Disability Documentation and Accommodations
Documentation
The requirements for documentation in colleges and universities are different than the requirements in high school. High schools provide accommodations based on an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 Plan. Colleges and universities require that you prove eligibility for accommodations based on verification of a legal disability as defined by The Americans with Disabilities Act. This may include but is not limited to; psychoeducational, psychiatric, or medical documentation from a licensed psychologist, psychiatrist, or medical provider. Your high school documentation may include such a report, and this is what you need to submit to Student Accessibility Resources.
Documentation must be age-appropriate, meaning it must have been written within the last 5 years.
Documentation is needed not only to prove eligibility for accommodations, but to help determine the specific accommodations that you will use while a student at Grand Valley State University.
The Student Accessibility Resources Registration webpage discusses Grand Valley State University’s requirements for written documentation, and also lists several forms that make this process simpler. If you don’t have written documentation, your care provider can complete and submit the appropriate form.
Ideally Student Accessibility Resources would have your documentation prior to your first appointment with a Student Accessibility Resources advisor. This will allow the advisor to review it before the meeting. You may bring documentation with you to the meeting if you are unable to submit it prior.
Accommodations
Your accommodations will be determined in a meeting with the Student Accessibility Resources advisor and must be supported by your documentation. Your accommodations can be modified later to include other accommodations, if necessary. Some accommodations you receive in college may be different than those you used in high school.
Some commonly used accommodations include extended time for writing an exam, written materials in electronic format, sign language interpreters, captioned video, and the use of notetaking aids.
Student Accessibility Resources Accommodation Memo
Academic accommodations are determined for each student on an individual basis by the Student Accessibility Resources (SAR) advisor and designed through an interactive process with the student. The interactive process includes; SAR application, documentation of a disability, meeting with an SAR advisor, and any follow-up needed to ensure reasonable accommodations have been considered. Once this process has been completed, the student will receive a follow up letter from SAR that lists their eligible accommodations. The student will then complete a semester request, identifying which accommodations they plan to use in upcoming semester. Students should then discuss their accommodations with each professor to ensure a mutual understanding of how accommodations will be provided.
Differences Between IDEA, IEP's, 504 Plans, and College Accommodations
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that governs any special education service or policy for children ages 3 to graduation (or until age 21 if student remains in high school until then). Each IEP (Individualized Education Plan) is developed by an “educational team” for that specific child and stipulates how that child’s education will be individualized in order for the child to learn. The IDEA is stylized so the child has the best opportunity to succeed. The child may be allowed “modifications” in the curriculum, the delivery, testing, and in the grading process in order to achieve some success in high school.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protects individuals from discrimination based on their disabilities. This Act governs any public school or college that accepts any type of federal financial assistance stating, “no qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall be excluded from, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination,” but the Act itself provides no funding for the schools or colleges affected by its mandates. The seven-part Act is divided into Sections A-G. Subpart D applies to K-12 schools and Subpart E applies to postsecondary institutions. Subpart E mandates that qualified postsecondary students with disabilities be offered the opportunity to complete a degree with all other, non-disabled students.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 (amended in 2008) is a federal civil rights law designed to ensure equal opportunities for people with disabilities. The ADA, Title II, requires public entities to provide equal access and protects individuals from discrimination based on their disabilities. In high school, IDEA and 504 subsection D are the primary laws used to determine accommodations. In the postsecondary world, the ADA is the foundation of accessibility and accommodations. Under IDEA, k-12 schools have an obligation to modify the curriculum to promote “academic progress”. Under the ADA, colleges, and universities must "make reasonable modifications to policies, practices, and procedures where necessary to avoid discrimination and ensure access, unless they can demonstrate that doing so would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity being provided.” Once access is ensured, qualified college students must complete essential requirements, with or without accommodations. Through the interactive process, an Student Accessibility Resources advisor can answer questions about what is and is not considered a reasonable accommodation under the ADA. Within the law, Student Accessibility Resources will work with each student to develop custom support and ensure access to GVSU opportunities, resources, and requirements.
If you are a current or incoming student, you can use these forms to verify the presence of a disability, and to register with Student Accessibility Resources. Faculty and staff seeking to request accommodations should contact Employee Accessibility Resources.
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Documentation: Information Request Forms |
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