Common Academic Adjustments

Test Accommodations

Extended time is usually 50% more time to take a test. Greater percentages of additional time and opportunity to take breaks during tests must be justified by documentation.

Questions read out loud by a staff. Almost always the person who’s reading the questions is not the professor who wrote the test, so the wording of questions cannot be changed

Transcribed answers let students answer questions out loud while someone else does the writing.

Alternative test taking locations can reduce distractions that might occur in the classroom.

Note: Disability Services plays no role for decisions on allowing adjustments for “placement tests” (the tests all Freshmen usually have to take before registering for their first courses). For adjustments on placement tests contact the Admissions Office, 715-425-3500.

Copies of Lecture Notes

Disability services obtains lecture notes for students by paying classmates to let the office photocopy their notes. Typed notes are arranged only when documentation sufficiently indicates it’s required. This adjustment is not actually intended to be a substitute for class attendance.

Alternative Text

Alternative text could be a recorded version of books, or written transcripts of audio things like movie soundtracks. Copyright laws usually make it illegal to make record books or audio transcripts unless a disability truly requires it, so the need for this adjustment must be thoroughly indicated by documentation. Many recorded books come on a CD. Students who use them may want to buy their own special CD players and software that can be rather expensive. Please contact Disability Services as soon as possible to get details about these matters.

Interpreters:

Sign language services for deaf students during classes, during any course activities that professors require outside of class, for necessary meetings with representatives of the university, and during UWRF sponsored events. This can take considerable time to set up, as all the interpreters are private practice professionals who need to sign contracts with UWRF. If this will be needed please contact Disability Services soon as you start thinking about attending UWRF, and certainly as soon as you’ve been admitted to attend the university.

Other Reasonable Adjustments:

Additional kinds of reasonable and appropriate adjustments can be arranged when documentation sufficiently explains why they’re necessary. This can include changes to the routine ways that common adjustments typically occur (above).