Students with disabilities are entitled to reasonable and appropriate accommodations according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended in 2009. These federal laws protect students from discrimination based on actual or perceived disability. Once a student has registered with Accessibility Services at Wheaton College, MA, a student has the following rights:

  1. Equal access: equitable access to courses, programs, services, activities and spaces available through the College.
  2. Reasonable & Appropriate Accommodations: access to reasonable and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids, as determined on an individual basis and facilitated by Accessibility Services.
  3. Privacy: expectation of privacy regarding personal information and documentation related to the disability.
  4. Appeal: Notice of Wheaton College grievance procedures pertaining to students with disabilities.
In other words:
STUDENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO
  • Expect all disability-related information to be treated confidentially
  • Receive appropriate accommodations in a timely manner; students should have the opportunity to meet privately with faculty to discuss needs.
  • Appeal decisions regarding accommodations and auxiliary aids.

[Faculty do not review disability documentation or determine eligibility for appropriate accommodations.]

STUDENTS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO
  • Submit appropriate disability documentation to Accessibility Services
  • Make an appointment with faculty to facilitate privacy when communicating about accommodations
  • Initiate requests for specific accommodations in a timely manner, and follow the appropriate process to request and access them.
  • Notify faculty or staff right away if an accommodation is not being provided completely/correctly.
  • Meet/communicate regularly with the Accessibility Services team to ensure access to appropriate academic accommodations, and provide updated documentation as required.
FACULTY HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO
  • Identify, establish and assess the fundamental requirements/outcomes of their courses; all students must meet the same expectations in order to successfully complete each course.
  • Provide accommodations only to students who are registered with the Institution as having disclosed a disability; faculty are not responsible for accommodating students who have not gone through the accommodations process.
  • Use a syllabus statement and announcements to invite students to disclose their needs, and provide information about how to do so.
  • Act immediately upon receiving a request for accommodations (please contact Accessibility Services with questions and support regarding appropriate accommodations).
  • Work to make sure that all audio-visual materials used in class are accessible (for example, closed-captioned videos, transcripts provided, etc.).
  • Treat all disability-related information as confidential medical information

[Faculty do not have the right to ask students if they have a disability, or about the nature of a disability.]

FACULTY HAVE THE RIGHT TO
  • Access verification of a student’s disability for any requested accommodations. This verification is in the form of a letter written by Accessibility Services personnel, delivered to faculty by the student.
  • Expect the student to initiate communication about academic accommodations.
  • Expect Accessibility Services to help facilitate appropriate testing accommodations, and can request support from the Accessibility Services team as needed.
  • Consider incorporating principles of Universal Design for Learning within your teaching practices.