The purpose of the Accessible Media & Technology (AcMe) program in the Office of Disability Services (ODS) is to implement accommodations for students needing various types of accessible formats.  AcMe produces these formats, coordinating with students and faculty as needed.  Faculty are never asked to make alternative formats, although we welcome and encourage faculty interest in making their course content more accessible. ODS’s Keep C.A.L.M. (Choosing Accessible Learning Materials) content is a great place to start.

If you have questions after reading the following information, we welcome you to make an appointment for an AcMe consultation by calling 540-568-6705 or email disability-svcs@jmu.edu.

For background information regarding higher education’s obligations under Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please reference the U.S. Department of Education document, Auxiliary Aids and Services for Postsecondary Students with Disabilities.

Follow these links to learn more about specific AcMe accommodations:

Audio Books and eText Accommodations

Students work directly with AcMe to request electronic text and audio books and to locate needed materials.  Faculty are not required to create or provide alternative formats.  In the unusual instance that AcMe needs to request assistance from the faculty member for this accommodation, we will reach out to you. 

Faculty members should select and announce textbooks for classes in advance to allow students and AcMe time to locate the necessary digital version.  

JMU’s Policy 2110 (rev. May 2016) does require that faculty should place textbook orders with the JMU Bookstore “by the second week in October for the spring semester, by the second week in March for the May and summer sessions, and by the first week in April for the fall semester.” 

If you are interested in learning more about electronic text and incorporating this accessibility tool into your classes, please visit the Keep C.A.L.M. and Select eText page. 

Hearing Impairment Accommodations 

AcMe encourages faculty to use captioned videos and transcribed audio recordings whenever possible. Doing so has many benefits that extend beyond access for people with hearing and/or auditory impairments. When you have a student with captioning accommodations in your class, you will need to work with AcMe to ensure that all video and audio materials are captioned or transcribed. 

Here’s our ideal scenario: 

  1. AcMe contacts you before the beginning of each semester to begin a conversation about the accommodations. 

  2. You provide a list of videos and audio materials used in the course and the dates that they will be used for class. This list is submitted at least a week before the first day of classes. Any future materials need to be submitted at least 5-business days before they are shown or used for assignments. 

  3. AcMe locates or produces captioned versions and returns them to you and/or the student in a timely manner. 

It is important to make sure that accessible materials are available to students with these accommodations at the same time the material is provided to other students. When showing videos in class, please use the captioned version so all students are able to fully participate.  

Please keep in mind that AcMe will handle any captioning or transcription for classes in which a student with approved accommodations is enrolled. The following resources are for anyone interested in inclusive and accessible course design that includes captioning: 

 

Visual Impairment Accommodations

The types and quantity of alternative formats required by students with visual impairments can vary significantly.  Some students may need only limited course-content conversion by AcMe and little faculty involvement.  When a student with a visual impairment requires materials that need a greater level of coordination, we may request a meeting with you and/or request course materials in advance. Please do not be nervous; we are not asking you to convert all of your own class materials! Our program area within ODS takes care of document conversion.  

In our meeting, we may ask about the unique format of your course, the types of content that you use, and how you interact with your students. This knowledge will allow us to better plan for the semester.  We can also help answer questions and consider accommodations-specific course nuances if needed. 

Due to the time required to convert certain materials into accessible formats, we may need to ask that you provide us with your course content in advance of when you plan to actually present it in class. We recognize that this is sometimes an imposition, but please know that we are here to work with you and to be your partners in making your course a welcoming and accessible environment for all of your students. 

If you are interested in producing materials that will be accessible to students with disabilities, please take a look at our Keep C.A.L.M. web pages.

Subjects of particular importance to those with visual disabilities include the following:

 

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Office of Disability Services
Student Success Center
MSC 1009
738 South Mason Street
Room 1202
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807