Faculty Resources

Faculty play a key role in ensuring that students with disabilities have equal access to The City College of New York's programs and curricula. While students with disabilities may require adjustments to the way information is presented or in the method of evaluation, essential academic and technical standards are maintained. When faculty have inquiries on how to provide equal access while considering the standards in their classrooms, the process is both interactive and collaborative with the student, faculty, AAC/SDS staff, department, as a means to developing appropriate accommodations and assess learning.    

Notification of Accommodations and Services
If students in your course are registered with AAC/SDS, at the beginning of the semester they will email you with an Accommodation Memo, which outlines the accommodations and services determined by AAC/SDS staff following a careful review of the student's needs and disability documentation. If you have concerns regarding the accommodations and services, please contact AAC/SDS.  Each memo indicates the pertinent disabilty laws that apply to public postsecondary disability offices, a confidentiality statement, a list of the accommodations and services, and contact information of the AAC/SDS assigned counselor.  Students chose to whom they disseminate their memos to, but they are made aware that without proper and timely notification, accommodations and services may not be implemented.  

Instructional Technology
If faculty utilize learning information systems, such as Blackboard, it is vital that content is made accessible to students with disabilities in terms of captioning, text-to-speech, and particular functions that can be made available through the learning content system.  Additionally, faculty should be aware that assistive technology is available throughout the campus.  Please visit the following Website for more information: https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/accessability/lab

Disability Clause on Syllabus
It would be helpful for faculty to include a disability clause about The AccessAbility Center/Student Disability Services on their syllabi:
The AccessAbility Center/Student Disability Services ensures equal access and full participation to The City College of New York's programs, services, and activities by coordinating and implementing appropriate accommodations. If you are a student with a disability who requires accommodations and services, please visit the office in NAC 1/218, or contact AAC/SDS via email ( services@ccny.cuny.edu ), or phone (212-650-5913 or TTY/TTD 212-650-8441).   

CUNY Guide 
CUNY published A Faculty Guide to Teaching College Students with Disabilities which contains useful information about the needs of students with various types of disabilities and helpful suggestions for how to meet their needs in your classroom.

CCNY Community Standards
All students are expected to abide by the University Code of Conduct. Poor behavior is not excused on the basis of disability. If any student is disruptive, follow standard departmental procedures such as contacting the Community Standards Office.