Faculty and Staff Resources for Accessibility and Accommodations

Inclusivity is both a practice and a value at St. Catherine University. We embrace this culture in the spirit of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.

St. Catherine University provides reasonable accommodations to students with a disability in accordance with federal laws. An accommodation is a modification to support an access need. The goal is to improve University accessibility and reduce barriers, so students may access their education and educational experience. 

An accommodation may need to be denied if: 
•  It fundamentally alters essential requirements or technical standards
•  It fundamentally alters essential functions of a program, course, activity, service, job or facility   
•  It creates an undue financial, logistical or administrative burden 
•  It compromises anyone’s health or safety

If an accommodation (or specific use of an accommodation) poses one of these concerns, it may not be reasonable. In this instance, if an accommodation cannot be implemented:

1. Consider if there is an alternative, such as limited or conditional use of the accommodation, or another option to support this access need. 
2. Inform and provide a clear explanation to affected students (who have eligibility for this accommodation) as early as possible. This may be communicated directly, on a course syllabus, or in other course/program communications.    
3. At any step, you or the student may contact our SA&A office for questions, consultation or guidance as needed.  

• Student Accessibility Accommodation Policies
• Screen Reader Accommodation Instructions
• Notecard Accommodation Instructions

Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing students or staff who use American Sign Language (ASL) are welcome to request ASL interpreting services for classes and University meetings/events. A University meeting/event organizer may also request this service to support an attendee with this need. 

To submit a request, complete this Google Form: ASL Interpreter Request Form

Once this form is received, the Interpreting Services staff will make a good faith effort to coordinate an interpreter. Please provide as much advance notice as possible, especially for in-person or large events. Requests made with less than a week of notice cannot be guaranteed. 

For additional questions or to change, reschedule or cancel a current request, please contact Interpreting Services at: interpretingservices@stkate.edu

Media Captioning:

Kaltura Media Captioning and Academic Technology Support

How to create accessible documents:

• Adding the Accessibility Checker Icon to Word-PowerPoint-Excel
• How to make accessible PDF
• Creating an Accessible Powerpoint
• Making Microsoft WORD Documents Accessible

Canvas support:

• Screen Reader Accommodation Instructions
• How to add accommodations in New Quizzes
• How to moderate a Quiz (to add time)
• Extend time on assignments 

Resources for health sciences: 

• Barriers and Belief Systems: Nurses with Disabilities in Training and Practice
• DOCS with disabilities
• John Hopkins University: Disability Health Research Center

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

• General UDL Principles
• Implementation of UDL