Accessibility Services (Accommodations for Students with a Disability) 

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, NDSCS will:

• Provide equal access and opportunity to all academic programs and campus activities for students with disabilities.
• Provide appropriate and reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities, at no cost to the student.
• Promote the philosophy of equal access and opportunity with North Dakota State College of Science administrators, faculty, staff, and students.
• Encourage self-advocacy for students with disabilities to increase their independence and level of self-sufficiency. 

Accommodation Requests: 

1. If a student requests accommodation(s), the instructor should refer the student to the Accessibility Coordinator.
2. The Accessibility Coordinator will determine if the requested accommodations are reasonable and appropriate. 
3. Upon approval, a formal letter stating approved accommodations will be sent to the instructor’s NDSCS email. This letter will clearly explain the accommodations that the instructor is responsible to provide. 
4. If the student or instructor have questions regarding approved accommodations, they should contact the Accessibility Coordinator. 

Syllabus Statement 

Instructors should include the following statement in their syllabus. Additionally, the statement should be read aloud by the instructor during the first week of class. This approach demonstrates to students that instructors are sensitive to and concerned about meeting the needs of ALL students they teach. This also gives students the opportunity to make their accommodation needs known. 

If a student approaches you about their disability, please encourage them to contact the Accessibility Coordinator as soon as possible. 

ADA Statement 

NDSCS is committed to creating a learning environment that meets the needs of its diverse student body. If you anticipate or experience any barriers to learning in this course, please discuss your concerns with the instructor. If you have a disability and require accommodation, contact the Accessibility Coordinator at NDSCS.Accessibility@ndscs.edu or 701-671-2623 as soon as possible. The Accessibility Coordinator will send instructors notice of approved accommodations. If you have already been approved for accommodations, you are encouraged to talk with your instructor to discuss arrangements to implement your accommodations. 

Test Center 

The NDSCS Test Center is open to all NDSCS students. Occasionally, students with disabilities utilize the test center for testing accommodations. The test center instruction form should be completed and sent to the test center at NDSCS.TestCenter@ndscs.edu along with the test. If you prefer to hand deliver a test, please do so to Old Main 230 on the Wahpeton campus or to the front desk on the Fargo campus. If the student requires audio testing, you will be asked to provide a PDF or word document of your test at least 48 business hours in advance of the test. The test center form can be found by clicking here. 

Important Information

• Accommodations at NDSCS are student led. Some students with disabilities identify themselves by contacting the Accessibility Office and/or their instructors before or early in the semester. Others may not. Students with disabilities are not obligated to register with campus offices of disability services and only need to do so if they decide to request accommodations.
• Student accommodations are flexible. Even if they have been approved and elect to use that accommodation, the student does not need to take every test in the test center. They must complete the test in the chosen environment. This may be the classroom, the test center, or other designated location. The student can utilize accommodations as needed for each course.
• It is crucial that the faculty member includes a statement in the class syllabus encouraging students with disabilities to arrange accommodations early in the semester.
• Dialogue between students with disabilities and their instructors is essential early in the semester, and follow-up meetings are recommended. Faculty should not feel apprehensive about discussing students’ needs as they relate to the course provided these conversations are held in a private location.
• The objective of academic adjustments is always to accommodate the student’s disability, not to dilute scholastic requirements.
• Contact Accessibility Services at NDSCS.Accessibility@ndscs.edu or by phone at 701-671-2623 if you have questions. 

Universal Design in Learning 

Universal design in higher education is a way to provide instruction that is accessible and usable to all students without the use of adaption or special accommodation. Universal design for learning is different from accommodations for students with disabilities. Some examples of universal design in learning are:

• Multiple delivery methods that motivate and engage all learners
• Allowing students to turn in parts of a large project for feedback before the final project is due 
• Class outlines and notes that are on an accessible website 
• Assessing student learning using multiple methods 
• Captioned videos
• Furniture and fixtures in classrooms that are adjustable in height and allow arrangements for different learning activities and student groupings, including use of computers that are on adjustable-height tables
• Examples that appeal to students with a variety of characteristics with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, age, ability, disability, and interest. 

For more on universal design in college click here. 

Contact Information: 

Dana Kasowski, Student Accessibility Coordinator 
North Dakota State College of Science 
Old Main, 230A 
p: 701-671-2623 (call or text) 
f: 701-671-2440 
e: Dana.K.Kasowski@ndscs.edu