The College provides
reasonable and appropriate accommodations to enrolled students with a
disability to ensure equal access to the academic program and
college-administered activities.
It is the responsibility
of the student with a disability to identify himself/herself prior to
receiving services by presenting appropriate documentation to the
Director of Academic Support.
This is done as early as
possible upon acceptance to the College.
DEFINITION OF A
DISABILITY
A student with a
disability is defined as one who:
has a physical or mental
impairment that substantially limits a major life activity such as
walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working or
caring for ones self,
has a record of a substantially limiting
impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment.
Physical
or mental impairments may include but are not limited to
mobility/orthopedic impairments, visual impairments, hearing
impairments, speech impairments, specific learning disabilities,
attention deficit disorders/attention deficit hyperactivity
disorders, psychological disabilities, neurological impairments,
traumatic brain injuries or chronic medical conditions such as
cancer, diabetes or AIDS.
DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS
- Appropriate to the
disability, documentation should be current - preferably within
last three years and based on adult norms, to include:
- a
diagnostic statement identifying the disability, date of the current
diagnostic evaluation and the date of the original diagnosis.
-
a description of the diagnostic testing or diagnostic criteria used ;
results of diagnostic tests, procedures used, along with dates tests
were administered, and when available, both summary and specific test
scores.
- a description of the current functional impact of
the disability on learning.
- recommended accommodations,
along with treatments, medications, assistive devices/ services
currently prescribed or in use.
- a description of the
expected progression or stability of the disability over time,
particularly the next five years.
- the credentials of the
diagnosing professional.
Note:
For students with a learning
disability or an attention deficit disorder, while the IEP or
Transition Plan is helpful, psychoeducational test results are
necessary to determine accommodations.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Reasonable
accommodations are adjustments made, for students with a documented
disability, in an effort to provide an equal opportunity to access
college programs and demonstrate learning. Accommodations are
specific to the nature of the documented disability and setting.
Accommodation
examples:
- books in alternative formats
- ground-level housing
or access to elevators for students with a mobility impairment
- copies of overhead
projector sheets or copies of lecture notes for students with a
visual impairment
- a student note taker or access to
assistive listening devices for students with a hearing impairment
-
extended time and/or alternative distraction-free settings for
examinations for students with a learning disability, or attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder
COMMUNICATION OF
ACCOMMODATIONS
1. Upon the request of
the student the Director of Academic Support reviews the student's
documentation to determine eligibility of services. A meeting with
the student, parent and Director of Academic Support is recommended
in spring or summer to discuss disability services, accommodations,
academic support and academic advising.
2. A letter describing
accommodations to be received at Bridgewater is prepared by the
Director of Academic Support.
3. It is the student's
responsibility to contact the Academic Support Center at the
beginning of each semester to obtain accommodation letters to give to
professors. Students sign a form confirming that the accommodation
letters have been reviewed and picked up for delivery to
professors.
4. After student and professor meet to discuss
accommodations, the professor signs and returns a form to the
Director of Academic Support to verify receipt and discussion of
accommodation letter. When this process is completed,
accommodations are activated and are not retroactive.
- If professors do not
receive accommodation letters from the student, there is no basis on
which to provide accommodations.
- Waiting to deliver the letters
until just before an exam is not considered timely and could
jeopardize receipt of accommodations.
- Students are responsible
for contacting the Director of Academic Support should any problem
arise during the semester with regard to disability
accommodations.
MODIFICATION OF COURSE REQUIREMENTS
A student with a
disability may request a course modification if their disability
adversely affects their ability to meet course requirements.
In every case the
student has the responsibility to provide documentation supporting
the need for a program to be modified.
A course
modification request requires the following:
1. Students make
request known in writing and present appropriate documentation to the
Director of Academic Support.
2. The Director of
Academic Support reviews the student's request and the
appropriateness of the documentation. Students are responsible, if
additional documentation, testing or professional clarification is
needed to substantiate a course substitution.
3. The Director of
Academic Support determines the appropriateness of the course
modification request. When appropriate, consultation with appropriate
faculty is sought.
4. The Director of
Academic Support communicates the request decision in writing to the
Dean for Academic Affairs, Assoc. Dean for Academic Affairs,
Registrar, student's major advisor and the student.
Criteria used
to evaluate a course modification:
- The degree to which
the student's ability to meet the requirement in question is
adversely affected by the disability.
- Whether
the modification in question will fundamentally alter the academic
program. What is "essential" to a major, course of
study, or degree requirement must be decided by the College in
consultation with the relevant department.
- Full
participation in the course will be limited even with all reasonable
modifications within the course. This requires documentation of
the disability as well as a description of how participation will be
limited even with the use of modifications.
- A plan for
degree or general education modification has been developed.
Student
Dissatisfaction with the Determination of Accommodations
1. If a student with a
disability is not satisfied with the determination of accommodations,
the student meets with the Director of Academic Support regarding
this matter.
2. If the
determination of accommodations is still unresolved, the student may
appeal the decision in writing to the Dean for Academic Affairs.
Student
Dissatisfaction with the Implementation of Accommodations
1. If a student with a
disability is not satisfied with the manner in which a faculty or
staff member has implemented the determined accommodations, the
student meets with the Director of Academic Support for assistance.
In these situations, the Director of Academic Support provides the
student with assistance in explaining the protocol and determined
accommodations to the faculty or staff member.
2. If the student's
dissatisfaction with the implementation of accommodations by a
faculty or staff member is not resolved after consultation between
the faculty or staff member and the Director of Academic Support, the
student may appeal the decision in writing to the Dean for Academic
Affairs.
