The Disabilitiy Resource & Services Depatment provides information and resources for students with disabilities. Services include advisement, interpreters for the deaf, note takers, test reading, and adaptive equipment. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that an institution of higher education provide reasonable accommodations to a qualified individual with a documented disability, provided that accommodation does not create an undue hardship. An undue hardship refers to any accommodation(s) that would be unduly costly, expensive, substantial, disruptive, or that would fundamentally alter the nature of the business or program.
A reasonable accommodation is the provision of an auxiliary aid, or modification to the course or program, that will allow access to the educational program, material, activity, or degree. Some examples of reasonable accommodations include the following:
- Making existing facilities readily accessible to, and usable by, persons with disabilities.
- Flexible time lines for program completion.
- Acquisition or modification of equipment or devices.
- Appropriate adjustments or modification of examinations or policies.
- Provision of qualified readers, note takers, and/or sign language interpreters.
- Provision of alternative print formats.
It is the responsibility of the student to inform the institution of his/her need for accommodation(s).
For full details, download our Student Handbook for Disability Resource Service.
For more information, contact Emily Bluestein, or call 602- 286-8170.
Eligibility
A student with a disability is eligible to receive reasonable accommodations if the documented disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities. Major life activities include: caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working. If a student wishes to receive services and/or accommodations they must fulfill the following:
- Meet with the Coordinator of Special Services, located in the Career and Education Planning Center. Call 602-286-8888 for an appointment (TTD line: 602-286-8171).
- Provide documentation of medical, psychological, or other appropriate diagnostic evaluations, as requested, to document the nature and extent of the disability.
Documentation
Examples of documentation that may be required include the following:
|
Disability |
Required Documentation |
|
Physical Disability |
Medical report stating extent of injury, illness, or condition. |
|
Blind/Visual Impairment |
Medical report stating restricted vision fields. |
|
Deaf/Hearing Impairment |
Audiological evaluation indicating extent of hearing loss. |
|
Learning Disability |
Psycho-educational evaluations that are no more than three years old, administered by qualified professionals. |
|
Other/Hidden Disabilities |
Evaluation based on documentation and need. |
Web Resources