- Documentation of an Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
- Documentation of a Physical Disability or Chronic Medical Condition
Requests for Modifications in Housing Arrangements
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Documentation Requirements
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Determination of Reasonable Modifications in Housing
Emergency Evacuation Procedures for Students with Disabilities
Bryn Mawr College welcomes the full participation of individuals with disabilities in all aspects of campus life. The College is committed to providing equal educational opportunity for all qualified students with disabilities in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Students who require assistance because of a learning, physical, or psychological disability are encouraged to contact Access Services as early as possible for additional information and to discuss their needs.
A person with a disability is someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities (e.g., walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working). The term substantially limits means the individual is significantly restricted as to the condition, manner, or duration under which a major life activity is performed compared to most people.
With regard to post-secondary education, a qualified person with a disability is one who, with or without accommodation, meets the standards for admission to or participation in an educational program, activity, or service.
Appropriate academic adjustments and reasonable accommodations refer to modifications necessary to ensure that College requirements do not discriminate against students with disabilities, or have the effect of excluding students on the basis of disability. A reasonable accommodation helps to minimize, as much as possible, the limitations caused by the disability and provides the individual with an equal opportunity to participate in College programs and activities. The College is not required to make a modification that it can demonstrate would substantially alter an essential element of an academic standard or program. Reasonable accommodations may include the elimination of physical barriers, whenever possible, and academic adjustments such as the following: the use of a calculator, spell-checker, tape recorder, or notetaker; reduced courseload; alternative formats for print materials; sign language interpreters; adaptive equipment; assistive technology; and substitution of specific required courses when appropriate. Testing accommodations such as extra time, a distraction-reduced room, scribes, and readers are also provided when appropriate.
Students with disabilities that substantially limit them in the College environment have the right to . . .
Equal opportunity to participate in the College’s courses, programs, services, and activities.
Reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and services when necessary.
Respect for their privacy regarding disability-related information, except as disclosures are required or permitted by law.
Students with disabilities have the responsibility to . . .
Meet basic requirements for admission to the College.
Satisfy essential academic requirements and technical standards of the College and their major program of study.
Disclose their disability to the Coordinator of Access Services as early as possible, if they wish to request accommodations.
Provide the required documentation of disability when necessary.
Follow identified procedures for requesting accommodations.
Request accommodations as early as possible each semester.
The College, through its faculty and staff, is entitled to . . .
Establish and maintain requirements and standards for admission to the College, and for participation in courses, programs, services, and activities.
Request current, relevant documentation of a disability that verifies the need for reasonable accommodations, at student expense.
Deny a request for an accommodation if the student fails to provide appropriate documentation, the documentation does not substantiate the need for the accommodation, or the request requires a fundamental alteration of a course, program, or service.
Require that students request accommodations in a timely manner.
The College has the responsibility to . . .
Ensure that admissions policies and procedures are implemented in a non-discriminatory manner with regard to individuals with disabilities.
Ensure that courses, programs, services, activities, and facilities, when viewed in their entirety, are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Provide appropriate reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and services in a timely manner.
Maintain appropriate confidentiality of disability-related information.
To be eligible for services and reasonable accommodations, a student must meet the following criteria:
Students are encouraged to request accommodations and to provide the required documentation as early as possible to allow sufficient time for consideration and planning. To verify eligibility for reasonable accommodations, the documentation must be a written report prepared by a qualified professional, not related to the individual, that confirms the existence of a disabling condition, identifies current deficits that cause substantial limitations in a college setting, and relates the current impact of the condition to the requested accommodations. It should be on letterhead stationery, indicate the date of the most recent evaluation, and include the signature, title, and credentials of the professional conducting the evaluation. All documentation should be submitted to the Coordinator. Supplemental evaluations may be required to substantiate eligibility for accommodations. If incomplete or inadequate information is submitted, no accommodations will be arranged until satisfactory documentation is received. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain any required documentation.
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To document an attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a student must submit a current report (usually no more than three years old) based on the results of a comprehensive evaluation by a psychiatrist or licensed psychologist experienced in the area of ADHD. The report must include the following information:
To document a learning disability, a student must submit a current report (usually no more than three years old) from a comprehensive psycho-educational or neuropsychological evaluation performed by a licensed psychologist or certified school psychologist experienced in evaluating LD in young adults and adults. The report must include the following information: a clear statement diagnosing LD; data and analysis substantiating the diagnosis including standard scores and percentiles; identification of current deficits that significantly limit academic performance; and recommendations for reasonable accommodations with a rationale for each one. At a minimum, the following components must be included:
A student with a physical disability or chronic medical condition may be required to provide documentation to support a request for an accommodation or to help identify appropriate accommodations. The documentation must be a written report of an evaluation by an appropriate professional (e.g., medical doctor, physical or occupational therapist, audiologist) relating the current impact of the condition to the requested accommodations. At a minimum, information about the following must be included:
To document a psychological disability, a student must submit a current report based on a comprehensive evaluation performed by an appropriate professional (i.e., psychiatrist, licensed psychologist, or clinical social worker) relating the current impact of the condition to the requested accommodations. The evaluation must include the following information:
The College provides reasonable accommodations for otherwise qualified students who disclose a disabling condition that currently causes significant impairment in a college environment. Decisions about eligibility for accommodations and the identification of reasonable accommodations are made by the Coordinator of Access Services in conjunction with the student, and other College professionals as appropriate, based on the following considerations:
Please note that a prior history of accommodation does not mean that similar accommodations will automatically be provided at the College. Consideration of a student’s current functioning is critical in evaluating eligibility for accommodations. Also, the College is not obligated to make an adjustment that fundamentally alters an essential element of a course or program. Reasonable accommodations are implemented to provide students with equal access; they do not guarantee success. Accommodations will not be implemented retroactively.
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Students with learning, physical, and psychological disabilities who require accommodations should meet with the Coordinator as early as possible to discuss their needs and to submit the necessary documentation. Students requiring facilities access are encouraged to contact the Coordinator whenever necessary. Students requesting academic accommodations should use the following procedures each semester once the required documentation is on file:
Appropriate accommodations may include arrangements that require ample advance planning, so early notice is essential. For accommodations requiring considerable planning and preparation (e.g., taped reading materials and sign language interpreters), it is strongly recommended that requests be made at least four weeks before the first class. Such notice will help to alleviate unnecessary inconveniences and delays.
The College will consider modifying housing procedures or arrangements, when necessary, to provide equal access to the residence halls for students with disabilities. Students should contact the Coordinator of Access Services to request modifications in housing and to provide the required documentation as early as possible to allow sufficient time for consideration and planning.
Requests should be made well in advance of established Residential Life timeframes; otherwise, options may be limited. New students are required to submit requests and the supporting documentation no later than June 1. Returning students must provide the required information by March 30. For students who wish to live on campus during the summer months, the deadline is May 1.
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Students may be required to provide current documentation of a disability or significant chronic medical condition to support a request for a procedural modification and to help determine appropriate accommodations in campus housing. All documentation should be submitted to the Coordinator of Access Services and will be maintained on a confidential basis. The documentation must be a written report of an evaluation by an appropriate professional not related to the student (i.e., medical doctor, psychologist, physical or occupational therapist, audiologist). The report should verify the existence of a condition that currently causes significant functional limitations in a residential environment, and relate the current impact of the condition to the requested modifications. It should be on letterhead stationery, provide the date, and include the signature, title, and credentials of the professional providing the information. At a minimum, the following information should be included::
Students are also required to complete and submit a form, Request for Modifications in Residential Life, which is available from the Access Services office.
Reasonable accommodations and procedural modifications in housing are determined by the Coordinator of Access Services in conjunction with the Director of Residential Life, the student, and other College professionals as appropriate, based on the following considerations:
Disclosure of a disability is voluntary. Disability-related information is considered confidential material and does not become part of the student’s academic record at the College. It will not be released without written consent unless required or permitted by law. Information about a disability is shared with members of the campus community only with permission from the student, on a need-to-know basis.
A student who has followed the College’s procedures for requesting accommodations and believes s/he has been denied a reasonable accommodation may appeal by submitting written notice to the ADA/504 Compliance Officer within ten (10) workdays of the disputed decision. The appeal should include an explanation of the issues relevant to the dispute and the actions previously taken to resolve it. The Compliance Officer will forward the appeal to an accommodation review committee which will include the following individuals: the student’s Dean, a faculty member knowledgeable about disabilities from departments such as Psychology or Child Study Institute, and a faculty member from the student’s major department. The committee will communicate with the student, the Coordinator of Access Services, and others when necessary to gather relevant information and will then render a decision regarding the student’s appeal. Their decision will be forwarded in writing to the student within fifteen (15) workdays of receiving written notice of the appeal. All information related to the appeals process is to be kept confidential by all parties involved. For additional information, please contact the ADA/504 Compliance Officer at (610) 526-5275.
If the student wishes to file a complaint relating to the outcome of the appeal based upon a belief that discrimination has occurred, s/he should contact the College’s Equal Opportunity Officer at (610) 526-5275 to discuss the matter. For additional information, please see the “Statement of Procedures Concerning Sexual Harassment and Other Forms of Harassment and Discrimination” available in the Bryn Mawr Student Handbook. Retaliation against any individual because s/he has initiated a good faith disability discrimination grievance will not be tolerated by the College.
Students with disabilities are advised to prepare for an emergency ahead of time and to familiarize themselves with the College’s Emergency Response Guide located in the back of the Campus Directory . They should locate and remember important areas in buildings they frequent including exits, exit routes, rescue areas, stairways, elevators, and telephones. Individuals who will need assistance leaving a building during an emergency are advised to identify in advance someone nearby who can assist them. They should discuss with that person a plan for leaving the building and/or informing emergency personnel of their presence and location so assistance can be provided. Students with hearing impairments who require visual alarms in their dorm rooms should inform the Coordinator of Access Services about their needs as early as possible.
Resident students with disabilities that limit their ability to move quickly are urged to contact the Coordinator at (610) 526-7351, at the start of each semester to request that Public Safety be informed about their identity and campus residence so assistance can be provided if an evacuation is necessary. They also should inform Residential Life staff in advance about their need for assistance in the event of an emergency in the dormitory. Those needing assistance to evacuate should identify two individuals (e.g., one HA and one student) on their halls beforehand who can assist them and inform emergency personnel of their presence in the hall. They should discuss with these individuals in advance the specific nature of the assistance needed. In the event relocation is required, the College will make every effort to provide accessible housing, when necessary.
At a minimum, students with conditions affecting their ability to evacuate a building should take the following steps during an emergency: