• The Law
• From High School to College
  • A Handbook For Parents of Students with Disabilities
  • Difference Between High School and College
• Rights, Responsibilities & Confidentiality
• Process For Accessing Accommodations At WPI
• Services/Accomodations Available for Students With Disabilities
• Temporary Disabilities
• Documentation Guidelines
• Emergency Evacuation Procedures for Students with Disabilities
• Appeals Process and Grievance Procedures
• Suggestions for Faculty
• Resources for Students

I understand the philosophy now, but what is the process, or how does DSO work?

The following list generally applies to most students who register with DSO. Specifics vary depending on the student's disability, functional limitations and accommodations that will be requested and provided.

1. First, WPI must verify the student's disability and the functional limitations that result. Medical or psychological records are used in this process. Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or 504 Plans are not adequate to demonstrate the functional limitations of a disability. The documentation is reviewed and in some cases, DSO may determine that the records provided are incomplete or too old to be considered accurate. In such instances, the DSO coordinator will recommend that the student obtain current and or additional assessment. This must be done by the student and at the student's expense, though DSO maintains a list of qualified professionals in the Worcester community who can provide appropriate assessment.
2. Next, the DSO coordinator and the student discuss the review and the appropriate accommodations here at WPI. Contact between the DSO coordinator and the student is a crucial part of determining how the student will obtain accommodations.
3. The DSO coordinator drafts a letter for students to give to their instructors. The letter introduces the student and informs the instructor that DSO has verified the student's disability. It then lists the accommodations that are reasonable and which logically address the needs of the student. Thus, the letter's purpose is to assist the student in requesting accommodations from instructors.
4. DSO makes use of volunteers for a wide variety of auxiliary services identified by the ADA. Tutors may be available through the Academic Resources Center.
5. DSO recommends that students identify and request accommodations with plenty of advance notice to ensure their accommodations will be there when they need them. Ideally the student should contact their instructors prior to the first day of class to discuss test formats and the possibility of test accommodations. They will need to remind the instructor again at least a week before each exam, and then confirm the arrangements before the test day.

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Last modified: August 30, 2007 09:43:53