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Accommodations, Access & Inclusion for Students with Disabilities

College in the Schools Instructor Information Guide

Disability Resource Center

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Table of Contents

  • Social Model of Disability
  • Definition of Disability
  • Differences between High School and College
  • CIS Students Accessing the DRC
  • Student and Teacher Responsibilities
  • Interactive Process
  • Common Barriers and Accommodations
  • Resources

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The ADA Definition of Disability

The Americans with Disabilities Act as Amended states a disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities:

  • Sleeping
  • Walking
  • Standing
  • Seeing
  • Hearing
  • Breathing
  • Speaking
  • Concentrating
  • Self-Care
  • Learning
  • Working
  • Reading

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Social Model

  • Bodies and minds are diverse.
  • Abilities shift in life and setting.
  • Society decides what to value as ability and devalue as disability.
  • Societies set up disabling structures that exclude, allow violence, discriminate, & stigmatize.
  • DRC primarily identifies with the social model.

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Disability Populations at the DRC

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Differences between High School and College

High School (IDEA)

College (ADA)

IEP or 504 Plan

Accommodation letter

Accommodations are determined by a team of counselor, parents/guardians, and teachers

Accommodations are determined by student, faculty, AC

Accommodations = success (may modify course objectives

Accommodations = Access (should not change course objectives)

School’s responsibility to share IEP or 504 plan with teachers

Student’s responsibility to request accommodation letter be sent to instructors

Parents/guardians usually involved

ROI form must be filled out for parent/guardian involvement

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CIS Students Accessing the DRC

  • Do high school students need a IEP or 504 plan to work with the DRC?
    • No. While documentation is required to establish accommodations for a disability and/or health condition, an IEP or 504 Plan is not required.
  • Students may provide documentation such as:
    • Medical or mental health provider documentation
    • Psychological or neuropsychological evaluations
    • Other documentation that verifies a disability and/or health condition that describes its functional impacts

Our office reviews documentation through an individualized, interactive process to determine reasonable accommodations based on the student’s disability-related barriers in the college academic environment.

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Student and Instructor Responsibilities

Student Responsibilities

Instructor Responsibilities

Contact the DRC and schedule a consultation meeting

Share information about the DRC through course materials

Request an Accommodation letter through the DRC student portal

Invite students to privately discuss their access needs

Advocate for and communicate their access needs

Implement accommodations outlined in letters

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Contact Access Consultant with any questions about accommodations

Office for Equity & Diversity | Disability Resource Center

All accommodation letters and DRC communication with students and instructors is through UMN email.

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Interactive Process

  • Confidential Initial Appointment
    • Self-report of impacts, barriers
    • Accommodation history
    • Documentation
  • AC determines reasonable accommodations
  • AC consults with instructors as needed
  • Student and Instructor communicate about accommodations

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Common Barriers and Potential Accommodations

Impacts/Barriers

Accommodations

Impacts to sequencing information, or listening and writing at the same time

Peer notetaker, or lecture slides in advance, or audio record lecture

Distraction in classroom environment, focus difficulties

Semi-private, distraction-reduced testing environment

Navigating social interactions, strenuous physical activity

Short breaks to leave the room

NOTE: Accommodations are determined on an individual case-by-case basis, and are not tied to a specific diagnosis. The above barriers and accommodations are examples and may or may not be appropriate/reasonable even if a student is experiencing the specified barrier. There is no “menu” of accommodations and a diagnosis doesn’t lead to a specific or the same accommodation as other students with the same diagnosis.

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Connecting with the DRC

  • If you have questions about a specific student’s accommodations, please contact the Access Consultant who signed the student’s accommodation letter.
  • For general information, email DRC@umn.edu, call 612-626-1333, visit our website (disability.umn.edu), or attend an information session with an access consultant.
    • Info Session Hours: M-F 11am-12pm & 2pm-3pm
    • In-person (170 McNamara Alumni Center) or remote (Zoom, Google Meet, Phone, email)

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Thank You! Any questions?

A Unit of the Office for Equity and Diversity