Accommodations

Requesting Accommodations

To request accommodations:

• Complete the Student Accommodation Request Form through the Accommodations Portal.
• Submit supporting documentation from a qualified healthcare or licensed professional.
• Meet with Accessibility Services to participate in the interactive process.

Accommodations are not retroactive, so we encourage students to begin the process as early as possible rather than waiting until academic difficulties arise.

Documentation Requirements

Documentation helps Accessibility Services understand your disability, its impact and any barriers you may experience at JWU. All documentation is reviewed individually and kept confidential.

Documentation should be current, come from a qualified healthcare or licensed professional and include a diagnosis, relevant history and an explanation of how the disability affects you in an academic, residential or campus setting. Accepted documentation includes a diagnostic report by a psychiatrist, neurologist or other physician; psycho-educational evaluations by a licensed clinician; treatment provider notes and medical records; and IEPs or 504 plans (though these sometimes require additional supporting documentation).

The Interactive Process

Once your request and documentation are submitted, Accessibility Services will review them and may reach out to better understand your needs or ask clarifying questions. If your request is supported, you’ll meet to review your accommodations, discuss how they’ll be implemented and complete an Accommodation Agreement. Accommodations become effective once your instructors have been notified.

You will be expected to:

• Participate in the determination and implementation of reasonable accommodations and support services
• Inform your Accessibility Services Advisor when accommodations are not working or need to be changed
• Meet with your Accessibility Services Advisor at the beginning of every term to complete an Accommodations Agreement in order to have accommodations in place for the term
• Keep follow-up appointments or call to cancel and reschedule in a timely manner

Your Accessibility Services Advisor will be expected to:

• Maintain medical/psychological/educational documentation in a confidential manner
• Determine if the condition(s) is a disability in accordance with the law
• Identify reasonable accommodations and support services and assist with their implementation
• Request updated documentation (as needed) to determine if accommodations need to be modified
• Provide support, as needed, to students as they build relationships with other JWU departments and programs including Faculty, Academic Success Center, Student Academic Services, and Residential Life
• Refer students, as needed, to campus/community services (i.e., Health Services, Counseling Services, etc.)

Types of Accommodations

1. Testing Accommodations

Students with disabilities may receive testing accommodations, determined individually. Students are responsible for informing instructors and submitting a Test Request Form each time they plan to use their accommodations.

2. Note-Taking Assistance

Students whose documentation supports note-taking assistance work with their Accessibility Services advisor to arrange support, which may include a peer note-taker or instructor-provided notes for private study.

3. Alternate Format Course Materials

Students who need materials in an alternate format can work with Accessibility Services to request accessible versions of textbooks and course materials. If books are not readily available in an electronic format, students must provide relevant textbook information (Title, Author(s), Publisher, Edition and ISBN) to their Accessibility Services Advisor, who is then responsible for contacting the publisher for the book’s availability and/or to obtain permission to scan it.

4. Classroom Relocation

Students with mobility-related needs can request classroom relocation through the priority scheduling process, working with Accessibility Services to identify which classes need to move. The Accessibility Services Advisor will present a student’s need for classroom relocation to Student Academic Services, and the respective department will relocate the class to an accessible location.

5. Service and Emotional Support Animals

Service animals and emotional support animals (ESAs) serve different purposes and follow different university procedures. A service animal is a dog individually trained to perform a task related to a person’s disability; students planning to bring one to campus should notify Accessibility Services in advance. ESA requests require documentation from a qualified healthcare or licensed professional showing a clear connection between the disability and the need for the animal — documentation from a brief online-only consultation generally isn’t sufficient.

To request the presence of a service animal or ESA, the student must meet with an Accessibility Services Advisor.

6. Assistive Technology

Assistive technology includes tools that help students overcome barriers to completing academic tasks — from note-taking and diagramming tools to text-to-speech and speech-to-text software. For an up-to-date list of available tools and how to access them, visit the Assistive Technology Hub on jwuLink.

7. Housing Accommodations

Students seeking housing accommodations should start by completing the Student Accommodation Request Form through the Student Accessibility Portal and submit supporting documentation from a qualified healthcare or licensed professional. Accessibility Services will then work closely with the Residential Life team to evaluate the request and ensure that reasonable accommodations are provided.

Students are encouraged to submit requests as early as possible to allow adequate time for review before housing assignments are finalized.

Grievance Policy & Procedures

Any student may file a grievance about an accommodation decision. Students are encouraged to first attempt informal resolution with the appropriate parties before filing a formal grievance. Written requests for decision reviews should be sent to Matthias Rubekeil, Title IX coordinator.