Disability Resources Program Requirements

Documentation

A number of support services are offered on campus that are available on a walk-in basis to all students; those with disabilities and those without disabilities. In addition other special services are made available to students who have provided the University with documentation of a qualifying disability as defined under Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Documentation must be submitted to the Disability Resources Office, and must, in most cases, be current to within three years of the student's date of admission to the University. An IEP alone is not sufficient. Documentation, including learning disability and ADD/ADHD documentation, must include diagnostic test results from standardized instruments, specific diagnoses, a summary of the rationale supporting the need for accommodations, and recommendations regarding accommodations. The documentation must relate to the specific area in which the student is requesting a service or program modification and must have been completed by a qualified professional with experience working with University age populations.

Determining Eligibility for Services

Students seeking services or accommodation must set up an appointment to meet with a member of the Disability Resources staff. During the meeting the student’s express-ed requests for service and/or accommodation and the disability documentation will be reviewed. Eligibility for services is determined through an examination of the student’s description of need and the thoroughness of the disability documentation. If the student is eligible for services, a plan for accommodation will be developed which includes training in the use of the recommended accommodations or services.

Determining Reasonable Accommodations

A reasonable accommodation is a modification or adjustment to a course, program, service, activity or facility that enables a qualified student with a disability to have an equal opportunity to attain the same level of performance or enjoy equal benefits and privileges as are available to similarly situated students without disabilities. The University is obligated to provide accommodation only to the known limitations of an otherwise qualified student with a disability. To determine reasonable accommodations the Disability Resources staff may seek information from appropriate University personnel regarding essential standards for courses, programs, services, activities and facilities.

Reasonable accommodations are determined by examining:
· the barriers resulting from the interaction between the documented disability and the campus environment;
· the possible accommodations that might remove the barriers;
· whether or not the student has access to the course, program, service, activity or facility without an accommodation; and
· whether or not essential elements of the course, program, service, activity or facility are compromised by the accommodations.

Accommodation Request Analysis

In reviewing accommodation requests, the following analysis is completed.

1. Does the student have a disability?
2. Is the student “otherwise qualified”?
3. Did the student request an accommodation?
4. Was the request submitted in a manner consistent with established University policies and procedures?
5. Is the request reasonable and/or readily achievable?
6. Is the nature of the program or activity fundamentally altered by the provision of the accommodation?
7. Does the provision of the accommodation present an undue financial or administrative burden to the University?

If the answer is “yes” to questions 1-5 and “no” to 6-7, an accommodation should be provided. If the answer is “no” to 1-5 and “yes” to 6-7, an accommodation may be denied.

Last Modified: February 14, 2011