Many instructors have expressed that they could better assist students with disabilities enrolled in their classes if they could have more specific information regarding the students' disability. However, because of the need to safeguard student confidentiality, protected by the Family Right to Privacy Act and ADA. (Americans with Disabilities Act), CSD does not provide disability information to instructors. In some instances, the disability will not affect the student academically, so there is no need to provide information. In other instances, the disability requires an accommodation in the form of a support service or use of a particular device to help the student succeed academically. Students are encouraged to share any disability information with instructors that could facilitate their progress in the classroom; however, it is the student's choice regarding how much, if any, information he/she wants to share with instructors.

Getting to Know Your Student

If instructors have students in their class who are receiving some type of support service or other accommodation and want to know more about how they can assist their students in the classroom, they can do several things: (1) Talk with their students. Many students can give valuable information about techniques that help them to learn better. (2) Meet with their student's CSD counselor for more information on how they can work with support service providers and/or other appropriate accommodations. (3) Meet with the Developmental Education Instructor for the Center for Students with Disabilities to discuss classroom techniques. It is recommended that instructors inform their students that they would like to talk to their CSD counselor and/or CSD instructor regarding techniques, the accommodation, and/or learning needs.