Disability Services

Disability Services can get students all kinds of accommodations. Here are just a few examples:

• Built in extensions on homework assignments

• An accommodation to have notes taken for you in class

• Access to an air conditioner for your dorm (yes, unfortunately a lot of the dorm buildings are old and don't have air conditioning)

• Permission to have you ESA animal stay with you on campus (ESA's can range from cats, dogs and even pigeons!) 

• An accommodation to have unlimited printer money (Yes! This is a thing)

If you can think of it, disability services can work to accommodate it. They work with students to craft individual accommodation plans, you aren't limited by specific types of accommodations-- they can create new ones, and are usually very receptive to brainstorming what will work best for a student. 

For the official Instructions check out Disability Services official site! This is just a breakdown to get you started.

1. Go to my.mtholyoke and start the process of applying for accommodations online. 

2. Book an appointment with a medical provider and bring the printed out Disability Services Clinician Form. Make sure your provider knows it's for college and most importantly, knows about your disability, if they aren't familiar with you as a patient make sure you come prepared to explain your condition and have answers ready for the form when they go through it with you. Make sure they fill it out in front of you and fill it out completely, so you can check off this part of the process easily. 

• The form will ask for details on "the current functional limitations" of the condition. This will inform the discussion you have later with a Disability Services staff member when you're creating accommodations 

• The form also has a spot for your medical provider to list the accommodations they recommend. These are merely recommendations, not set in stone until you clarify them with Disability Services. You can also tell your provider what accommodations you want written down. 

• Make sure you get their signature!! 

3. Once you've completed steps 1 and 2 you'll meet with someone from Disability services for about an hour over zoom or in person to set up your accommodations. 

• You can always update and add to your accommodations, they are meant to meet your needs and your needs may change 

4. Using Approved Accommodations - requires my.mtholyoke login this page will give you a breakdown on how it works after your accommodations are approved 

• For example, if you're approved for academic accommodations, you get an Academic Accommodations Letter that you must meet with your professors to talk through, so that they know you have accommodations that must be followed. You don't have to disclose your disability to professors unless you want to. There's a place for your professors to sign the letter to make sure there's a paper trail that promises they will honor the accommodations.