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You’re encouraged to utilize the Office of Accessibility Services as a resource, and to connect with us early and often. We offer several different accommodations and support systems to help make your time at WPI as smooth and successful as possible. If you need help accessing any information or forms on our website, we will gladly assist you. Please contact us by phone at 508-831-4908, by email at accessibilityservices@wpi.edu, or by visiting Unity Hall - 5th floor. Our office hours are Monday-Friday from 8am-12pm, and 1pm-5pm. During the summer months (end of May through early August), the office closes at 4:30pm.
In order to disclose a disability and request academic accommodations, you must:
After you submit the online intake form you will receive an auto reply, from the office to your WPI email account, indicating that the form was received. Within 5 to 7 business days, after both the online intake form and submitted documentation have been reviewed, an OAS staff member will email you to schedule an intake appointment. During this meeting college appropriate accommodations will be discussed as well as general office supports that OAS can help with during your time at WPI. Once accommodations have been approved, you’ll be able to receive them throughout your time at WPI unless said accommodations have been approved on a temporary basis, you take substantial time off, or your disability has changed.
There are times that the Office of Accessibility Services does consult with campus stakeholders to assist in the review of documentation. These offices include, but are not limited to, Health Services, the Student Development and Counseling Center, and Residential Services.
Please note: Documentation review and intakes are not held during final exam preparation and administration. Due to the high volume of exams that OAS helps accommodate we are unable to meet for intakes during the final 3 days of each term.
To request a housing accommodation, see the accommodated housing section for more information on the process to request.
We strongly believe in equipping students with the skills needed to be their best self-advocate. As such, if any issues arise or you are not receiving your approved accommodations, we encourage you (the student) to notify the Office of Accessibility Services as soon as possible.
In order to access accommodations each term, a student must:
1. Send a copy of their accommodation letters to their professors (preferably at the start of the term) through the OAS Student Portal.
2. Speak to their professors to discuss how accommodations will be implemented for each course.
For more information, see our step-by-step guide on sending accommodation letters or contact our office.
Interested in trying out some free or low-cost apps that can help with various school-related tasks? Here are a few of our favorites.
If you have approved for an Alternate Format Media accommodation, you must:
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 Servies or Health Services team, such accommodations can be requested through the housing accommodation request process.
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: 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).
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.
If you have been approved for peer note-taking assistance, first check and see if the slides or notes from your professor are available and sufficient. If not, please fill out a Note-Taker Request Form for each course you are seeking note-taking assistance. OAS will contact the course roster and find a volunteer note-taker, who will be another student in your class, who will share their notes. If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer note-taker, email us for more information.
Temporary disabilities may include broken limbs, hand injuries, concussions, or short-term impairments following surgery or medical treatments. To receive temporary accommodations, you must:
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, 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.
For official verification of absence from class due to illness or hospitalization to be sent to your professors, contact Student Health Services and the Office of Academic Advising.
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.
ACCESS (Awareness, Community, Collaboration, Empowerment, Support, and Success) is a student organization focused on advocating for campus and educational accessibility. Made up of students with disabilities as well as allies, ACCESS strives to develop a welcoming, supportive, and universally acceptable campus. Visit their website for information on how to join, meeting times, events and activities, and more.