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Student Disability Services

FAQ's for Students

What if I experience access barriers to my online course?

We understand that online courses may not automatically include all the access needs for every student. SDS is working with campus partners in Academic Innovations https://provost.utsa.edu/academicinnovation/ to ensure Blackboard accessibility to your online courses. Although your instructors have already been informed about your accommodation needs through an accommodations notification email, the type of accommodations needed may differ than what is required in traditional, in-person classroom settings. 

If you experience barriers to accessing your online classes, please reach out to your UTSA Instructor and SDS Disability Specialist immediately. Here is some additional recommendations:

**Students are encouraged to read these tips https://www.northeastern.edu/graduate/blog/tips-for-taking-online-classes/  for a more optimal online learning experience.  For more suggestions or additional support, please contact your UTSA Disability Specialist at disability.services@utsa.edu or call 210-458-4157.

How will I receive my exam accommodations?

If students have the following accommodations with SDS, we encourage students to reach out to their Disability Specialist to discuss accommodations for online exams:

  • Exam and quiz time extensions can be implemented by instructors on Blackboard.  Instructors are responsible for extending your time on Blackboard for quizzes/exams; please feel free to remind your instructors to do so.
  • Students are encouraged to reach out to your instructors to inquire about the format of any upcoming exams/quizzes.

On Line/Distance Learning Courses

Students with disabilities are eligible to use accommodations in online courses. Although online classes offer flexibility that often works well for students with disabilities, the type of accommodations needed may differ from a traditional classroom setting. Keep the following considerations in mind when registering for online courses:

1) Courses can be designed with “built-in” accommodations in which the actual course design lends itself to providing proactive accommodations (e.g. the ability to review material/lectures multiple times, no physical structures to navigate, etc.).
2) The accommodations recommended by the Documentation Review Committee may not be applicable to an online course format (e.g. preferential seating in a physical class, alternative test environments, etc.)
3) Some accommodations that are prescribed for the traditional classroom setting may not be applicable to a virtual setting that has broader parameters of participation (e.g. tardiness leniency, absence leniency, etc.)

As with all accommodations, once a student has requested and officially notified their instructor of their accommodation needs, that student should engage in an interactive discussion (email, phone or in person) in which they determine how those prescribed accommodations might take place in that particular classroom setting whether it be traditional or virtual. If a student and their instructor cannot agree upon the provision of accommodations for that classroom, the student should consult with their assigned disability specialist for further review and discussion.