Understanding SAAS Accommodations
CSUN Faculty play a vital role in helping students reach their academic success. As faculty, if you are notified from a student or receive a SAAS email regarding accommodations, you are encouraged to take these next steps:
- Log-in to SAAS
- Select the Task Management tab to view the name of the DRES students' and their approved accommodations in a course
- For an overview of SAAS, please review the Faculty SAAS video.
- Note: If you do not see a student’s information, please direct the student to request their accommodations in SAAS or redirect the student to DRES.
- If you disagree with an accommodation or are aware of course-specific factors that have bearing on the accommodation, please consult with a DRES counselor.
- Review the information below to review how accommodations are provided to the student.
Note: All approved accommodations are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Academic Accommodations
These accommodations are used to access materials, lectures, and information in the classroom and/or learning environment (i.e. videos, audio recording, Canvas, labs, field trips, etc.).
The following are a few examples:
DRES coordinates with PPM to place DRES labeled adjustable furniture in the classroom.
Faculty Role
During class, assist in reserving the adjustable furniture to the student with the approved accommodation. For any questions or issues, please contact DRES.
Faculty Role
As a friendly reminder, additional electronic course content materials should be made accessible by the faculty. For guidance or more information, please visit the CSUN Universal Design Center.
This support aide serves a vital role for the student with a disability and provides assistance in various capacities to the student during class.
Faculty Role
If the student has this as an approved accommodation, please permit the support aide to attend class with the student with the disability. The support aide may not participate in class as they are assisting the student only.
Note: Support aides are employed by the student and are not connected with the university in an employment capacity.
Allow the student to audio record lectures. Recording is completed by the student using a device (i.e. phone, digital recorder, smartpen, etc.).
Faculty Role
As an option, you may also complete an Audio Recording Agreement between you and the student to specify the manner in which the recordings may be maintained after the conclusion of the course.
Allow student to designate a notetaker to support them in the course. Generally, most DRES students can independently identify a notetaker in their course. The role of the notetaker is only to share their class notes with the student regarding lecture information.
Faculty Role
At times, the student may reach out to the faculty for support in identifying a notetaker in the class. We would recommend keeping the student anonymous when making the announcement.
The following is some suggested language:
"I am looking for a volunteer to share their notes with a student in this class. If designated as the notetaker, you will be eligible for early registration during next semester (or provided with a gift card during Winter/Summer terms). Your assistance would be deeply appreciated. If you are interested, please see me after class so I can introduce you to the student who needs notes."
Alternative Testing Accommodations
These accommodations are used during timed exams (i.e. pop-quizzes, quizzes, midterms, finals, etc.).
The following are a few examples:
A student may be approved to have the ability use assistive technology to access and respond to exam content.
Faculty Role
Please refer to these steps on providing the approved accommodation(s):
- For online exams, we encourage you to remove the Respondus Lockdown Browser, if being used. The Respondus technology may not allow the student to use their assistive technology devices.
- For in-person exams, you may partner with our the DRES Alternative Testing staff to help proctor the exam and provide technology assistance. You may create the course exam profile within SAAS to allow the student to schedule upcoming exams with the DRES Alternative Testing office. For a refresher, please refer to this video on creating an exam profile How to Navigate SAAS
The student will need assistance with reading and/or writing during exams.
Faculty Role
You may provide the accommodation with support from your department or partner with our the DRES Alternative Testing staff to help proctor the exam. You may create the course exam profile within SAAS to allow the student to schedule upcoming exams with the DRES Alternative Testing office. For a refresher, please refer to this video on creating an exam profile.
Depending on the approved extra time, the student should be allotted the additional time for the exam.
Faculty Role
Provide the appropriate amount of extra time during exams. For example, if the exam is 60 minutes, a student with approved 1.5x extra time will receive an additional 30 minutes on the exams.
Please refer to the information below on providing your student's approved additional test time:
- For online exams, you will provide the testing accommodations. For assistance with extending time on Canvas, please refer to the Canvas site or watch a Canvas video on extending time.
- Note: For additional support, contact the Faculty Technology Center (FTC) at (818) 677-3443 or ftc@csun.edu.
- For in-person exams, you may proctor the exam or the DRES staff may be available to help proctor. If DRES will proctor, please create a course exam profile within SAAS so that the student can schedule exams at the DRES office. For a refresher, please refer to this video on creating an exam profile.
- Note: For testing at DRES exams must be scheduled 5 days in advance for regular exams and 10 days in advance for final exams.
For any questions about accommodations, please contact DRES at 818-677-2684 or dres@csun.edu.