Course Substitution Policy
Ball State works with its students with disabilities to identify reasonable and appropriate accommodations and auxiliary aids so that students can have the opportunity to be successful in their academic work. Such accommodations must be balanced against not changing the essential elements of a course in a substantial manner. In the very rare cases where there are no reasonable accommodations within the framework of a course, students with disabilities may request a course substitution. The important considerations in making this determination would be:
- documentation prepared by an appropriately licensed professional that is clear, comprehensive, age-appropriate, and indicates how the disability interacts with the course requirements;
- demonstration that accommodations within the framework of the course had been appropriately considered; and
- the availability of a substitute course that would provide an experience that would meaningfully approximate the original requirement.
A preliminary request must be made to the Disabled Student Development office which would then work collaboratively with the proper academic unit to determine how essential the course is to the major or degree and if the request is reasonable.