Goucher provides many types of academic support services to qualified students with disabilities. Goucher’s Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) works closely with Goucher’s Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) to implement necessary accommodations, which may include, but not limited to:

• extended test time
• access to a reduced distraction testing area
• AI software to support note taking and reading
• peer note-takers 
• attendance modification
• modification to due dates
• foreign language substitution 

Please note: accommodation plans are designed on a case by case basis with the student's individual needs taken into consideration. For the full accommodation process, see Accommodations and Services.

Foreign language substitution pathways 

All students are expected to fulfill Goucher's requirements for graduation, which include writing proficiency and specified courses in mathematics, science, foreign language, and general liberal arts. The curriculum represents Goucher's definition of a sound liberal arts education, and all students are expected to make a good-faith effort to complete the requirements. Students who cannot complete the foreign language requirement are offered two pathways to substitute this requirement with culture courses as an alternative. 

Pathway 1: Foreign language substitution accommodation 

Students with documented disabilities can apply for this accommodation via the Office of Accessibility. The process remains consistent with applying for all academic accommodations:  

• Submit an Accommodation Request for New Users or Accommodation Request for Returning Users to request a meeting with our team.
• Upload documentation from a licensed provider indicating diagnosis and justification of need for a Foreign Language accommodation to our Accommodate portal. Examples of documentation include: neuropsych evaluations, psychoeducational testing, support letters from a licensed provider, IEPs, 504 plans, and/or medical documentation. It is preferred if documentation is dated within the last 4 years at the time of registration with our office.
• Participate in an in-person or virtual intake meeting with a member of our team. If approved, a decision letter will be sent, jointly, to the student and the registrar’s office. If denied, OAS will outreach the student directly.
  
  

Pathway 2: Good faith effort 

To demonstrate a "good faith effort," (GFE) a student is expected to adhere to the following:

• Attend class on a regular basis.
• Complete all assignments.
• Attend weekly supplemental instruction.
• Attend weekly homework helpers.
• Attend weekly office hours.

The student is expected to make these efforts for at least half of the course (seven weeks) and/or to have taken at least two major tests for a GFE to be established.

If, despite having made a GFE a student believes they cannot succeed in the course, the student may inquire about taking a good faith effort, which is approved by faculty and submitted using the Good Faith Effort Form.

This form will be received by OAS and processed as a foreign language substitution accommodation and communicated with the registrar’s office by OAS. Students are not required to have a documented disability for a GFE approval. 

Note: All students with a foreign language substitution must finish their GCR language credits via an approved culture course path. For more information, see Culture Courses.

Processing of culture course credits 

Students that receive a foreign language (FL) substitution accommodation before starting their courses at Goucher must complete 10 credits of culture courses.

Students that switch into culture courses after attempting FL courses must complete the same number of culture credits as the testing platform table for foreign language.

Ex: Students that test into 110 must complete 10 credits, students that test into 120 must complete 8 credits (see table below)