Requesting Reasonable Accommodations
It is the student’s responsibility to begin the process of requesting accommodations. Unlike K–12 settings, where the burden is on the school to diagnose disabilities and to approach students regarding disability accommodations, in postsecondary education, disclosure and documentation of a disability is voluntary and is the responsibility of the student. And while the focus in K-12 settings is largely on encouraging student success, the main focus in postsecondary education is on ensuring equal access to the educational programs.
Students are not compelled to disclose disabilities, follow-up on referrals to the ADS Office, seek and pay for professional assessments, or release the plan for accommodations. However, unless the student voluntarily completes these actions, Goddard College cannot make accommodations.
Disclosure of a disability or conversation with a member of the College about possible effects of a disability does not itself constitute a request for an accommodation, and Goddard faculty or staff cannot provide accommodations unless the student has formally requested them and had them approved by the ADS Office.
Students may begin the process for requesting accommodations at any time during their program of study, although it is recommended that the process be started as early as possible, as accommodations cannot be retroactive. Once accommodations are approved, they remain in place as long as the student is enrolled at Goddard College. Changes, revisions, and updates may be made at any time if there are any changes in the student’s situation. It is the student’s responsibility to keep the ADS Office informed of any changes, including transfer from one Goddard program to another.
Precedents:
Although a previous school may have determined that certain accommodations were appropriate for a given student, Goddard College is not obligated to provide the same accommodations. The impact of a disability upon a student’s learning may change over time and could be different in a different learning environment, and so current accommodations at Goddard might not be the same as a student had received at another college.
Required Documentation
Documentation from a qualified medical professional or diagnostician is required to show that a student’s condition qualifies as a disability. It needs to demonstrate the functional limitations of the disability, particularly as it impacts learning, and how the requested accommodations would mitigate those limitations, thereby providing equal access to the educational program. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain the required documentation and any necessary testing or evaluations. Goddard College is not responsible for providing or paying for diagnosis or documentation of disabilities.
General Documentation Guidelines:
In order for the Academic and Disabilities Support (ADS) Office to determine effective accommodations, disability documentation must both establish disability and provide adequate information on the functional impact of the disability. Documentation should explain how the current impact of the disability is expected to interact with the educational requirements of Goddard’s programs.
Quality documentation must meet the following general guidelines:
- Documentation must be generated by an approved professional with all required licensure in the area of your disability, such as a physician or psychologist.
- Documentation must include a clear diagnostic statement and describe diagnostic procedures. It should include a description of the current functional limitations, particularly in a learning environment. It should also describe possible adverse side effects expected from current medications as they could impact the student’s learning.
- Documentation must provide clear recommendations for accommodations and describe how the accommodations will address specific functional limitations. If applicable, it should include descriptions of previous accommodations successfully implemented at other institutions.
- Documentation must be submitted on official letterhead, typed, dated, and signed. It must include the name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator, as well as information about their licensure and certification.
- Documentation must be current, generally within the last three years. This may vary with the nature of the disability.
There may be additional guidelines or requirements for documentation specific to the type of disability, i.e., physical, learning, psychiatric, or attentional. Please contact Dvora Zipkin, Academic and Disabilities Support Coordinator, at 802-322-1639, or email her at adsoffice@goddard.edu to request an Accommodations Request Form and the correct documentation form(s) or guidelines for your type of disability.
Receiving Accommodations
Once completed and sufficient documentation is received and accommodations are determined in consultation with the student, the ADS Coordinator will prepare an Educational Profile (EP) for the student. The EP outlines the approved accommodations only; it does not list the disability itself – this remains strictly confidential within the ADS Office. It is completely up to the student whether they choose to disclose anything about the nature and/or severity of the disability to others.
As long as the student agrees with the EP as written, they then sign the EP and Release Form. These are legal documents that give the student rights to the approved accommodations. EPs are released only with the student’s written consent, and only to those who have a “need to know”; i.e., those faculty and/or staff who have the responsibility of carrying out the accommodations.
Students receiving accommodations are advised to maintain communication with their advisor about their accommodation needs and plans to implement them. Any proposed revisions to the EP need to be made to the ADS Office; decisions about changes to the specific accommodations in the EP can only be made by the ADS Office, in consultation with the student. The student should also contact the ADS Office if they should encounter any difficulty or other concern with receiving accommodations. If a staff or faculty member is not appropriately carrying out certain accommodations, the student is encouraged to either communicate with that person, or contact the ADS Office as soon as possible.
During any phase of the process of requesting and/or receiving accommodations, if you have any questions or concerns, no matter how small they may seem to you, please do not hesitate to contact the ADS Office. Open and timely communication, whether with the ADS Coordinator or your faculty advisor, is crucial to your overall satisfaction and success in your academic program. It is also a key element of your own self-advocacy efforts. Ultimately, you know best what your needs are and how we can best support you, and you are the best person to advocate for your own best interests. We are here to support and assist you in your efforts, and to help you make your Goddard experience as rewarding as possible. We look forward to working with you.
For more information, guidelines, and/or required forms for requesting
accommodations and submitting documentation, please contact Dvora
Zipkin, Academic and Disabilities Support Coordinator, at 802-322-1639,
or email adsoffice@goddard.edu.
