Request a Student Disability Resources Staff-led Presentation

Choose the correct request form

Penn State Faculty and Staff

K-12 Schools and Community Partners

Looking for a student panel

If you would like a student-led panel through our Peer Education Program, please use the Peer Education Panel request form

What we can offer

Recording acknowledgment

SDR presentations cannot be recorded. By submitting this request, you agree the session will not be recorded and you will communicate this to attendees.

A) Staff-led presentations and trainings

1. SDR 101 and the accommodations process
   A high-level overview of what SDR does, how academic accommodations are determined through an individualized interactive process, and how SDR collaborates with faculty and departments.
2. Applying for services and documentation basics
   An overview of the student steps to apply for SDR services and the purpose of documentation in establishing eligibility and identifying effective accommodations.
3. Rights, responsibilities, and confidentiality
   A review of student and university rights and responsibilities, and the confidentiality standards that guide disability-related information sharing.

B) Accommodation types and best-practice workshops

These sessions focus on how accommodations work in real instructional and program settings. The specific accommodations used vary by student and are determined on a case-by-case basis.

1. Accommodations best practices
   For faculty and staff. Covers assistive listening devices (FM systems), sign language interpreters, CART, and captioning, including shared responsibility for accessible course media.
2. Flexibility accommodations and Flex Form best practices
   A practical session on flexibility accommodations (flexed attendance, due dates, and rescheduling exams or quizzes), how the Flexibility Accommodation Agreement Form (Flex Form) supports course-specific clarity on reasonable limits and expectations, and how to complete the Flex Form in a course-specific way.
3. Exam accommodations overview and implementation basics
   Common exam-related accommodations and the role of the SDR Exam Center and instructor-administered accommodations.
4. Note-Taking accommodations and tools overview
   Options such as instructor-provided notes and note-taking technology supports (for example, Jamworks and Genio), plus key expectations for accommodation use.

C) Consultations for departments, colleges, and student-facing offices

1. Department or unit consultation
   A tailored discussion on common questions, consistent messaging, referral pathways, and collaboration with SDR and campus partners, including how to evaluate reasonableness in context and, when appropriate, how to identify equally effective alternatives that preserve essential requirements.

D) High school and transition-focused presentations

These are group sessions designed for K-12 audiences and transition teams.

1. Preparing to transition to college with a disability
   A high school-friendly overview of key differences between K-12 and college disability supports, what students can do to prepare, and how privacy shifts in college.
2. Future students and family overview
   An overview for prospective students and families on common misconceptions about post-secondary disability supports and transition resources.

Typical formats

• 15 to 20 minutes: overview segment or guest speaker
• 30 to 60 minutes: presentation with Q and A
• 60 to 90 minutes: interactive workshop, case studies, or consultation

Sessions can be offered in person or virtually.

Contact:
For questions about SDR staff-led presentation requests, contact: upsdr@psu.edu or 814-863-1807.