Registered Students

We are here to provide equitable access to students. This means all students registered with the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations need to take an active role in seeking and maintaining their documentation and accommodations.  Please review the student responsibilities listed below to find out what you can do to make the accommodation process runs smoothly.

You must request your accommodations through Accessible Learning at the beginning of each semester or when your accommodations have been authorized. This process gives us your permission to share information with your professors. Without it, we cannot share your accommodation plan.


Immediately inform the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations if you add/drop a class or leave the university.  You must request your accommodations for any courses that have been added and cancel accommodations for any courses dropped.


Meet with your professors at the beginning of the semester to discuss your accommodations and how they will be met in that specific course. This step is required because you have needs that are specific to you; without this meeting your professor will be unaware of how they can best help you. Likewise, each professor will run each course with their own style; accommodations may look very different based on this interaction of student needs and professor style.


If you have questions, if your accommodations are not meeting your needs, or if you are too bewildered to even ask a question, PLEASE CALL or EMAIL the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations (253-535-7073, oaa@plu.edu) or stop by our office in the Dean of Students Office, located in the University Center Lot. We can adjust your accommodation plan to better fit your needs or help connect you to other supports across campus.


PLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities to ensure equitable access to the educational experience. At times, this may mean auxiliary aids that are provided through a third-party/independent company. To ensure availability and appropriate coordination, PLU’s OAA office protocol for requests is:
  •  Submit the request during the business week and office hours. (Monday– Friday.)
Request for an auxiliary aid from an independent/third party company is:
  • An email with date/time/location/and brief description of  what the situation is that requires an auxiliary aid sent to Austin Beiermann (beiermad@plu.edu)
PLU prefers notice of need 5 business days in advance.  If a request is less than 5 business days, an auxiliary aid from a third-party/independent company may not be available.

  • Notify Austin Beiermann that you are requesting your books for a term as soon as possible. These requests may take up to 2 weeks to fulfill.

  • Per federal agreement with publishing houses, accessible versions of texts can only be provided once proof of purchase of the text has been provided. When signing out each set of DVD’s or CD’s, bring in your receipts, whether digital or paper, for proof of purchase of your books. If you cannot find the receipt, we can copy the front cover of the book as proof of purchase.

  • If receiving DVD’s/CD’s, they must be returned at the end of each semester, J-term, or Summer intact. If you do not return your DVD’s/CD’s, or return DVD’s/CD’s that are damaged, you may be charged a fine to your student account.

  • In accordance with copyright laws, the recordings or other formats of e-texts may not be uploaded, shared, or in any other way published.

  • To borrow a SmartPen, make an appointment to meet with Austin Beiermann. If you are unfamiliar with the SmartPen, Austin will give you a tutorial.

  • SmartPens require special paper to function properly. DSS will provide you with a small quantity of this paper when you check out the pen. When you start to run low, please contact DSS for additional sheets.

  • The use of the SmartPen accommodation is for your personal use in your academic courses only. Recordings or notes taken with the SmartPen may not be uploaded, shared, or in any other way published.

  • You are responsible for the safekeeping of the SmartPen while it is in your possession. Keep it safe from excessive heat or cold, and minimize drop damage. If you were given a pen with a hard case please keep the pen in this case when it is not in use.

  • SmartPens must be returned to the DSS office at the end of each term. If the SmartPen is not returned, or is returned and determined to be purposefully damaged, DSS reserves the right to place a fine of $200 on your Student Account for the replacement cost of the pen. Please note you will not be eligible to borrow another pen until either your original pen is restored or replaced.

  • With the lecture recording accommodation, it is appropriate for you to record any lecture material that could be included in an exam.

  • However, for material that may not be included in an exam (such as sharing personal stories, or some outside speakers) you may be asked to turn off your recorder. Once lecture returns to testable material, you may continue recording.

  • The use of the lecture recording accommodation is for your personal use in your academic courses only. Recordings may not be uploaded, shared, or in any other way published.

Attention!

Unless given specific permission by their professor on the Alternative Testing Contract, students taking exams at the DSS Office may not access the internet or their cell phone for any reason during testing. Utilizing the internet without professor permission will be regarded as academic dishonesty, a violation of PLU’s student code of conduct.

  • The notes in testing accommodation is intended to include memory triggers about notes from class and notes on the important concepts from your textbook; it is not intended to allow all of your class notes.

  • The content of these notes should be discussed with your professor at the beginning of the semester, and may include short definitions, formulas, acronyms or other pneumonic devices, etc, at your professors discretion. Lengthy quotes from your textbook or direct copies of your class notes are not the intent, but may be appropriate at your professor’s discretion.

  • Your professor must approve your notes and sign off on the bottom of every written side. Notes without this signature will not be allowed into the testing room. Your professor should also place the notes into an envelope, seal it, and sign across the seal. This ensures the integrity of the notes between approval and the exam.

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