A growing number of students with documented disabilities are attending postsecondary schools.  In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Americans with Disabilities Act, 1990, Trinity International University offers appropriate and reasonable accommodations, or academic adjustments, to students with a documented disability.  Unlike high school, postsecondary schools are not required to provide FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education), but to provide reasonable accommodations, or academic adjustments, to help ensure an equal educational opportunity.

Specific, reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments are written by the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities and the student, following a review of appropriate evaluation reports and a student interview. “Your postsecondary school does not have to make adjustments that would fundamentally alter the nature of a service, program or activity, or that would result in an undue financial or administrative burden. Finally, your post-secondary school does not have to provide personal attendants, individually prescribed devises, readers for personal use or study, or other devices or services of a personal nature, such as tutoring or typing.” (Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities, U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, Washington, D.C.  20202, Revised September, 2011.)

Reasonable Accommodations

The following reasonable accommodations, or academic adjustments, and services are examples of those offered to students with disabilities at TIU

1. Extended time on tests and quizzes (typically up to 50%)
2. Quiet location for taking tests and quizzes (Professor’s office, USSC Testing Center, etc.)
3. Use of the USSC Testing Center (Tests may be emailed to ussctesting@tiu.edu, left in Faculty Services, brought to the USSC Testing Center in Lew 123, or interoffice mailed, which takes 2 days for deliver.)
4. Human/computer reader for exams and quizzes
5. Give answers orally to test and quiz questions
6. Possible adjustments to attendance/tardiness policies
7. Possible adjustments to out-of-class assignment deadlines
8. Provide copies of professor lecture notes
9. Provide copies of electronic presentations (PowerPoints, Prezi, Keynotes etc.)
10. Designated note taker for courses with the following professors:
11. Recording class and lectures
12. Preferential seating
13. Handouts in enlarged font size
14. Handouts in electronic format
15. Use of computer solely for the purpose of note taking
16. Use of service animal in the classroom

Services

The following services may be made available to students, as appropriate:

• Assistance in the acquisition of electronic books
• Assistance with adaptive computer equipment
• Referral for outside testing for learning needs
• Post secondary schools are not required to provide tutoring specifically for students with disabilities.  Tutoring is available for all students through the University Student Support Center.

The Process for Students

1. Obtain a psychological, psycho-educational, or medical evaluation conducted by the appropriate licensed/certified specialist.  No cost psycho-eduational evaluations are available for TIU students.
2. Provide a copy of the evaluation report with recommendations, and copies of high school IEPs / 504 Plans as available, to the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities.
3. Meet with the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities to discuss the results and recommendations and sign the Registration Agreement.
4. In conjunction with the student, the Coordinator writes the Reasonable Accommodations letter and distributes to the student’s professors in print and electronic form.
5. It is the student’s responsibility to meet with each professor to decide how the reasonable accommodations will be utilized in each course.
6. Confer with the Coordinator each semester thereafter to renew the accommodations.
7. The Coordinator will meet with the student and professor, if needed, to answer questions and provide clarification.
8.  

Appointments are made online on my Google calendar.  You must have your own Google calendar account to use this feature.  You may sign up for any of the 30-minute “Office Hours” time slots.  To book an appointment, click here.  Log in to your Google Calendar.  Your calendar will appear with my “Office Hours” superimposed on it.  Simply click one of the “Office Hours” slots, delete the entire contents of the “What” box, type only your name and click “Save.”  Make sure your calendar time zone is set to Central Time.