Using the SSD Instructor Web Portal offers many benefits to instructors and students with accommodations. Below are a few benefits identified by the instructors who participated in the Pilot Program of the Instructor Web Portal in Spring 2019.
“I love this portal. It’s so much easier to keep track of everyone and lessens the amount of paper in my office. Just wanted to say thanks!!”
“The SSD instructor portal made it easy for me to access accommodation letters for my students and then schedule time to speak with them about their learning needs. Importantly, this system removes a substantial barrier for many of our students and makes it much easier for them to facilitate communication with their instructors!”
Instructors and students are notified at the same time when Accommodation Letters are ready.
The new notification systems sends an email to the instructor and student once an Accommodation Letter has been generated by SSD. Many students are nervous or intimidated about notifying their instructors about their accommodations and this email serves as the initial notification to instructors. Students still must discuss their accommodations with their instructors before the accommodations can be provided. If instructors receive an email notification but do not hear from the student we encourage the instructor to reach out to the student to ask to set up a time to meet. Many students are still learning self-advocacy skills and a prompt from the instructor can help students realize the importance of communicating with the instructor to coordinate their accommodations.
Instructors can view Accommodation Letters and associated handouts prior to meeting with the student.
Viewing Accommodation Letters online allows the instructor to better prepare to discuss accommodations with the student and to have time to think through how the listed accommodations will be provided. If instructors are not familiar with a listed accommodation, they can reference the SSD website or contact the student’s Disabilities Services Coordinator for more information. Even if an instructor views an Accommodation Letter and confirms receipt of the Accommodation Letter online they must still meet with the student to discuss the approved accommodations and how they will be provided.
Instructors can view Accommodation Letters online and don’t have to keep track of paper letters.
As the number of students with accommodations increases, it can be difficult to keep track of paper Accommodation Letters. The Instructor Portal allows you to view Accommodation Letters online as PDFs, which can be downloaded and viewed as many times as necessary throughout the semester.
Instructors can confirm tests reserved with SSD online
For students who need to take their tests at SSD, the Instructor Web Portal allows instructors to confirm the test reservation online instead of signing a paper copy. All tests must be confirmed at least 5 business days (1 week) before the test so be sure to pay attention to the deadlines!
View the entire process and timelines for testing at SSD on our PDF SSD test request process and notification system flowchart.
Don’t want to use the SSD Instructor Web Portal?
The Instructor Web Portal is an optional tool instructors can choose to use. Instructors should communicate with students about whether or not they plan to use the Instructor Web Portal to coordinate accommodations. Instructors should let students know if they still need to deliver a hard copy of the Accommodation Letter (and any associated handouts) or provide test confirmation via the paper form or if the instructor will be accessing this information via the Instructor Web Portal. Students and instructors still must discuss the Accommodation Letter and approved accommodations before accommodations can be provided.
We hope the Instructor Web Portal will be a useful tool for instructors in managing their students’ accommodations!