Student Accessibility Resources (SAR) Overview

Preview SAR Responsibility Chart in accessible view

Faculty Resources

Student Accessibility collaborates closely with faculty and staff to support students at UWF. This page lists several ways for faculty and staff to partner with SAR and promote the utilization of the resources we offer.

Syllabus Statement

Faculty are encouraged to begin the semester with a general announcement about resources available to students with disabilities who may need accommodations for the classroom. If you need assistance, the CTLT Syllabus Toolkit is a resource to help you easily update an existing syllabus or write a new one centered around helpful and up-to-date information for your students.

A disability statement opens the lines of communication, making students feel more comfortable when approaching faculty to disclose their need for course accommodations or other disability-related needs. A syllabus statement also helps to ensure that all students are aware of the existence of Student Accessibility Resources.

The University has designated Student Accessibility Resources (SAR) as the place where documentation regarding a student's disability is on file and where appropriate accommodations are determined. Reasonable accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis because the functional limitations of each individual and the specific demands of each course may vary. In some cases, SAR may consult with a faculty member to determine the essential standards of a course or program of study in order to determine what constitutes a reasonable accommodation.

The Statement About Assistance for Students with Special Needs is required to be included in all UWF course syllabi per University Policy SA-09.04-09/19

The University of West Florida supports an inclusive learning environment for all students. If there are aspects of the instruction or design of this course that hinder your full participation, such as time-limited exams, inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videos and podcasts, reasonable accommodations can be arranged. Prior to receiving accommodations, you must register with Student Accessibility Resources. Appropriate academic accommodations will be determined on an individual basis with careful consideration of course design, course learning objectives, individual documentation of disability and the academic barriers experienced by the student. Accommodations may vary from one course to the next course and from one semester to the next semester. For information regarding the registration process, visit the Student Accessibility Resources website, e-mail sar@uwf.edu or call 850.474.2387.

Faculty Support Resources

SAR is here to support you! We have resources available, including coaching on how to work with students with disabilities, how to handle specific students/cases, and information about assistive technology.

We understand creating an accessible course or working with accommodation needs can feel overwhelming. Along with our team, the Center for Teachers, Learning and Technology (CTLT) are available to give you the latest tools and best practices to help you transition your materials to be more accessible.

Request Support with CTLT

Review Accessibility Resources through the UWF Library

Referrals for Services

If a student self-identifies as an individual with a disability or you suspect an academic barrier due to a disability, please provide our contact information to them. It is up to the student to self-identify with our office by completing an online application. You may also contact our office if you aren't sure how to approach a student regarding a possible accommodation issue. We will reach out directly to the student.

Accommodate

Accommodate is the student management system used to help the SAR identify, approve, deliver, and manage the accommodations available to UWF students. This web page provides links to PDF versions of PowerPoint presentations that contain information and screenshots to assist students and faculty in using the Accommodate system.

Accommodate Faculty Tutorial Slide Presentation

Accessing the Accommodate Portal

Accommodate is a management system to communicate a student's disability, allowing faculty members to:

View all of the information regarding the approved accommodations for students in their classes in one convenient location
View approved testing appointments for students to be proctored by Testing Services
Securely upload exams and testing instructions for exams to be proctored at Testing Services

The faculty portal is available to all current UWF faculty regardless of status (i.e., full-time, part-time, adjunct). Faculty will only see information in the faculty portal if they have a student registered with SAR (or a SAR Staff Notetaker) enrolled in a course they teach.

Notice of Accommodations

Faculty will receive a notice of accommodation for any student who has requested accommodations for the current semester. If a student says that they have accommodations, but you did not receive a notice, reach out to our office, and we will check the status of the student's request. It's important to only provide the accommodations that are listed, and only if you have a letter, because accommodations can change. Also, accommodations are not retroactive, so if a student chooses to request accommodations later in the semester, it's active at the point you receive the letter and forward it.

Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility

UWF hosts a hub for information about accessible EIT, including electronic documents, websites, videos, software applications, and hardware devices that everyone can use effectively, including students, faculty, staff, and visitors with disabilities.

Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) Accessibility

Community Support Resources

The greater Pensacola community and the state of Florida have a variety of agencies and resources available to support citizens with disabilities.

To request this page or any information referenced on the page in an alternative format, please email sar@uwf.edu.