Stanford University is committed to supporting a diverse community that includes students with disabilities, and to meeting its obligations to such students under the law. The Office of Accessible Education (OAE), a unit within Student Affairs, provides academic and other accommodations for students with disabilities. To assist students to be able to participate in the various programs, services, and activities of the institution, and in order to meet the University’s legal obligations, the OAE requires the support, cooperation, and partnership of faculty, other teaching staff, and administrators within the University community.
Important Links for Faculty & Staff
Your accommodations don’t just exist on paper — they’re meant to work in real classrooms with real professors. Here you’ll learn how instructors implement OAE accommodations, what your role is as a student, and how to handle common situations that come up during the quarter. Think of this as a practical guide to navigating classes with confidence.
Academic accommodations are legally-mandated modifications, adjustments, auxiliary aids, and/or services that give a student with a disability an equal opportunity to benefit from the educational process. It is useful to think of accommodations as adjustments to how things are normally done.
Academic accommodations may include:
- Changes to a classroom environment or task that permit a student with a disability to participate in the educational process
- Modifications to policies, practices, or procedures (e.g., reduced courseload, extended time to degree, etc.)
- Provision of accessible instructional materials and effective communication services
- Other adaptations or modifications that enable a student to enjoy the benefits and privileges of the university’s programs, services, and activities.
Students who may need an academic accommodation based on the impact of a disability must register with the Office of Accessible Education (OAE) and initiate their requests. Because accommodations are not retroactive, students should contact the OAE as soon as possible in order to ensure timely notice and coordination. Similarly, it is the student's responsibility to notify the OAE as early as possible in the event of any problems or unexpected barriers experienced in the obtaining of academic accommodations and services.
Faculty and teaching staff can assist the Office of Accessible Education in communicating to students the need to register with the OAE if academic accommodations may be needed based on the impact of a disability. Faculty are encouraged to include the following statement in the course syllabus:
- Access and Accommodations - Stanford is committed to providing equal educational opportunities for disabled students. Disabled students are a valued and essential part of the Stanford community. We welcome you to our class.If you experience disability, please register with the Office of Accessible Education (OAE). Professional staff will evaluate your needs, support appropriate and reasonable accommodations, and prepare an Academic Accommodation Letter for faculty. To get started, or to re-initiate services, please visit oae.stanford.edu. If you already have an Academic Accommodation Letter, we invite you to share your letter with us. Academic Accommodation Letters should be shared at the earliest possible opportunity so we may partner with you and OAE to identify any barriers to access and inclusion that might be encountered in your experience of this course.
Whether a requested accommodation would fundamentally alter an essential requirement of a course will generally need to be determined on a case-by-case basis, in light of the specifics of the course and the requested accommodation. The following general discussion may be helpful to illustrate some of the relevant considerations.
Review information covering:
- Essential Requirements Defined
- Essential vs. Non-essential Requirements
- Determining Essential Requirements of Courses
- Consider Flexibility in Instructional Methods or Assessment
- Collaboration
Explore OAE's Determining Essential Requirements for Courses/Programs
The Office of Accessible Education (OAE) provides accommodations to OAE-registered students with disabilities. Stanford University is obligated under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other similar laws to ensure Stanford students are provided equal access and an equivalent educational experience regardless of whether courses are held in person or remotely. We recommend reviewing the following page full details on working with students who need captioning in your class.
Our Alternate Format specialists can create fully accessible files for students to engage with your course content alongside their peers. OAE can adapt textbooks and course files into accessible formats, so students can read, study, and participate without barriers. Providing course materials in advance is the most effective way to ensure that students receive accessible materials without delay. Your proactive engagement results in an enormous impact for your students.
Learn About Accessible Format Remediation (Alternate Format)
Big lecture hall, rustling papers, people coming and going — it can be a lot during an exam. A distraction-reduced testing space gives you a calmer setting to focus and perform at your best. This page walks you through how to use it.
Explore Exam Accommodations: Distraction-Reduced Seating
- Faculty, lecturers, and TAs: If you need assistance in scheduling rooms for private and/or distraction-reduced testing accommodations, please work with your departmental student services staff. Another resource is 25Live, which can be used to request classrooms and space(s) on campus; 25Live can be accessed at scheduling.stanford.edu.
If something about your academic accommodations isn’t working, it’s okay to speak up. This page explains how to raise concerns, resolve misunderstandings, and get help quickly so you can stay focused on your classes and well-being.
College is a shared learning environment, and accessibility works best when everyone understands their role. This page breaks down what you can expect from the Office of Accessible Education — and what’s expected of you — so accommodations work smoothly in your classes and campus life. Knowing your rights and responsibilities helps you advocate for yourself and stay on track academically.
