Closed Captioning
Closed captioning is critical for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, or those who may have a disability that requires audio description. Regardless of whether the class is online or in a classroom, a student who receives this accommodation needs closed captioning of all films, DVDs, or video clips (online or offline).
Please check to see if closed captioning or English subtitles is an option on the media you will be showing. If it is not, please contact Disability Support Services at (657) 278-3112 or email at
dssdeafservices@fullerton.edu and we will assist you to make your videos accessible.
Additionally, audio files need transcripts. You can forward your audio files to
dssdeafservices@fullerton.edu and a transcription will be completed and emailed to you. Please note that there is a 4-week turnaround time for the closed captioning of video content and a 7-day turnaround time for the transcriptions of audio content.
Captioning Awareness
What is closed captioning?
Closed captioning, when activated and previously encoded, provides text on the screen for all auditory signals on a live or pre-recorded show, movie or other broadcast typically shown on television. TV monitor, computer or large screen projection devices. Closed captioning is similar to subtitles in foreign films but adds non-verbal sounds such as sirens, laughter, etc. Subtitles usually only show spoken language.
How do I know if something is captioned?
If the video has been purchased, the label will usually show one of the symbols below if it has been captioned. If you have recorded something off the television (with permission, of course) and it was encoded for captioning you should be able to turn on the captions.
Did you know?
Educational materials you use in the your classroom, including videos and DVDs, must be accessible to persons with disabilities. It is the instructor’s responsibility to ensure that videos or DVDs shown in his/her classroom are closed-captioned.
Facts about captioning
- CSUF employs deaf and hard of hearing faculty and staff.
- The university is responsible for assuring accessibility to media shown on campus for students, faculty, staff and visitors.
- Captioning of all media shown on campus benefits everyone: it exemplifies principles of Universal Design. Providing educational materials in multiple formats has been shown to benefit all types of learners.
- Using an interpreter defeats the purpose of viewing media materials because the intended audience would have to “read” the interpreter instead of the media materials being shown. While the student is watching the interpreter they are not watching the movie. This makes learning especially difficult when the video is showing a procedure or demonstration that the student needs to know.
- Non-compliance with the above legal mandates could result in a complaint to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), in which the university and/or the faculty/staff could be held legally liable.
How do I turn on captions?
Usually the captioning feature is found in the TV’s remote control “menu”. You can ask the Classroom Technology Support Center (ext 2621) for a TV with a remote control and captioning capabilities. Some older model multimedia projectors are not capable of showing captions unless a decoder is attached (available through the Classroom Technology Support Center ext. 2621).
Follow these steps to turn on the decoder:
- Using the remote control, press the menu button.
- Select the closed-caption heading or subtitles from the menu. Note that you must choose English from the subtitles menu.
- If further assistance is needed please contact the Help Desk at (657) 278-7777.
What if I want to use a video that isn't closed-caption?
New videos and DVD’s purchased must be closed captioned when acquired. If you must use a video that has not been closed captioned, you may call Disabled Student Services at ext. 3112 and request assistance.
Permission must be requested from the producers of each video or DVD in order to legally caption a videotape or DVD. The process can be time-consuming so prior planning is essential.
How does this affect classroom instructors?
Generally, instructors are aware of deaf and hard-of-hearing students in their classrooms because they have received a letter of accommodation from Disabled Student Services, for those students. If such a student is in the classroom when a video is shown, the captioning feature must be turned on. If a DVD is shown, the English subtitles must be activated. The CSU Chancellor’s Office strongly recommends that all videos and DVD’s be closed-captioned even if there is not an individual who is deaf or hard of hearing in the classroom. Many other students, including those with learning disabilities, acquired brain injuries, ESL students and those with less severe hearing losses, also benefit from having captions showing during a video per the National Association of the Deaf.
If you have further questions about your obligation please contact:
Dawnesha L. Cottrell
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Services Coordinator
Email: dainsworth@fullerton.edu
Telephone: (657) 278-5486
Accessible Furniture Accommodations
Disability Support Services will provide specialized furniture if standard desks or tables in your classroom do not meet a student’s needs.
Examples of specialized furniture are:
- Wheelchair-accessible desks/tables
- Height adjustable tables
- Specialty chairs
If a student discloses to you that he/she needs accessible furniture, please advise them to contact DSS. Professors that have students with furniture accommodations may need to allow access to their classrooms for furniture drop off on occasion. We apologize for any class interruption that furniture delivery may cause. Our goal is to have the student’s furniture delivered as quickly as possible.
Accessible furniture is placed in classrooms each semester. It remains the property of Disability Support Services and will be retrieved by DSS at the end of the semester. Please do not move our furniture to another location or use it for another purpose!
If DSS furniture is found outside of its designated location, it will be removed and relocated to its assigned location.
If staff or faculty require accessible furniture in their workspace, please contact Human Resources at (657) 278-2425 or email
hr@fullerton.edu
Notetaking Services
Notetaking services are offered to qualifying students as a reasonable accommodation. Notetaking services are important to the mission of Disability Support Services (DSS) in providing equal access to class information to students receiving services facilitated by DSS. DSS appreciates the faculty’s support and assistance in providing this ADA accommodation.
For more information about notetaking services provided, please refer to the DSS student Accessible Technology page and view the notetaking dropdown.
Faculty Responsibilities
Please acknowledge the DSS student’s Course Accessibility Letter (CAL) listing the student’s notetaking accommodation. The student is responsible for transmitting their CAL via email.
Concerns
Faculty who have questions or concerns about notetaking services, should contact DSS at (657) 278-7476 or dssaccess@fullerton.edu as soon as possible.
Recording and transcription of Class Content
Recording of class content includes, but is not exclusive to, audio recording, photography, video, scanning, screen capture, and the like.
Each instructor must permit class content to be recorded or transcribed by students when mandated to do so by the Americans with Disabilities Act or by other federal or state laws (Federal 504 Regs., The Federal Register, Vol. 42 No. 86 (5/4/77), page 2264, section 884.44, and Title II, The Americans with Disabilities Act, 8/90). Students who have disabilities, registered and documented with the Office of Disability Support Services, and who are prescribed an appropriate accommodation, are permitted to make recordings or have class content transcribed (which includes real time captioning / computer aided transcription). An instructor may request to see an accommodation letter from the Office of Disability Support Services and may also require that the student sign the University’s standard “Recording and Transcription Agreement ” form prior to allowing the recording. In all other cases, consent to record class content is at the sole and absolute discretion of the instructor.
Any recording of class content is for private use and study and shall not be made publicly accessible without the written consent of the instructor and students in the class. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure the destruction of the recording immediately after the course final.
Accommodations Glossary
For a list of accommodations with a brief description, please see our Accommodation Glossary under Policies and Procedures.
About Accommodations FAQ's
The following answers to Frequently Asked Questions may assist faculty and provide insight into the disability accommodation process at CSUF. Faculty are urged to call at 657-278-3112 or e-mail with any questions or concerns.
1. If a student asks me to provide him or her with a disability-related accommodation in my course, what should I do?
Has the student provided you a Course Accessibility Letter for the current semester with the accommodations recommended by DSS? If the student does not provide a letter, do not seek to arrange accommodations with the student yourself; refer him or her immediately to DSS.
2. What is a Course Accessibility Letter?
A Course Accessibility Letter is a letter from Disability Support Services that lists the specific recommended academic accommodations for an individual student. A student who has a Course Accessibility Letter, dated in the semester in which the class is taking place, is currently registered with DSS and has provided DSS with medical documentation of his or her disability.
3. Who is responsible for determining appropriate accommodations?
Disability Support Services (DSS) is the campus office designated to work with all CSUF students to put in place the appropriate accommodations at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. DSS provides a wide array of support services, accommodations, and programs to remove barriers for full participation at CSUF.
4. What does reasonable accommodation mean?
A reasonable accommodation is an adjustment designed to mitigate the impact of a student’s disability without compromising the integrity of an academic course or program. Reasonable accommodations may include:
- assistive technology
- auxiliary aides such as sign language interpreters
- instructional strategies
- extended time to complete degree, complete exams, etc.
Providing reasonable accommodations allows students with disabilities to have equal access to education and services at CSUF. Students with disabilities are required to meet the same academic and technical standards as their non-disabled peers, using reasonable accommodations.
5. A student has asked for accommodations. How do I know the student truly has a disability and needs accommodations?
You may ask the student to provide a Course Accessibility Letter from DSS verifying that he or she has a disability. The student, if registered with DSS and after providing documentation that DSS determines supports the accommodation, is provided with a letter that details the required accommodations to which they are entitled so long as they do not fundamentally alter an essential component of your course. For every student registered with DSS, the office has documentation of the disability on file. For reasons of confidentiality, the nature and specifics of the disability are not disclosed to faculty or any other persons outside of DSS.
6. When is a student required to notify me of a need for accommodations?
DSS encourages but cannot require registered students to provide faculty with their Course Accessibility Letter at the beginning of each semester. A student can register with the DSS or present his or her Course Accessibility Letter to you at any time during the semester. Accommodations, however, are not retroactive.
7. Do I need to be presented with a Course Accessibility each semester for the same student if I have him or her in another class or another semester?
Yes, the student is required to provide you with a Course Accessibility Letter dated in the current semester for each course. You cannot assume that once a student is eligible the first time, he or she is eligible the next time. Also, a student's accommodation needs may vary from semester to semester or from course to course.
8. Should I provide accommodations to a student who does not provide me a Course Accessibility Letter but discloses a disability?
If a student asks for an accommodation but does not provide a Course Accessibility Letter from DSS verifying eligibility for academic adjustments, it is strongly recommended that you contact DSS or direct the student to contact DSS. Similarly, if a student asks you for an accommodation, and that specific accommodation is not listed in the letter from DSS, you are not obligated to provide it. To reiterate, you are urged not to seek to arrange by yourself accommodations for the student; refer him or her instead to DSS. If you are ever uncertain about your obligations, please call at 657-278-3112
9. Am I required to provide exam accommodations to students who request it?
Yes, as long as it is listed on the Course Accessibility Letter. In most cases, DSS will provide exam proctoring as a courtesy to you during DSS’s business hours. (M-TH 8am-8pm, F 8am-3pm) The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the ADA Amendments Act protect students with disabilities. These laws require that qualified students with disabilities must have equal access to an education, including exam accommodations. If you believe that the recommended accommodations fundamentally alter an essential component of your course, see the answer to Question #15 below.
10. Am I allowed to request disability documentation from the student?
No. The CSU has designated DSS as the repository of all disability documentation for students with disabilities. Documentation stating and describing a student's disability is confidential information. Recognize that most students feel very vulnerable in disclosing their accommodation needs to faculty.
While faculty may be able to surmise the condition on the basis of the accommodations, probing for disability information is inappropriate.
11. Do I have to keep the student's disability information confidential?
Yes! Faculty should always keep disability-related information confidential. For many students with disabilities, disclosure of their disability is a very personal and sensitive matter. You can always contact the student's assigned Disability Specialist if there are any questions, issues, or concerns. Inappropriate disclosure of disability information must be avoided.
12. Do I have to allow students to use technology in my courses?
There are instances when a DSS student will need to use various technologies during your class. These will be outlined in the Course Accessibility Letter. This may include, but is not limited to, a laptop to take notes, a tape recorder to audio record class lectures, and other types of technology as needed.
13. What if I have a policy specifically banning the use of laptops?
If a laptop is an approved accommodation, a policy modification for the student with a disability is reasonable. In order not to publicly identify the student with a disability the instructor is encouraged to state on the syllabus something like the following: "Exceptions for the use of a laptop may be granted for compelling reasons at the discretion of the instructor."
14. Am I required to lower the standards of a required assignment because the student has a disability?
No. Standards are the same for all students; however, some students with disabilities may use accommodations to exhibit their knowledge, their production, and their meeting of other course expectations differently than their peers. For example, a student with low vision may produce an essay exam by using a computer or scribe rather than writing out an answer. The quality of the work should be the same.
15. What should I do if I believe an accommodation listed in the Course Accessibility Letter fundamentally alters an essential element of my course? Do I have any recourse if I disagree about recommended accommodations?
Yes. Academic adjustments listed in the student’s Course Accessibility Letter are open for negotiation. You can and should bring your concerns about specific accommodations to the Disability Specialist working with your student. It may be that a different accommodation would be better suited to your particular course and the DSS staff member can help develop the alternative.
16. Do I have to alter my attendance policy?
No. Not if the accommodation would fundamentally alter the course objects. However, you are strongly encouraged to identify and determine how much attendance is considered an essential part of your courses. DSS may make recommendations to faculty about unique circumstances where attendance considerations would be beneficial. Attendance considerations for students from DSS always carry a "standard of reasonableness" with them. It is always good practice to clearly state on your course syllabus your attendance requirements.
17. I've been debating about the textbook and other course materials I want to use for my class, and DSS keeps asking for this information? Do I have to provide it?
The short answer is, “yes.” Textbook publishers are often not able to provide books in digital formats that are usable or acquired in time for a course. Publishers do grant authorization to create digital copies of traditional texts for eligible students with disabilities. However, textbook conversion is a time-consuming, labor-intensive task. Every semester DSS creates screen-readable text (e-text), Braille, or other formats for students.
Students need to be able to access their textbooks at the same time as others in the class. By delaying the selection of textbooks, DSS may not be able to get material converted to an appropriate format in a timely fashion. This means students may have to start the semester without access to their textbooks and places CSUF out of compliance with the law.
18. I have a student who is having difficulty in my class. I think he or she may have a disability. What should I do to help him?
Talk privately with the student to discuss your observations. The student may reveal he or she has a disability. If this is the case and the student is registered with DSS, suggest that he or she talk to their assigned Disability Specialist (assigned by major or college).
If he or she is not aware of any particular difficulties, he or she may still be referred to DSS for consultation. It is not unusual for high ability students to be identified with a learning disability at the college level. Often the compensatory strategies used at the secondary level are no longer adequate in a demanding university setting. Suggest that the student contact DSS at fullerton.edu/dss for more information.
19. A student with a disability has requested that he take an exam in a separate location that is less distracting than a classroom. How do I know that the student will not be getting an unfair advantage?
DSS recognizes that faculty try to avoid, as far as practicable, academic procedures that create temptations to violate CSUF’s code of conduct. Students taking exams in a separate location from the class are reminded by DSS staff of their obligation under student conduct, and most exams proctored at DSS are under video surveillance. Any exam irregularities are reported directly to the faculty upon completion of the exam, and in some cases to the Student Conduct office directly.
20. A student came to me late in the semester requesting accommodations. I believe this is too late to ask for accommodations and arrangements should be made at the beginning. I even made an announcement on the first day of class to meet with me about these arrangements. Do I have to provide accommodations for someone this late?
In many instances, “yes.” There are numerous reasons why a student makes a late request. Perhaps he or she could not get documentation of his or her disability any earlier and, therefore, could not initiate accommodations earlier. Some students try to take a class without accommodations but find that they aren't doing well and need accommodations. Whatever the reason, students may make requests for accommodations any time during the semester.
On the other hand, there may be some situations where students make a request for accommodations so late that appropriate arrangements cannot practicably or reasonably be made. An example of such a request might be a student requesting an entire textbook be converted to alternate format at the end of the semester.
CSUF is obligated to provide accommodations only at the point when a student makes a request, and you and DSS are able to make appropriate arrangements. The student is too late if he or she reveals a disability after the completion of a class and requests a change in grading basis to Credit/No Credit or a deletion of a poor grade, for example. Accommodations are not provided retroactively.
21. I have a student with a disability who is behind in his homework. This student has missed a number of classes and has not handed in several assignments. Although the student has taken a midterm and used accommodations, the student received a D for the midterm. At this point, the student is not passing the class. Do I have a right to fail a student with a disability?
The student with a disability has the same right to fail as anyone else. Their work should be equivalent to his or her peers. It may be a good idea to discuss your concerns with this student, just as you would with anyone else in your class who is experiencing difficulty.
22. I have a blind student in my chemistry lab. How is the student going to participate and be graded in their lab work?
Please refer the student to the DSS to discuss their eligibility for a Personal Aid that can accompany them to class and provide limited support.
(Adapted from Stanford University).
