Determining Disability Accommodations
A disability accommodation is an adjustment to a course, program, service, activity or facility that enables a qualified student with a disability to have an equal opportunity to attain the same level of performance or enjoy equal benefits and privileges as those that are available to similarly situated students without disabilities. The College is obligated to provide accommodation only to the known limitations of an otherwise qualified student with a disability.
The Accessibility Services team determines appropriate and reasonable accommodations first by examining the barriers in the campus community resulting from a documented disability. Considerations may include accommodations that help to mitigate or remove barriers. Accommodations for Wheaton College students are determined on an individual basis, upon review of comprehensive disability documentation and confidential consultation with the student requesting accommodation.
Students requesting accommodations must provide appropriate documentation to the Accessibility Services office in a timely manner, and whenever possible in advance of the beginning of an academic term.
The following sections include guidance for:
- Academic Accommodations
- Non-Academic Accommodations
Requesting Academic Accommodations
Students with learning or physical challenges who provide current medical and/or psychoeducational documentation may receive appropriate accommodations.
Request Academic Accommodations
Comprehensive Documentation for Academic Accommodations
In most cases, comprehensive documentation must be current and must include diagnostic test results from standardized instruments, specific diagnoses, a summary of the rationale supporting the need for accommodations, and recommendations regarding accommodations. The documentation must relate to the specific area in which the student is requesting a service or program accommodation, and must have been completed by a qualified professional with experience working with college-age populations.
Submission of Individualized Education Programs and 504 plans from high school may be useful in providing additional information in determining accommodations. Typically, accommodations that may have supported academic success in high school do not apply directly to a post-secondary environment. Approved accommodations often differ from those previously provided, as they must appropriately address the current impact of the disability on the student’s performance in a college setting.
Requesting Non-Academic On-Campus Accommodations
Students with disabilities who provide current medical and/or clinical documentation may also receive appropriate accommodations outside of their classroom experience. Accommodation requests may include housing accommodations for residential students, approval of service or emotional support animals, special needs parking, and food modification plans.
Request Non-Academic On-Campus Accommodations
Comprehensive Documentation for On-Campus Residential Accommodation
In most cases, documentation must be current to within 1-3 years of the student’s date of admission to Wheaton. Comprehensive documentation for residential accommodations should be provided in the form of a letter from a medical specialist or licensed physician/psychologist (and additional medical documentation may also be submitted). The letter needs to contain detailed information as to the medical and/or emotional condition of the student, and how the specific disabling condition(s) necessitates the type of accommodations being requested. Documentation from primary care providers typically does not fully meet the criteria of comprehensive documentation.
Comprehensive documentation may include a detailed accounting of the following:
- Diagnostic statement identifying the disability;
- Description of the current functional limitations;
- Description of the expected progression or stability of the disability;
- Description of current or past accommodations, services and/or medications;
- Statement about how the requested accommodation need relates to the student’s full access and/or participation in the College community.
Due to the limited nature of our housing inventory, not all requests can be accommodated. For example, in most cases, a diagnosis of ADD/ ADHD or Anxiety and Depression does not result in a single room accommodation. Students not granted singles may equally benefit from other accommodation options, such as quiet housing.