IU Disability Student Services

Description

The Office of Disability Services for Students is dedicated to ensuring that students with disabilities have the tools, support services, and resources that allow equal access and reasonable accommodations to be successful at Indiana University Bloomington.

We work with you and appropriate university personnel to offer equal access to learning, educate the IU Bloomington community about diversity and inclusion, and link you to essential resources for success.

Our guiding principles

• All students provide a valuable contribution to the diversity of IU Bloomington.

• All students must be treated with dignity and respect.

• All students have the right to self-determination and to be fully informed of their options.

How do I get started? 

If you are a student who has a disability and are enrolled in an IU Bloomington course, the Office of Disability Services for Students is here to help you succeed at IU. We’ll empower you to reach your personal and academic goals and ensure that you have equal access to academic adjustments, aid, and services.

No matter what type of disability you have or what accommodations you need, your first step in getting help from the Office of Disability Services for Students is to register for services. If at any point in the process you have questions or need help, please don’t hesitate to contact us—we’re always here to help.

Registration process

We use an interactive process to help you move forward with your request for support services. At any point during the registration process, you may contact the Disability Services for Students office to schedule an in-person or phone appointment. We encourage students who do not have documentation to initiate the interactive process.

Step 1

Self identify with Disability Services for Students. Complete the online request for services form and upload documentation if you have it available. When you submit the form, you will receive an auto generated confirmation.

You will receive an email from a DSS access coordinator within five business days of receipt of your request for service providing information on the next steps. Your coordinator will be your point of contact with our office. The email, sent to your IU account, may indicate you are eligible for services based on your documentation, that we need more information, or that you should call to speak with your coordinator.

For guidance on required documentation, please see documentation guidelines. You may submit documentation at a later time, but you will ultimately need this prior to establishing eligibility.

Step 2

Schedule a meeting with your access coordinator once you are approved for services. Be sure to check your IU email, as this is our only means of communicating the need for a meeting.

Step 3

Meet with your coordinator. During your first meeting, you will discuss your request for services, barriers you experience in your academics, academic accommodations, and other support, as well as how to set up your university-approved accommodations. This meeting is required to be registered with DSS.

Eligibility

Eligibility to receive support services through DSS is determined on an individual basis. Submitted documentation is reviewed in addition to the interactive process with the student to establish equitable access and reasonable accommodations.

A student may have readily apparent or obvious impairment and/or documentation which demonstrates that your disorder or impairment is covered under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008. ADAAA defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life functions.

Your documentation should not only establish the presence of a substantially functional limitation, but also must describe its current academic impact. Diagnosis of a condition, in and of itself, does not automatically confer disability status.