For more information on Students and Accessibility Services, please click on this link.
1. Connecting with the Accessibility Services Office
2. Meeting the eligibility requirements
3. Deciding on specific accommodations
4. Implementing the accommodation plan
5. Revising the accommodation plan
There are a variety of ways that students may come into contact with Accessibility Services once they enroll in college.
Those who received accommodations in high school may be referred by their high school counselors or parents. Students may not be aware of the services available through Accessibility Services. Some students may not even realize they have a disability. This puts faculty members and instructors in a good position to inform students about Accessibility Services.
Inform your students about services available on campus. This creates an open and approachable climate and also provides clear direction to students on the steps to follow to receive accommodations. It also makes students aware that all disability-related accommodations are coordinated through Accessibility Services.
In this step, the student brings documentation of their disability and meets with the Accessibility Services Coordinator. The coordinator then evaluates the documentation to determine whether the student meets the eligibility requirements. If the student has met the eligibility requirements, they move to step 3. Students who do not meet the eligibility requirements are guided to other appropriate services (e.g. academic support services) available at the College.
The student and the Accessibility Services Coordinator review and discuss the student’s limitations and take into consideration how these limitations affect the student’s ability to meet the course requirements. The coordinator then makes individual recommendations for accommodations.
This step begins when the student approaches the instructor and says that they will need some accommodations.
The student should provide the instructor with an academic accommodations form from the Accessibility Services office recommending accommodations for your course for the current semester.
If the student has not been to the Accessibility Services office or does not have this form, remind them that all disability-related accommodations must be coordinated through the Accessibility Services office and encourage them to resume the discussion with you after they have communicated with the Accessibility Services Coordinator and have the accommodation form.
Once the student provides you with the form, review it. Set up a time to talk privately with the student so you can review the Accessibility Services recommendations and discuss how the accommodation will be delivered.
Always have private discussions with the student regarding any part of their accommodations at any point in the semester.
Be sure to keep a copy of the request for your own files and refer back to it as needed.
This step is only necessary when, for one reason or another, there is a need to make adjustments or set some conditions on the original accommodation. Keep in mind that not every student will go through the fifth step of the process because most of the time, accommodations go smoothly.
While the adjustments are being worked out, continue to provide the accommodations as you originally agreed. Most often, small adjustments can be handled between you and the student. Other times, it may be helpful to consult with the Accessibility Services Coordinator. In any case, you must provide the original accommodation and communicate in writing any changes you and the student make with the Accessibility Services Coordinator. It is very important to document any changes to the accommodation plan.
The Accessibility Services involvement in the accommodation process is intended to give students with disabilities appropriate and legally mandated supports to provide equal access to higher education. Bypassing the Accessibility Services office can be a mistake that can have serious consequences for the students, and have legal implications for the faculty member, and the College.