Field Experiences
Student Teaching, Internships & Clinical Practicum
Students enrolled in education, nursing, and other majors may eventually be involved in field experiences. These students should work with SARC staff prior to placement to set up accommodations for this experience if needed.
Accommodations for field experiences require input from professors and clinical supervisors. Planning for accommodations in these settings should be started six months in advance because it can take time to gather information from multiple sources.
Retroactive Services
Requests for services from students with disabilities, including requests for academic accommodations and auxiliary aids, are not approved retroactively. Services begin with the opening of a confidential file based on eligible documentation (see documentation guidelines). Availability and implementation of accommodations that may be approved for individual student usage begin with the receipt from SARC of accommodation letters.
Students identified as eligible for accommodations will not be permitted to seek retroactive use of accommodations at the time eligibility for services is established. Likewise, students who fail to use their accommodations are not permitted to ask faculty to provide them retroactively. Instructors are not required by law to provide retroactive accommodations to any student at any time.
Note Takers
Students who have deficits in listening comprehension skills and/or deficits in writing skills may be eligible for note takers. Students with physical disabilities may also be eligible for note takers. Eligibility for this accommodation will be determined when your documentation is reviewed.
As soon as we determine that you are eligible for note takers, you must schedule an appointment with the designated staff member who coordinates note taking services in our office. The process for requesting note takers will be explained during that appointment and that procedure must be repeated at the beginning of each semester. Please be aware that note takers are volunteers. You may need to discuss an alternative to peer note taking with your Disability Service Provider if a volunteer cannot be identified for your requested course. Please keep the note taker coordinator informed about any note taker requests you have made that may no longer be needed (i.e. you have dropped the course, etc.).
If you experience difficulty receiving notes from your assigned note taker or if the notes you receive are illegible or incomplete, it is your responsibility to inform the note taker coordinator. We will work to resolve the problem.
The note taking accommodation is NEVER put in place to be used instead of attendance. Notes from a volunteer note taker are designed to provide an extra set of notes (in addition to the ones you take in class). If you find that your condition is affecting your class attendance, please schedule a face-to-face, virtual or phone appointment with a Disability Service Provider. Your note taking assistance may be suspended if it鈥檚 determined that your class absences are excessive. You may be asked to meet with a Disability Service Provider to resume note taking assistance.
Test Proctoring for Students
There are times when we ask professors to implement accommodations that they may not be able to provide on their own. Additional time, a quiet room, and specialized computer software are examples of accommodations that professors may have difficulty providing on their own. When this happens, professors may choose to utilize SARC for test proctoring. You should discuss test arrangements and the location of your proctored tests with your professors when you meet with them to discuss your Accommodation Letter.
Test Proctoring Requirements:
Schedule your testing room at least 72 business hours in advance of the day and time the class is taking the exam; this means a full 72 hour period (3 business days) before the test. Please use the Exam Request Form on our Forms page to schedule your exam by completing the form for your campus. All tests and final exams taken at the SARC must be scheduled using the online form. Final exams must be scheduled at least one week before the first day of finals. All exams must be taken at the same day/time as the class unless the instructor/professor has given written approval at least 24 hours in advance of the exam. Emails should be sent to the following email address:
- Statesboro Campus: sarcboro@georgiasouthern.edu
- Savannah/Liberty Campus: sarcsav@georgiasouthern.edu
Please make sure to bring your picture I.D. with you when you come to take a test at our Test Proctoring Center. Arrive on time to take the exam; your time to complete the exam begins at the scheduled time 鈥� if you are late, that time may be deducted from the time you鈥檙e allowed for the exam. If you are more than 30 minutes late, you may not be allowed to take the exam until we receive permission from the professor. It is your responsibility to make sure your test accommodations are in place. Your professors have the option to provide your test accommodations if they are able to do so.
Sign Language Interpreters
Sign Language Interpreters may be provided to students who are Deaf and hard of hearing who use ASL (American Sign Language) as their primary mode of communication.
Because this can be a difficult service to provide, the SARC asks all students who need this service to participate in Early Registration.
Students requiring this service who do not participate in Early Registration may lose or delay their right to receive this accommodation because of their failure to provide adequate notice of need. While the SARC will make a good faith effort to locate an interpreter, the odds of this being successfully accomplished are radically diminished by the lack of notice.
Technology
The SARC has a range of adaptive equipment designed to assist students with disabilities. We have voice-activated word processors, scanners for reading, enlargement capability, and other assistive technology designed for students with different types of disabilities.
Many of these devices will require a commitment of your time so that you can learn how to use them. Since most disabilities are lifelong, this is an excellent way to develop skills that will assist you here and in your profession. We encourage all students to see what equipment we have available and learn how to use it. If we do not have equipment that meets your needs, please let us know immediately.
You must make an appointment with a disability service provider to use this equipment.
Forms
Statesboro Campus
- (formerly Voluntary Declaration form)
- (Faculty Only)
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- Please note: Tests and quizzes must be scheduled with 3 business days notice. Final exams must be scheduled at least one week before the first day of finals.
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- Accommodation letters requested for courses will be emailed to instructors and students.
Armstrong & Liberty Campuses
- (formerly Voluntary Declaration form)
- (Faculty Only)
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- Please note: Tests and quizzes must be scheduled with 3 business days notice. Final exams must be scheduled at least one week before the first day of finals.
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- Accommodation letters requested for courses will be emailed to instructors and students.
East Georgia State College
- (formerly Voluntary Declaration form)
- (Faculty Only)
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- Please note: Tests and quizzes must be scheduled with 3 business days notice. Final exams must be scheduled at least one week before the first day of finals.
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- Accommodation letters requested for courses will be emailed to instructors and students.
Accommodation Letters
Accommodation Letters are our way of communicating your accommodation needs to faculty members. These letters may contain very basic information about your disability and explain the accommodations you are eligible to receive. In higher education settings, we use accommodation letters rather than IEPs or Section 504 plans with which you may be familiar from your earlier school years. You may not receive accommodation letters until you have completed the registration process with our office.
Student eligibility for accommodations is determined by SARC staff through the process of gathering and considering information received during our meetings with you, contained in documentation that you have submitted and by considering your past history related to usage of accommodations.
Students with disabilities need to be able to self-advocate. This means that you must be able to explain how your condition may affect you academically and what accommodations you need. The SARC will email all requested Accommodation Letters to your instructors beginning Spring 2023. You are responsible for communicating directly with your instructor about your accommodation needs which assists with developing self-advocacy skills and establishing a good working relationship with your instructors.
Students have the right to be accommodated, but making the request to be accommodated should be done with courtesy toward faculty members and with reasonable notice (at least one week before accommodations are needed). We encourage you to utilize your instructor鈥檚 office hours or request a time to meet if her/his office hours do not match your schedule, and explain that you need to discuss your accommodations. Review your Accommodation Letter with your instructor and participate in a discussion on how your accommodations will work in that course.
If an instructor asks you questions that make you uncomfortable or that you don鈥檛 know the answers to, please let him/her know that instructors may contact the SARC at any time to discuss concerns or questions they may have.
It is rare for a student to have problems with professors in this process, but problems can arise and sometimes for good reasons. Should this happen to you, please make an appointment immediately to discuss the situation with a Disability Service Provider.
You must request updated accommodation letters each semester from the SARC. Ideally, accommodation letters should be requested during the first two weeks of a semester, but can be requested at any time during the semester. You will need a letter for each class in which you would like to receive accommodations. To renew your accommodation letters, you must follow the procedure outlined for you by your Disability Service Provider.
A critical part of setting up accommodations is the determination of where testing accommodations will take place if you are approved for testing accommodations. Professors may be able to accommodate you, or they may need to send you to the SARC to have your exams proctored. While you may state your preference, the final decision is up to the professor.
Key Differences Between K-12 & College for Students with Disabilities
Applicable Laws
High School
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
- IDEA is about SUCCESS in school.
College
- Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), Title II.
- Section 504 Subpart E of the Rehabilitation Act.
- ADA and 504 are about ACCESS, success is up to the student.
Required Documentation
High School
- Individualized Education Program (IEP) and/or 504 Plan.
- School provides evaluation at no cost.
- Documentation focuses on determining if student is eligible for services under one or more disability categories in IDEA.
College
- High school IEP and 504 Plans expire after high school and are not sufficient. Documentation guidelines specify information needed for each category or disability.
- Students must get evaluation at their own expense.
- Documentation must provide information on specific functional limitations and demonstrate the need for specific accommodations.
Self-Advocacy
High School
- School staff identify the student as having a disability.
- School staff has primary responsibility for arranging accommodations.
- Teachers approach you if they believe you need assistance.
College
- Student must self-identify to Student Accessibility Resource Center staff.
- Student has responsibility for self-advocacy and arranging accommodations with staff of Student Accessibility Resource Center.
- Professors can be open and helpful, but most expect students to initiate contact at the start of the semester.
笔补谤别苍迟补濒听搁辞濒别
High School
- Parent has access to student records and can participate in the accommodation process
- Parent advocates for the student
College
- Parent does not have access to student records and cannot represent the student without the student’s written consent. Even then, access is limited.
- Student advocates for self.
Instruction
High School
- Teachers may modify curriculum and alter assignments as outline in IEP
- Students are expected to read short assignments that are discussed and often re-taught in class
- Students seldom need to read assignments more than once, often listening in class is enough
College
- Professors are not required to modify design or alter assignment deadlines.
- Students are assigned substantial amounts of reading and writing which may be tested but not be directly addressed in class
- Students need to regularly review class notes and text material.
Grades & Tests
High School
- IEP or 504 plan may include modifications to test format or grading.
- Testing frequently covers only small amounts of materials.
- Makeup tests are usually available.
- Teachers often take time to remind students of assignments and due dates.
College
- Grading and test format changes (e.g. multiple choice vs. essay) are generally not available. Accommodations in HOW tests are given (e.g. extended time, test proctors) are available when supported by disability documentation.
- Testing is generally periodic and may be cumulative, covering large amounts of material.
- Makeup tests are seldom an option; if they are, students are responsible for requesting them in advance.
- Professors expect students to read, save, and consult the course syllabus that describes course expectations, assignments and grading scale.
Study Responsibilities
High School
- Tutoring and study support may be a services provided as part of an IEP or 504 plan.
- School staff often structure students’ time and expected assignments.
- Students may study outside of class for as little as 0 to 2 hours a week and this may be mostly last-minute test preparation.
College
- Tutoring DOES NOT fall under Disability Services. Students with disabilities must seek out tutoring resources available to all college students.
- Students structure their own time and assignments.
- Students usually need to study at least 2 to 3 hours for each class.
- Students manage their own time and complete assignments independently.
General Differences
High School
- High school is an entitlement
- High school is mandatory and usually free
- Others structure your time
- Permission is needed to participate in extracurricular activities
- Parents and teachers remind you of your responsibilities and assist you in setting priorities and goals.
College
- College is a choice or privilege, a right to access
- College is voluntary and costly
- The student manages their own time
- The decision to participate in co-curricular or extracurricular activities is yours
- Balancing your time and setting priorities is now your responsibility