Policy & Law
The student's "case manager" at college
Who is the student?
The goal of accommodations
What is to provide ACCESS?
Typical resources available to all students at a college
What are professors, advisors, academic deans department heads, campus peer mentors, disability/accessibility support services, Writing Center, STEM Center, departmental tutors?
The only 2 types of service animals
What are dogs and miniature horses?
In the United States, the term "service animal" primarily refers to dogs that are individually trained to perform specific tasks for people with disabilities. While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) specifically mentions dogs, it also includes a provision for miniature horses that meet the same training and task-related criteria.
There are only 2 questions that can legally be asked regarding a service animal:
Is the service animal required because of a disability?
What work or task has the service animal been trained to perform?
This "goat" gymnast was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age and harnessed the hyper-focus, physical restlessness, and creativity as advantageous in her career development. She now holds a record-breaking 19 World Championship medals and four Olympic gold medals.
Who is Simone Biles Owens?
This is the law that protects the civil rights of people with disabilities in many aspects of public life in America.
What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
Enacted in 1990 and later amended.
Common academic accommodations utilized in college
What are:
Having a note-taker for class lectures
Making audio recordings of lectures
Using a laptop computer in the classroom
Taking exams in a distraction-reduced room
Utilizing extended time for testing
Accessing alternate format or audio books
True/False: Students registered with disability services all need the same level of support
What is FALSE? There are many levels of service available. Students may select campus-wide and individualized supports as needed.
True/False: An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) may accompany the handler to class
What is FALSE?
- An ESA is meant for emotional support within the residential room, and is not permitted in other residence hall rooms, in common areas, or other buildings.
This musician, actor, and entrepreneur utilizes her wizardly platforms to destigmatize bipolar and lupus. Her makeup brand, Rare Beauty, donates 1% of its sales to the Rare Impact Fund, which supports access to mental health services for young people.
Who is Selena Gomez?
True/False: College professors are required to provide a student's accommodations no matter what
What is FALSE?
Typically, the student must be registered with the disability or accessibility office, the student must get an electronic or paper accommodation letter from the disability or accessibility office, and then give it to the professors prior to utilizing accommodations. Additionally, usually students have to submit test requests, alternate format book requests, notes requests, etc. in order to get the accommodation for a particular class.
True/False: A reasonable accommodation is to change a paper length from 8 pages to 4 pages
What is FALSE?
This is a modification. Typically in college there cannot be changes or modifications to course and program requirements.
A video is being shown for a class or residence hall event. Make sure the video includes this to be accessible.
What is closed captioning?
The building feature that best supports independent entry for individuals with mobility impairments.
What are push plates or automatic door openers?
This British actor was diagnosed with dyslexia at 7-years-old, and has stated that dyslexia has enhanced his creativity and intuition for his super hero role. He also notes that it has helped him with mimicking accents, which is a useful skill in acting as an American web-slinger in New York City.
Who is Tom Holland?
The amendment that significantly broadened the definition of "disability" under the Americans with Disabilities Act. This makes it easier for individuals to qualify for protections against discrimination. The Act aimed to restore the original intent of the ADA redefining the term "disability" and defining "major life activities".
What is The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA)?
- shifted the focus from whether an individual's impairment substantially limits a major life activity to whether the covered entity discriminated against the individual based on their disability
- expanded the definition of "major life activities" to include the operation of major bodily functions, like neurological, digestive, or respiratory functions
- provided examples of impairments, such as dyslexia and ADHD, to illustrate the types of conditions that may be considered disabilities
Students who need housing or academic accommodations in college should contact this department
What is the Accessibility or Disability Services Office
True/False: The college will communicate with parents/guardians regarding a student's accommodations and disability supports.
What is FALSE?
While parents/guardians can support the student in beginning the process, generally the college will direct communication to the student, particularly once the student begins academic courses with the college.
Additionally, the FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) needs to be approved/signed by the student for the college to be able to legally communicate with the parents/guardians. This gives the college the opportunity to communicate, but does not require them to communicate.
True/False: Accommodations in college only apply to classroom and academic related requirements, and occasionally specific housing needs.
What is TRUE?
Even though students live and socialize on campus, academic accommodations only apply to classroom and related requirements. Additionally, housing accommodation are room specific only on campus.
This Canadian actor, American superhero, and Welsh Wrexham soccer team owner has lifelong experience with anxiety. He admits to overbooking himself when he's feeling anxious and spiraling, and he often overthinks situations, which can be both a benefit and a burden. He uses mindfulness, meditation and a focus on family to manage his anxiety.
Who is Ryan Reynolds?
Ensuring that environments, both physical and digital, are designed to be usable and accessible to people with disabilities. This involves removing barriers and providing accommodations that enable equal access to facilities, services, and information.
What is accessibility?
This means ensuring that individuals with disabilities can participate in all programs and activities offered, whether they are public services, transportation, or recreational facilities.
The ADA has specific standards and guidelines for both physical and digital environments that must be followed to ensure accessibility.
True/False: In college, an extended time accommodation applies only to timed testing and in-class assignments
What is TRUE?
In college, most work is completed outside of the classroom and the classroom time is used for lecture and instruction. Extended time applies to timed testing and in-class assignments. Therefore, if there is a paper due next Tuesday, the expectation is to work on it independently, outside of class-time and turn it in next Tuesday.
Utilize resources, ask questions, and ask for help when needed
What are the most important things to do in life after high school?
An example of assistive technology to access a professor or campus email announcement
What is alternate format text, text-to-speech software, electronic format, or a word processor?
- Utilize a reader program to listen to an email
- Dictate the answering email
- Use of spell check
This Swedish climate change activist and public speaker has described her Autism as a "superpower" and has said that it gives her a different perspective on the world while emphasizing that her neurodiversity does not diminish her ability to make a difference.
Who is Greta Thunberg?