Flexibility Accommodation Form | Penn State World Campus Student Center

The Flexibility Accommodation Agreement Form must be completed with input from the course instructor. Course instructors may submit the form, or students may submit it after discussing accommodations with their instructor. Once the form is completed, the student should forward the responses to the Disability Specialist listed on the Academic Accommodation Letter. Please contact the listed Disability Specialist with any questions about flexibility accommodations or this form.

Note for instructors: The answers to the following questions should be based on the specifics of the course. If you receive a letter requesting flexibility accommodations from more than one student in a semester for the same course, you can use the same answers if they are course-specific. Therefore, please consider saving your answers locally for possible future use.

A student enrolled in your course is approved for flexibility in assignment deadlines, rescheduling exam/quiz dates, and/or other accommodations listed in academic adjustment letter. We are requesting you respond below with details specific to your course to ensure that we, as an institution, are being transparent with the student regarding expectations of flexibility accommodation implementation.

Flexibility accommodations should be considered on an individual course basis with careful analysis of how assignment deadlines and exam/quiz dates are essential to the course learning objectives and pedagogical components. The reasonable lengths of extensions will vary per course and are based on several factors, including the interactive or participatory nature of a course and any applicable college, department, or accrediting agency rules. While determined deadlines (assignments or exams/quizzes) may already be incorporated into a course’s grading scheme and syllabus and have inherent value to student learning and success, flexibility accommodations are intended to consider modifying existing course policies and limits in relation to students’ documented disability-related needs. In some instances, flexibility accommodations may not be reasonable or appropriate despite a student having a disability that otherwise warrants flexibility (e.g., clinical practicums, significant dialectic engagement with peers, fieldwork).

Key points across all flexibility accommodations:

Reasonable flexibility — Flexibility accommodations are not intended to fundamentally alter the essential elements of a course or be used for every assignment or every exam/quiz. Students receiving flexibility accommodations are still expected to regularly participate in the course and complete all course work.
Non-disability related situations — Flexibility accommodations do not cover non-disability related illnesses (i.e., short-term sickness like the flu or common cold) or other non-disability related reasons why a student cannot meet deadlines or participate in exams/quizzes (e.g., work, travel, extracurricular activities). Such cases should be addressed according to the assignment deadline or missed exam/quiz policy stated in the syllabus.
Not retroactive — Because students can register with World Campus’s Student Disability Services or request approval for flexibility accommodations at any time, they may get their accommodation letter with approved flexibility accommodations at any time in the semester. In these cases, course instructors are not expected to provide retroactive accommodations. Course instructors are not obligated to adjust previous penalties (e.g., missed course work, completed exams/quizzes) or offer attempts to retake an exam/quiz that occurred earlier in the semester, prior to receiving the accommodation letter with relevant flexibility accommodations. Course instructors can use discretion in determining if it is possible to waive any penalties or offer opportunities to demonstrate course knowledge from missed deadlines prior to receiving the accommodation letter with relevant flexibility accommodations.

Flexibility Accommodation Agreement Form

Once completed, click Submit. A copy of this form will be emailed to the instructor, the student, and the student’s Disability Specialist.

Contact Information

Who is filling out this form?

Instructor

Student

Instructor Email

Student Email

Please enter the email of the student for whom you are completing this form.

Course Instructor

Semester, Course, Section #

Will this accommodation require flexible assignment deadlines?

Yes

Will this accommodation require flexibility in rescheduling quizzes/exams?

Yes

Flexibility in Assignment Deadlines

Generally, flexibility within a few days of an assignment deadline is reasonable for students who receive this accommodation (e.g., 24-, 48-, or 72-hour extensions). Occasionally, more time is appropriate depending on the nature of the assignment and the requirements of the course. In some cases, there may be less room for flexibility when missing assignment deadlines impacts a student or their classmates’ ability to move forward with class materials or to receive instructor feedback.

Missed Deadline Policy – If there are assignments, what is the missed deadline policy for your course?

Deadline Extension – If an assignment deadline extension can be provided without lowering or removing the course’s academic standards, what extension timeline is reasonable based on the types of assignments (e.g., 24-hour extension, 72-hour extension, before the next scheduled class, etc.)?

Group Work – If this course includes group work that factors into students’ final grades, how will flexibility in assignment deadlines be addressed while still ensuring the learning objectives are met by the student (e.g., allowing a set number of deadline extension allotments (24 hours, 2 business days, before next group meeting, etc.); students may be given the option to participate individually rather than in a group, etc.)?

Deadline to Communicate Need – If deadline extensions are to be provided, when shall the student communicate the assignment extension need (e.g., before the assignment deadline, etc.)?

Method to Communicate Need – If deadline extensions are to be provided, how shall the student communicate the assignment extension need (e.g., email, Canvas, phone call)? Please include preferred and specific contact information.

Flexibility in Rescheduling Exams/Quizzes

Generally, flexibility within a few days of a missed exam/quiz is reasonable for students who receive this accommodation (e.g., 24-, 48-, or 72-hour extensions). Occasionally, more time is appropriate depending on the nature or requirements of the course (e.g., before next scheduled exam or quiz). In some cases, there may be less room for flexibility when missing an existing exam/quiz date impacts a student or their classmates’ ability to move forward with class materials or to receive instructor feedback.

Make-Up Policy – If there are exams/quizzes, what is the make-up exam/quiz policy for your course?

Time to Make Up Exam – If a student misses an exam or quiz for disability-related reasons, what is the time frame in which the missed exam or quiz needs to be taken as it relates to the course structure (e.g., within 24 hours of missed evaluative event, within 72 hours of missed evaluative event, before next scheduled exam or quiz, etc.)?

Deadline to Communicate Need – If exam/quiz rescheduling is to be provided, when shall the student communicate the missed exam/quiz (e.g., before missing the exam/quiz, no later than 24 hours after missing the exam/quiz, etc.)?

Method to Communicate Need – If exam/quiz rescheduling is to be provided, how shall the student communicate the missed exam/quiz (e.g., email, Canvas, phone call)? Please include preferred and specific contact information.

Flexibility Accommodation Agreement Form

Flexibility Accommodation Agreement Form

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