Classroom Accommodations

This can be done by emailing disability_services@alma.edu.

Students are encouraged to set up accommodations at the beginning of each semester.

Documentation can include, but is not limited to, a Section 504 Plan, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), or a letter from the student’s provider. If the student does not have a previous accommodation or recommendation from their provider, their provider should fill out the Provider Recommendation Form.

The Provider Recommendation Form must:

1. Be completed by a qualified medical or mental health professional. Diagnoses of disabilities documented by family members are unacceptable.
2. Be completed by a professional with first-hand knowledge of the condition(s) and sent directly from the provider’s office. Form will not be accepted from students.
3. Be completed as clearly and thoroughly as possible. We recommend typing answers into the fillable PDF, as illegible handwriting will require additional follow-up. To access the fillable PDF, click “Fill & Sign” in the Toolbar on the right side of Adobe.
4. Be completed with the understanding that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines the term “disability” as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Major life activities include, but are not limited to, caring
   for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working.

Schedule an appointment with the Assistant Director of Student Success to discuss:

• How your condition impacts a major life function.
• Subject areas or times that are particularly difficult for you.
• Expectations of higher education including anticipated workload, program technical standards, attendance, code of conduct, standards, etc.

The Assistant Director of Student Success will then determine through conversation with the student and, when necessary, faculty what accommodations are best. This process can take up to 1-2 weeks.

• The Assistant Director of Student Success will e-mail PDF copies of accommodation letters to the student’s Alma email account.
• It is the student’s responsibility to distribute, in person or by email, the accommodation letters to their instructors to notify them of eligibility and desire to use accommodations.
• This is important in order to protect confidentiality and to promote self-advocacy and independence. A student is encouraged to talk with his or her instructor about the letter and the reasons for the accommodations, but it is not required.
• Faculty members are aware of the policies and procedures surrounding accommodations in the classroom. If a student feels comfortable talking about his or her needs, an instructor might be able to offer suggestions specific to his or her course and style of teaching that may be more effective than the accommodations alone.
• Students who are apprehensive about presenting an Accommodation Letter to one or more instructors can talk with the Assistant Director of Student Success for assistance with this task.

Students are encouraged to work with the Assistant Director of Student Success at any point, but especially if they are experiencing any difficulty with their classroom accommodations, have a new diagnosis to share, are experiencing different impacts due to medication changes or ongoing disability-related treatment or progression, or wish to discuss support resources that may be available to aid in their success.