Roles and Responsibilities

DRC partners with faculty and instructors across campus to support the design of accessible, sustainable, equitable, and inclusive curriculum. By engaging faculty who have critical knowledge of academic content we can, together, develop solutions to disability-related barriers that do not compromise rigor or essential functions and, in many instances, increase engagement and effectiveness for all students.

Role of the Disability Resource Center (DRC)

The Disability Resource Center (DRC) is the department designated by the University to ensure access to University classes, programs and activities for disabled individuals on main campus, UA South, Phoenix campus and Arizona Online.

In responding to requests for accommodation, we consult with faculty and instructors to understand the essential elements of your course.  As DRC staff examine disability-related barriers, they explore the most sustainable and seamless options.

Communicating with faculty is a vital piece of our process.  While our obligation is to determine and facilitate reasonable accommodation, individual accommodations often create a different, separate, experience for students. To promote inclusion, and as similar an experience as possible, we will also explore with you ways to redesign aspects of your course so that accommodations may no longer be required.

Role of Faculty

Faculty and instructors are critical partners to DRC in ensuring curricular access. DRC will consult faculty on various requests to learn more about the course. In addition to in-class experiences, we consider accessibility for: exams/learning assessments, field trips, labs, internships and all related-activities.

Here are considerations as you design your courses and work with students.

• Syllabus Statement:

Please include the following statement regarding accessibility and accommodations on all of your syllabi:

Accessibility and Accommodations
At the University of Arizona, we strive to make learning experiences as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience barriers based on disability or pregnancy, please contact the Disability Resource Center (520-621-3268, https://drc.arizona.edu/) to establish reasonable accommodations. 

• Should a student request disability-related accommodations, please do not say “yes” or “no”, but instead refer them to the DRC. Also, should a student present you with disability-related documentation, please do not keep it and, again, refer the student to the DRC.
• Please be aware that students may not need medical documentation to establish accommodations. We encourage students to contact the DRC even if they do not have documentation. Students can make requests for accommodations at any time.
• To view a list of students and the accommodations they may use in your course, please visit the DRC’s homepage and click “Instructor Login” in the top right corner. The DRC encourages you to login and check this list throughout the semester.
• Be mindful that not all students are comfortable identifying with disability or having a disability. Do not overtly identify a student as disabled or using accommodations. 
• Remember to hold all students, those using and not using accommodations, to the same academic and behavioral standards.
• As you develop your courses please consider access in the following areas:
  • Physical location, classroom lay-out
  • Accessible course materials
  • Exams, assessments, and activities
  • Lecture content

The DRC has staff and online resources to support accessible and inclusive design that may not necessitate individual accommodations or modifications.