Language, Literatures and Cultures (LLC) Substitution Accommodation

As part of Stonehill’s Cornerstone Program of General Education, all students are required to complete an appropriate, year-long (two semesters of the same language) sequence of Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Latin or Spanish, experiencing the diversity of human culture. LLC study at Stonehill incorporates five essential dimensions: Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons and Communities.

Students with disabilities are often able to successfully complete the LLC requirement by incorporating strategies and/or accommodations to compensate for their difficulties with specific learning and/or content areas. However, students with a documented disability that significantly impacts their ability to acquire a non-native language may petition for a substitution. An LLC Substitution is an accommodation approved by the Office of Accessibility Resources (OAR) for those students whose disability, such as deafness, speech/communication disorder or learning disability, would significantly interfere with the study of LLC. 

Procedures

• Register with the Office Accessibility Resources (OAR) by completing the online registration form.
  *Students already receiving accommodations through OAR do not have to re-register.
• Submit disability documentation. Please refer to the Documentation Guidelines for assistance in providing documentation that is appropriate to verify eligibility and specifically support the LLC substitution accommodation request.
• Please note that documentation must directly address non-native language acquisition, recommend whether a substitute is warranted, and explain the circumstances that would need to be in place for the student to successfully complete LLC coursework.
• Because LLC skill acquisition typically involves proficiency in the areas of speaking, listening, reading, and writing, the documentation should explain how the disability prevents the student from acquiring LLC skills in these areas.
• If documentation does not address LLC acquisition, OAR may request further documentation from a qualified clinician.
• Fax documentation to 508-565-1014.
• Email documentation to oar@stonehill.edu
• Mail documentation to: Office of Accessibility Resources, Stonehill College, 320 Washington Street Easton, MA 02357

New Students: OAR will need to meet with you as part of the general process to approve academic accommodations.  Please see the main OAR page about registration for this process. Completing the online form at that page will notify staff who will follow up with you.

Current students: If you are already registered for academic accommodations and think you may need to add this accommodation, please reach out to oar@Stonehill.edu to notify our staff. We will contact you to follow up to meet to discuss how to proceed.

Students should begin this process as early as possible in their college career to allow for appropriate degree planning purposes. LLC Substitutions are approved based on a demonstrated functional limitation in the area of language learning aptitude.

OAR will notify the Registrar’s Office of those students who have been approved for the substitution so that their degree audit will reflect the substitution.

Approved Courses

Courses must have a cultural perspective of a predominantly non-English speaking region. Topics may include: regional, social or political issues, historical issues or figures, regional music, literature, art of food & agricultural issues.

Students must be exposed to a culture that is linguistically different from their own, so courses with a focus on English speaking countries such as Great Britain, Ireland Canada or Australia are not acceptable.

When a student is approved for a substitution, s/he is responsible for meeting with his or her advisor to discuss how the LLC requirement (2 courses) will be fulfilled by substituting courses from an approved list.

This list of approved courses will be provided to the student upon approval of the LLC substitution accommodation.  Some courses are not offered regularly, so students should plan accordingly. 

Please note that additional abroad courses may be considered upon prior approval of the LLC Department Chairperson.

Please reach out to oar@stonehill.edu for more information about approved language substitution courses.