Applying for Student Accommodations with DAS at VCU

Completing the Division for Academic Success (DAS) Accommodation Intake Form is the first step that must be completed before Accommodations are approved for VCU MCV campus courses. Here’s how to submit the DAS Intake Form. 

1. Please go to the Application Link. Login with your VCU eID and Password. 
2. Begin by clicking on the Start New Application button.

3. Use the drop-down menus to fill out the Application Information.

1. 1.  NOTE: Under “Start Term”, please select the term to which you are applying for accommodations. For example, students submitting in the Summer for Accommodations in the Fall must select “Year – Fall”. A student who is taking a Summer class and is applying for Accommodations in the Summer must select “Year – Summer”.

4. Next, complete the “Personal Information” and “Contact Information Sections”. 

5. The next section on the form is “Disability Information”. Select your primary disability from the drop down menu. You may also select secondary disability/ies for which you are requesting accommodations in your application using the checkboxes. 

6. Next, complete the “Additional Information” section. Select your current degree program.

7. Select Create Application Draft

1. 1. NOTE: This is NOT submitting your application. This only saves a draft of your application to proceed to the next section

8. Once your Application Draft is saved, you will be prompted to complete the List of Questions section. Fill out the question text boxes to further clarify your application.

9. Once you complete the List of Questions section, refer to the following instructions that apply to you:

1. 1. I HAVE Supporting Documentation: 
      1. If you have supporting documentation for your application, select Save and Upload Documentation
      2. Choose File in the Upload File section, and attach your file with the prompt. 
         1. Note: Students should review DAS’s Documentation Guidelines webpage linked on the application
      3. Select the “Upload File” button
      4. Once file is uploaded, select the “Proceed to Final Review”  button.
      5. I DO NOT HAVE Supporting Documentation:

10. Review the “Agreement Statement” box and select the “Submit Application”  button.

11. Your application has been submitted. You are able to review both your application and the status of your application at any time. 

1. 1. Note: You may also continue to upload documentation under files, so long as the application status is still processing.

12. You will receive an update on your application once it has been reviewed. If you have any questions, please email acadsuccess@vcu.edu 

 

Requesting Accommodations with DAS at VCU

Once you have been formally approved for accommodations by a member of the DAS team, you may request a copy of your accommodation letter. In this request, you will be able to select which accommodations you would like to apply to each of your classes (you will have to request your accommodation letter each semester). We will then email a copy of your letter directly to your official VCU e-mail. Please keep in mind, accommodations are not retroactive and will go into effect only after sharing your letter with your instructors.  

1. Login to the DAS Student Portal. Login with your VCU eID and Password.
2. Once logged in, navigate to the “Accommodations” tab on the left of your dashboard. Select “List requests”. Alternatively, you can use the “Accommodation Requests” tile on the main dashboard and select Add Requests. 
3. Select the classes which you are requesting accommodations for. If you would like to apply the same accommodations to all courses, select the last box. Click Continue to Next Step.
4. For each course, check the box for each accommodation you would like to request. Alternatively, you may check the “Select All” box, or check the last box if you do not wish to request accommodations in that course.
5. Once you have selected your accommodations, check the box under “Final Step” to acknowledge you have read the statement, and then click “Submit Request”.
6. This action will alert DAS that you have requested your letters. We will email your letter to your professors, typically within one business day. You will be copied on the email.

Submitting Course and Exam Instructions with the DAS Testing Center

At the beginning of each semester, we ask that you complete the DAS Course Instruction Form for each of your courses. By completing this form for your courses, you will support the Testing Center in ensuring we are sufficiently staffed and prepared for upcoming exams. 

Please Note: Students may not submit proctoring instructions for their class. Course instructors must submit the proctoring instructions for students taking an exam with DAS. The course instruction can be accessed either by:

o   Clicking the link in the email received once a student exam request has been submitted, or

o   Logging into the DAS Faculty Portal.

1. Log in to the Faculty Portal.
2. Under the Home section on the left-hand side, select Alternative Testing.
3. At the top of the page select DAS Course Instructions.
4. Scroll down and beside the course select Specify.
5. Select Exam Management Method then Confirm Task. This lets us know if you will proctor your own exams or if you need the assistance of DAS to proctor your exams
6. Below select Submit your Selection.
7. Complete the mandatory List of Questions section to inform us of exam scheduling parameters and rescheduling policies for your course.
8. Provide your contact phone number where DAS staff may reach you with an urgent question about the exam.
9. Once completed, please provide us with the first date of your first exam. *Note: For exam length, please write the time in minutes for a standard exam. Please do not include extra time.
10. Continue to Exam Date Instructions. 
11. Provide any additional specific exam instructions, exam files, passwords, etc.
12. Select Submit and Continue to Specify Exam Dates.
13. If you have successfully completed your Course Instructions you can see (1) List of Exam Dates, (2) modify, duplicate, or delete the proctoring instructions you have provided, or (3) Add Additional Exam Date.

Modifying or Adding Additional Exam Instructions

1. Log in to the Faculty Portal.
2. Under the Home section on the left-hand side, select Alternative Testing.
3. On the top right menu bar select Exam Dates.
4. To modify or delete existing exam instructions, do so under the Step 1: Select Exam Dates tab.
5. OR to add additional exam dates and exam instructions, do so under the Handy Tools: Add Exam Dates tab.

   Viewing Accommodation Letters

   It is almost certain that during an academic year you, as a faculty and/or staff member, will encounter students with disabilities in your class or office. Some students with disabilities will require academic accommodations to ensure equal access to programs, services, and activities at VCU. You will use AIM to view student accommodations.   

   
   
   1. Login to Faculty Portal.
   2. Select Continue to View Student Accommodations.
   3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and to see the list of students that have accommodations for your classes for the current semester.
   4. Select view to read over the student’s accommodation letter. 
   5. You will also receive student accommodation letters via email.

Adding Curriculum Support Team to Courses in AIM

Professors can add curriculum support (i.e., IT, Curriculum Administrators, or staff) into the faculty portal for their class. This will allow additional curriculum team members to access the faculty portal for this class, including the ability to view accommodation requests, receive faculty notification letters, upload exams, and download completed exams.

1. Log in to the Faculty Portal.
2. Select Add Instructor.
3. Enter Personal Information. Select the Class you wish to add an instructor from the drop down menu. (2) Select the Type as Add Additional Instructor to the Course. (3) Input the Instructor Name and (4) their Email Address.
4. Select Add Instructor.

 

What are accommodations?

Accommodations are adjustments that remove barriers and create equal access to programs, activities, or the learning platforms without fundamentally altering the academic content or learning objectives.

Accommodation letters:

While it is preferred for students to obtain their accommodation letter prior to, or at the start of the semester, letters can be obtained any time during the semester. Students are required to give the letter to their instructors. The letter is not retroactive.

A student approached me and told me that he has a disability and would like accommo­dations although he did not give me a letter from Division for Academic Success. Do I provide the accommodations?

You are under no obligation to pro­vide accommodations to students who do not have a letter of accommoda­tions. Direct that student to DAS so DAS staff and the student, together, can determine what accommodations are necessary to meet that student’s needs, if the student is eligible for services. However, if a student does not meet the criteria of a student with disability he/she will not receive academic accommodations.

Is it fair to other students in my class to give students with disabili­ties extra time on tests and assignments?

By providing the extra time, the student can be evaluated for what she knows about the material being tested rather than the effects of her disabil­ity, thereby, leveling the playing field.

I’ve had several students request accommodations in the middle or at the end of the semester. Why do students wait so long to let me know that they need support?

Some students with disabilities attempt courses without obtaining their accommodations. They may not want to disclose their disabil­ity, or they may feel they do not need the accommodations. At the middle or end of the semester, they may realize that they need to access the accom­modations to which they are eligible to receive, in order to maximize their classroom performance.

If a student presents an accommo­dation letter in the middle of the semester, does the letter cover the student from the beginning of the semester?

The student’s accommodations begin at the point that you receive the accommodation letter. Accommoda­tions are not retroactive and hence will not apply to any of the student’s work prior to receiving the letter of accommodations.

Do I need to change my academic standards and objectives to meet the needs of students with disabilities?

Students with disabilities are held to the same academic standards as all VCU students. However, stu­dents with disabilities may require modifications or accommodations so that they may fully participate in the lessons, assignments and tests.

Our program has certain technical standards students must meet. Can a student receive accommodations for this?

The answer is not a simple “yes or no”. There should be an interactive discussion with the student, faculty/staff, and the Division for Academic Success to determine if an accommodation is reasonable. As long as the accommodation does not result in a fundamental alteration of the program or cause an undue burden to the institution, it may be provided.

I mainly teach through lecturing. Is this a problem for students with disabilities?

Students with an auditory processing deficit or hearing loss may have a difficult time relying only on lectures to access information. Whenever possible, it would be helpful to add a visual prompt to your lecture. This would enhance learning not only for those students with auditory processing problems, but also for the students in your class who are visual learners. They also can benefit from having an outline or script of the class material prior to class lecture.