance or due date flexibility agreement, the instructor should provide a way to make up the missed participation or offer an alternative solution within a reasonable time frame in writing.
Make-Up Quizzes and Exams
Students must be allowed to make up quizzes or exams missed due to flare-ups. Disability Services is available to help ensure academic integrity, equity, and timeliness in these situations.
Assignments with Extended Availability
Even for assignments that are open for a longer time (e.g., projects or weekly homework), students with unpredictable disabilities may still need a brief extension. A 24–48 hour extension (or up to one calendar week for larger projects) is usually appropriate. The longer it takes to complete coursework the further behind a student may get. This could result in other measures such as the administrative or student decision for course withdrawal, or a failed course due to a student being too far behind in coursework to catch up and complete course requirements.
Discussion Posts and Replies
Short extensions are typically reasonable for both initial posts and replies. In time-sensitive situations where other students rely on timely feedback, the amount of flexibility may be more limited or not available.
Real-World Examples
Attendance Adjustment and Deadline Extension Agreements, including situations where an extension was not appropriate, are available on our Examples Page.
Setting Up Course-Specific Agreements
It is important to clarify early how the accommodation will apply in each course by completing the Flex Plan Questionnaire for each course in the AIM Portal when receiving notification. Instructors and students should follow these steps:
- Review the provided guidance from Disability Services to understand the accommodation’s purpose and reasonable flexibility for your course.
- Within a few days of receiving the accommodation letter, expect correspondence from the AIM System for the next steps. If you do not receive correspondence via email from AIM, you are encouraged to reach out to Disability Services.
- Have a discussion with the student to find a balanced approach that meets both the student's needs and your course’s essential requirements when requests for implementation of accommodations are received. If this becomes difficult, contact DAS for assistance.
- Once you have completed the flex plan questionnaire, Disability Services will confirm the completion of the process and send the proposed plan to students for review. You will receive notifications of the steps in writing through the AIM System. All correspondence related to flex plan accommodations between instructor and student is encouraged to take place through the AIM Portal for appropriate record keeping.
Note: Separate agreements may be needed for different parts of a course, such as lab vs. lecture.
If a student cannot meet the agreed-upon terms and no reasonable adjustment can be made, then standard syllabus policies apply.
Student Responsibilities
Students must initiate use of these accommodations by using the Implementation feature in the AIM Portal. That includes notifying professors promptly via the AIM system when:
- A disability-related absence occurs and an extension on assignment is needed (if student has that approved accommodation)
- The need for an extension on an assignment is related to a disability (if student has that approved accommodation)
Whenever possible, students should request extensions before the deadline. If that is not possible, they should do so as soon as they are able.
Faculty/Instructor Responsibilities
Faculty/Instructors must implement and apply these accommodations in a timely and consistent manner. That includes prompt and specific communication with students and/or the Disability Services office to discuss any questions or seek assistance on how to implement and apply the accommodation(s) appropriately in your course.
Instructors are responsible for implementing the flex plan for their courses through the AIM Portal. They should check the AIM Portal daily for any pending requests and complete faculty questionnaires for their courses with comprehensive information. NMSU Disability Offices will then review the completed faculty questionnaires and create the flex plans for each course to apply to each student within that course. All students within that course are provided the same flex plan agreement. This ensures consistency and equity for all students. All correspondence related to utilization of flex accommodation should be documented through the AIM Flex Plan portal. Communication through phone, email, or in the form of verbal agreements will no longer be considered viable or supported methods for addressing flex plan accommodations.
If a student’s academic or medical needs change significantly, such as missing more classes than expected, they should contact the faculty and Disability Services to discuss adjustments or other related options.
Questions or Concerns
If you have questions or need support implementing these accommodations, please contact the Disability Access Services Office. We are here to help.
Email: dasaccommos@nmsu.edu
Memory Aid Guidelines: CLICK HERE
Emergency Procedures:
If you have students who have a disability (i.e. blind/visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, mobility impairment, 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.
