DRC works in close partnership with faculty and instructors to implement accommodations and services for students with disabilities in all academic environments. Implementing disability accommodations is a shared responsibility and all campus entities are responsible to carry out the legal mandates of the Americans with Disabilities Act. DRC helps faculty to accommodate disabled students by determining who is eligible for services and by informing faculty of the accommodations students are entitled to. We also assist faculty by providing a wide range of classroom services including: media captioning, live captioning, alternative media conversion (converting course materials to digital formats) arranging notetaking services, providing accessible classroom furniture, and assisting with complex exam accommodations.
The first point of contact for general concerns about student accommodations is the DRC Coordinator. Faculty can identify the coordinator through the AA letter or through the DRC Accommodate data system or may reach out to DRC to request contact. We ask faculty who have concerns or questions about accommodations to please contact the Coordinator who sent the accommodation letter to any address concerns. Please do not discuss concerns with the student, but instead reach out to the student’s assigned Coordinator directly.
Coordinators know that their recommendations can occasionally inadvertently compromise the purposes or standards of a class, and they are ready to discuss such concerns. Faculty are not obligated to fundamentally alter the objectives of their course.
The DRC Director is also available via email at knielson@ucsc.edu to consult with individual faculty members with broader questions or concerns. She is also available to address faculty groups and to share information about DRC and students with disabilities, as well as to assist with course design for access and inclusion.