Welcome to the Office of Disability Services

The Office of Disability Services provides reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Accommodations are determined on an individual basis and according to specific documentation needs.

Disability Services

• Who is Eligible for Services?
• Prospective Students
• Documentation of a Disability
• Academic Accommodations
• Non-Academic Accommodations
• Testing in the Learning Center
• Frequently Asked Questions

 

Who is eligible for Services?

Legal Definition of a Disability

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an individual with a disability is defined as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act states that
No otherwise qualified person in the United... shall, solely by reason of...disability, be denied the benefits of be excludedfrom participation in, or be subjected to the discrimination under any program or activity that either receives federal financial assistance.

A person with a disability is:
"any person who (I) has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities, (2) has a history of such an impairment, or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment."

Prospective Students

D’ Youville College does not discriminate against students with disabilities. Students with disabilities do not need to disclose their disability on any admission documents. to have access to academic programs and services

Admissions Standards for Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities must meet the same admission standards as students without disabilities. SAT scores taken under special conditions are not identified to the admissions office.

Where to Send Documentation

To ensure that accommodations are provided at the time the student attends college, students are encouraged to inform the Disability Services for Students office as soon as possible after admission. Documentation of a disability should not be sent to the admissions office. All documentation should be submitted to the Office for Disability Services after notification of admission to the college. Documentation should be sent to:

Office of Disability Services
D’Youville College
320 Porter Ave. KAB 411
Buffalo, NY 14201

Documentation of a Disability

Documentation of a Disability: Documentation of a disability which enables a student to receive accommodations for academic programs and services must include the following information.

• Must document the presence of a disability that substantially impairs the ability of the student to perform a major life activity necessary for the academic program.
• Must be recent and sufficient to document the current status of the impairment and its impact on the student's ability to perform major life activities necessary for the academic program.
• Must include a diagnosis, test scores and a description of the assessment procedures used.
• Must include the credentials of the evaluator indicating that the person is appropriately licensed or certified to make the diagnostic statement for the disability.
• Must include recommendations for accommodations and academic adjustments that may be appropriate to permit the student to have access to the programs and services of the college.

Individual Education Plans which are used in Elementary and High School are not appropriate forms of documentation at the college level. Assessments by a licensed school psychologist along with a transition plan are possible appropriate forms of documentation. It is important for students to contact the disability services office as soon as possible after admittance, so that proper documentation can be submitted, prior to the start of classes.

Accommodations

It is important to meet with the Coordinator of Disability Services each semester to determine of your accommodations are appropriate for the current semester. Accommodations may include—but are not limited to—the following examples:

Academic Accommodations

Non-Academic Accommodations

Again, these are only examples of typical accommodations. As with academic accommodations, non-academic accommodations are determined by the recommendations included in your documentation.

 

Testing in the Learning Center

If you receive the accommodation that includes taking your tests in the learning Center, this is what you will need to do:

• You must schedule your exam three days prior to the exam date with the Coordinator of Disability Services.
• Final exams must be scheduled a week prior to the exam date or the Coordinator of Disability Services cannot guarantee that a room or proctors will be available.
• When scheduling a test, you must have the course number, time of the exam, and name of the instructor of the course.
• You must show up no later than 15 minutes after your scheduled time, or you will need your instructor’s permission to start the exam later.
• You are not allowed to bring any materials into the exam room unless your instructor has informed the Coordinator of Disability Services that you have permission to do so. Personal items, such as cell phones, book bags, or pencil cases, are not permitted in testing rooms.
• If you are unable to take an exam at the same time that the class is taking the exam, you will need permission from your instructor to take the exam at a different time.
• You must hand in your exam and any scrap paper at the end of the time allotted.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

If I know or suspect I have a disability, how do I receive services?

Contact the Coordinator of Disability Services who will meet with you and tell you what kind of documentation you need to provide.

If I suspect I have a disability, what do I do?

Contact the Coordinator of Disability Services. The Coodinator will meet with you and provide you with referrals for appropriate evaluation. The evaluator to whom you are referred will determine if you have a disability.

What types of services are available for students with disabilities?

Services are determined individually based on the recommendations provided in your documentation.

Regarding my disability, what will I need to do differently in college?

In high school, it was your parents and your school officials’ responsibility to determine your needs and to make sure you received the proper services and accommodations. In college, it becomes YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to seek out services since no one will approach you about your disability. It is up to you to contact the Coordinator of Disability Services and not simply inform your instructors of your disability. Steps to take:
1. Self-identify by informing the Coordinator of Disability Services.
2. Provide appropriate documentation as determined by the Coordinator of Disability Services.
3. Be proactive, self-advocate. Inform the Coordinator of Disability Services and your instructors if there is a problem with your accommodations.

How confidential is the information regarding my disability?

Information regarding your disability is kept in a locked file in the Office of Coordinator of Disability Services. No one sees this information except the Coordinator of Disability Services. In order for anyone else to see this information, you must sign a “Release of Information” form.