Chapter 14.2: Academic support - Course enrollment
14.2.1. Online enrollment system
- Ensure that the online enrollment system is accessible.
- Some features of the manipulation of enrollment systems can be demanding to some students with disabilities, particularly students with visual impairment, mobility disability and dyslexia.
- Heavy reliance on reading many tables.
- Manipulation of a series of command buttons within a short period of time during the specific “enrollment timeslots”.
- The tables in the portals might not be accessible to screen readers.
- Provide alternative format of the course information if needed, such as text only version.
- Arrange student helpers or administration staff to help walk-through and/or perform the online enrollment in case the system interface is not sufficiently accessible to some students with disabilities.
- An accessibility statement should be included in the enrollment system portal such as: “Should you have any enquiries of the accessibility of this enrollment system, students are encouraged to contact the Accessibility Service Coordinator at 23452345 or <[email protected]> as early as possible”.
14.2.2. Enrollment policy
- Some students with disabilities may receive priority enrollment.
- In case the enrollment system is not sufficiently accessible, priority enrollment may be an option of accommodation. There is no need for the students to manipulate the enrollment system within a specified and short period of timeslot.
- Priority enrollment also facilitates students with disabilities to predict the course timetable along with the required accessibility arrangements in advance. This reserves more time for the Accessibility Service Coordinator to arrange the corresponding accommodations.
- Priority enrollment does not guarantee successful enrollment. It should be concurrently determined by other factors such as the fulfilment of pre-requisites and other academic requirements.
- For postgraduates with disabilities working as teaching assistants, it is also suggested that they are informed of the courses they will be responsible for as early as possible. This facilitates students to predict the course schedule along with the required accessibility arrangements in advance and reserve more time for the Accessibility Service Coordinator to arrange the corresponding teaching accommodations.
14.2.3. What course instructors should do during the pre-enrollment period
- Course instructors should provide sufficient information about the courses to inform students’ decision about whether or not to enroll in particular course, such as:
- inherent requirements of the courses
- modes of delivery
- venue and time
- assessment mode
- Course instructors should specify inherent course requirements.
- Outline a set of inherent requirements of the course for all students including the capabilities, knowledge, and skill sets that are essential to matching the core learning goals, to achieving the core learning outcomes of the courses and to satisfying the course requirements.
- Provide examples of possible adjustments as well as the tasks students must be able to complete to satisfy the requirements.
- With such information, students and staff can identify possible barriers and request for accommodations early on.
- Some accommodations would be regarded as reasonable if the arrangements keep the integrity of the specified inherent requirements of the course.
- However, some accommodations might be regarded as unreasonable if they might compromise the integrity of the specified inherent requirements of the course.
- Teaching departments should collect and organize the course outlines and put the course outlines on the course database before enrollment for students’ reference.
14.2.4. What students with disabilities should do after course enrollment
- Students with disabilities should proactively contact the Accessibility Service Coordinator and the course instructors of the respective courses regarding the required accessibility arrangements once the course and/or event enrollment is confirmed.
- Students with disabilities should submit information of their enrolled courses at the beginning of each semester by deadlines, which will be posted on the website of the Office of Accessibility Service and sent to students with disabilities registered at the Office via email.
- Students with disabilities may familiarize themselves with the teaching buildings and classroom environment in advance. The Office of Accessibility Services should provide assisted campus orienteering. Refer to Chapter 12.1 Campus orienteering.