Accessibility Services

Alternate Format Media

If you have approved for an Alternate Format Media accommodation, you must:

• Fill out the E-Text Alternative Format Request form for each course as soon as the textbook information becomes available. If possible, please contact the course professor, prior to the start of the term, to inquire about materials needed.
• Please note that this process takes time. Requests that require OAS to contact the publishing company directly can take up to 10 business days or longer.
• If you have questions about other course materials and how OAS may be able to help create them in an accessible format, please contact the office as soon as you can.

Dining Accommodations

Students with food allergies or other dietary concerns are encouraged to contact OAS so that we may better understand their needs.  OAS can help make connections with either a member of our WPI Food Allergen Trained Staff or WPI Health Services. Dining Services has published a brochure on Dining with Food Allergies and Celiac Disease that you may find helpful to review. If a student feels they need to request additional accommodations, after talking with either a member of the Dining Services or Health Services team, please contact OAS directy.  

Housing Accommodations

• The deadline for incoming first-year students to request housing accommodations for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year is still being determined. This date will be updated soon. 
• The deadline for upper-class students to request housing accommodations for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year is Thursday, February 1st, 2024.
• All housing accommodation requests that are received after the set housing deadlines will be placed on a wait list.  Based on current occupancy levels at WPI there is no guarantee of what pace the waitlist moves at. 
• We cannot guarantee the availability of spaces will meet late applicants' accommodation needs.
• Students must submit a housing accommodation request each and every year that they wish to live on campus.

Housing-based accommodations are available to students with a documented need. If you plan to request accommodations for housing, please complete the Housing Accommodation Request Form  (WPI Login Required).  You will need to submit some form of supporting documentation such as the Disability Verification for Housing Accommodation Requests (PDF) from a qualified provider or a letter that follows our documentation guidelines.  All students will also need to complete WPI’s housing application. If you would like to find out more information about Gender-Inclusive housing, please visit the Residential Services webpage.

Please note that there is a difference between housing accommodations and housing preferences.  Preferences for certain types of housing (i.e. specific residence halls, rooms, locations on campus, roommates) cannot be guaranteed.  Housing accommodations are only approved for the singular student who has a disability-related need (i.e. not roommates or suitemates as well).  There are times when OAS does collaborate with WPI campus partners to ask clarifying questions pertaining to submitted documentation.

Students who feel they may need evacuation assistance in the event of an emergency are encouraged to add themselves to the Voluntary Emergency Evacuation List. Information submitted on this form is forwarded directly to WPI Campus Police.  

Students who are interested in learning about the process of possibly having an Emotional Support Animal within WPI housing are encouraged to contact OAS to learn more about the required documentation and steps needed. Students are also strongly encouraged to review the WPI Animals on Campus Policy to fully understand the process and potential timelines of this accommodation.

Note-Taking Assistance

Students who have met with OAS and gone through the interactive process to determine if note-taking supports can be approved, should first attend three class sessions. This is to determine if what has been made available by the professor is sufficient. If the student finds that more note-taking support is needed, please fill out a Note-Taker Request Form and an OAS team member will contact the student to discuss this accommodation further.  OAS has access to a limited number of Glean licenses. Glean is a Google Chrome browser-based application that can be used to help students take better notes, pinpoint important information, and keep a recording of class lectures. Should a course curriculum not support the recording of a lecture, OAS will make every effort to find a peer note-taker from the course roster.

Reduced Course Load

Students who are interested in learning more about the reduced course load accommodation are strongly encouraged to contact OAS.  The Reduced Course Load accommodation does require supporting documentation, is semester based, and does have a deadline of when it can be implemented. This accommodation can only be put in place prior to the last day of the add/drop period in A-term or in C-term. Students who would like to learn more about this accommodation should plan to be in touch with OAS before the start of A-term (for the fall semester) and/or C-term (for the spring semester).

Temporary Accommodations

Temporary disabilities may include broken limbs, hand injuries, concussions, or short-term impairments following surgery or medical treatments. To receive temporary accommodations, you must:

• Submit our online intake form
• Provide documentation from your doctor, hospital, and/or provider with expected recovery time and recommended accommodations

To learn more about the offices and supports available to assist students with temporary injuries, please see our Temporary Injuries and Accommodations Guide (PDF).  If you’ve missed a substantial amount of class time and won’t be able to successfully complete the term due to a medical or psychological disability, please contact Student Health Services for a medical disability or the Student Development & Counseling Center for a psychological disability to schedule an appointment to go through the medical withdrawal and re-entry process.

Testing Accommodations

Students with approved testing-based accommodations are encouraged to speak directly with their professors at the beginning of each term.  Students are encouraged to discuss their testing-based accommodations and how they will be implemented in the classroom setting.

• If professors are able to accommodate you in the classroom setting - you should plan to stay in the classroom setting to complete your exam. 
• If professors are administering online exams you are encouraged to speak directly with your professor to determine how extended time will be implemented.
• If your professor is unable to proctor your exam and you will be utilizing our Exam Proctoring Center (EPC), you need to schedule your tests at least two school days in advance through the OAS Student Portal. OAS requires at least a two school-day sign-up process for several reasons: OAS-approved testing accommodations are a reasonable accommodation and not an emergency service, OAS staff members need this time to obtain copies of exams from professors, and the need for OAS staff to navigate seating capacity within our Exam Proctoring Center.    

Exam Proctoring Center (EPC) Information:

• When you schedule an exam in the EPC, through the OAS Student Portal, you will receive an auto-reply, indicating the exam has been booked.  If you do not receive an auto-reply, this means the request was not completed and must be redone.
• Due to limited seating capacity, the EPC will only be proctoring quizzes/exams that can only take place in person. You are strongly encouraged to reach out to your professors if you have questions/concerns about how your accommodations apply in a remote setting. All exams taking place on Canvas or electronic/take-home format will not be proctored by the EPC.
• If a professor is able to proctor your exam within the classroom setting - please plan to stay in the classroom setting for your exam.
• Late sign-ups may not be accommodated due to seating capacity. Please email epc@wpi.edu so that we may assist with scheduling.
• All alternate time quiz/exam requests must be handled via email. Please email your professor and ask for permission for the alternate time request. Please forward that email to epc@wpi.edu so that we may assist with scheduling.
• Should you have any questions and would like to meet with an OAS staff member please email accessibilityservices@wpi.edu to set up an appointment.