Accommodations
At SSD, we believe environments create barriers more than the individual’s personal diagnosis or situation.
Examples of environment design include:
- A physical building or office space access and layout;
- Office policies and procedures for accessing resources available through an office, program or resource;
- Course teaching methods and learning assessment methods;
- TV and online videos and whether or not they are captioned;
- Personal attitudes and general awareness of society’s contribution to disability;
The SSD strives to proactively identify and remove access barriers and promote inclusion and minimize the need for individual accommodations. Upon request, the University will provide reasonable accommodation(s) to otherwise qualified students as required by law to ensure equal access to educational opportunities.
Students who have been approved for accommodations will use Accommodate to make and track supplemental accommodation requests, manage their accommodation letters, and check the status of other service requests.
Basis for Determining Accommodations
SSD engages in an interactive process to explore academic and housing accommodations on the basis of disability. During the exploration process, SSD will review disability-related documentation, evaluate the unique attributes and requirements of the course, program, or activity. Instructors may be consulted about the application of accommodations for their specific course content.
Accommodations are determined to be reasonable if they do not constitute a fundamental alteration to a program, course activity or compromise academic integrity. If course modifications, auxiliary aids, or services that are ineffective or constitute a fundamental alteration will not be reasonable and therefore will not meet the ADA and Section 504’s minimal standards.
In general, it is the responsibility of the student to make their disability status and subsequent need for an accommodation known.
Accommodations Management
In the Summer of 2021, SSD launched a digital platform called Accommodate. This management system allows students, faculty, and staff to manage accommodations, obtain accommodation letters, and check the status of other service requests such as note-taking, alternative material formats, and exam scheduling.
Dietary Resources
If you have a food allergy or require a special diet, M|Dining has registered dietitians who can provide you with the resources and information needed to make healthy food choices in the dining halls. For more information check out M|Dining's Allergies and Special Diets or contact them at [email protected].
