Disability Services - Resources

The Disability Statement on your syllabus is the first step in creating an atmosphere that welcomes diversity in your classroom. Academic Affairs can provide faculty members with the preferred Fitchburg State disability statement.

Faculty who receive a student Accommodation Agreement from Disability Services are required to retain it for their records. The Accommodation Agreement will be printed on Fitchburg State University letterhead. If you are instructing an online course, you will receive the student's Accommodation Agreement as a scanned copy in an email.

Please complete the carbon "Exam Accommodation Form" (if attached) within the first week of the semester and return to Disability Services, Hammond 303. The Exam Accommodation form MUST be received before Disability Services will proctor any student exams. Any questions you may have regarding a student's accommodations can be addressed with the Director of Disability Services.

The preferred method of delivery of exam material for Disability Services staff to proctor is via our testing email: testing@fitchburgstate.edu. Only students registered with Disability Services will be provided exam accommodations.

A Note To Faculty

As a public institution, Fitchburg State University is committed to the principles of equity, access and excellence in higher education.

Meeting the needs of our diverse spectrum of learners may require some flexibility or adaptability on the part of instructors. However, this does not require that faculty alter their teaching objectives or compromise academic standards.

Academic accommodations ensure equitable access to the teaching and learning environment for all qualified students. Providing accommodations to a student registered with Disability Services is an obligation of the university, as well as an obligation of faculty members at the institution. Although federal and state laws mandate this obligation, our shared values as a university community also embrace the spirit of access and equity for our diverse spectrum of learners.

Many of you already incorporate aspects of universal design into your courses. Examples include:

  • Posting course materials and lecture notes on Blackboard for all students to access throughout the semester
  • Using several shorter length exams throughout the semester as opposed to one or two high stakes tests
  • Creating podcasts so that students can replay lecture material to capture important points that they might have missed in class
  • Using multiple modalities to teach complex constructs (video/audio, text, drama, the internet, etc.)
  • Reading aloud anything that is written on a whiteboard or posted on a PowerPoint slide
  • Providing verbal descriptions of diagrams or pictures used to convey a concept
  • Closed Captioning of videos is now required by the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act.

Online Links

Electronic Text and Alternative Format

ADA Resources

Employment and Labor Resources

Education Resources

  • No Child Left Behind
  • What Works - The What Works Clearinghouse was established in 2002 by the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences to provide educators, policymakers, researchers, and the public with a central and trusted source of scientific evidence of what works in education.
  • EducationUSA - International students with physical, mental, intellectual or learning disabilities should be aware of the many resources available to them during their time on U.S. campuses.

Technology Resources

Other Resources

General Information by Disability Type

  • Resources for Alcoholics and Problem Drinkers - A comprehensive guide to getting help and understanding the disease.
  • Guide to Paying for College - Getting a college degree is hard enough, but it presents a different set of challenges for people who have disabilities. If you have a disability, this guide can help you determine how to get financial aid, and access scholarships meant for people with disabilities.