Getting Started

1. Students are required to self-identify as a person with a disability with the Disability Support Services Office (DSS). When a student is ready to request an accommodation, he will need to contact the DSS office and schedule an appointment. Documentation can be shared to [email protected] which will allow you to schedule an appointment. We are currently taking appointments online, on the phone and in person.  IMPORTANT: Please note that you should not delay contacting us due to documentation concerns. Call us and we will discuss appropriate documentation. Reach out with any questions.
2. The student will have a meeting with a Coordinator. During this meeting you will talk about disability-related barriers you may be experiencing, any history of accommodations, reasonable accommodations will be explored, and next steps will be  discussed. Additional documentation may be requested, if needed.  The DSS Office will consult with other University departments or employees as deemed appropriate or necessary by the DSS Office.
3. Accommodations are determined on a case by case basis and will vary depending on the circumstance. Once an accommodation is approved, the DSS Office will provide the student with an accommodation letter. Ideally, this should happen during the first week of class, or as soon as possible after the intake. Accommodations are not retroactive so it is beneficial to get your accommodations in place as soon as possible in the semester. Students should also maintain proactive dialogue with their professors during the semester regarding their accommodations. 

Documentation of a disability is evaluated on a case-by-case basis and approved through the Office of Disability Support Services. Documentation must validate the presence of a disability as noted under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disability Act and provide sufficient information for the provision of reasonable accommodations and services based upon the impact of the student's disability in either the academic or living environment on campus.

Documentation submitted to the Office of Disability Support Services must provide the following information:

1. Evaluation is to be conducted by a qualified professional:
   1. Professionals conducting assessments, rendering diagnoses, offering clinical judgments specific to the disability and/or making recommendations for accommodations must be qualified to do so. Evaluator qualifications must include appropriate licensure/certification, as well as comprehensive training and relevant expertise in the area for which accommodations are being requested.
   2. A diagnosis of a physical/mental disability or health condition documented by a family member will not be accepted because of professional and ethical considerations, even when the family member is otherwise qualified by virtue of training and licensure or certification.
   3. Documentation is to be typed or printed on official letterhead with original signature signed by an evaluator qualified to make the diagnosis (include information about licensure or certification and area of specialization).
2. Documentation is to include a specific diagnosis:
   1. Documentation is to include a diagnostic statement clearly identifying the disability.
   2. Documentation is to include diagnostic codes from the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM - most current edition)
   3. Documentation is to describe how the condition was diagnosed, noting the individual's functional limitations due to the condition/disability, and detail the typical progression or prognosis of the condition.
3. Documentation is to be current.
   1. Because the provision of reasonable accommodations and services is based upon the assessment of the current impact of the disability on a student in the academic or living environment, it is in the student's best interest to provide recent and appropriate documentation.
   2. Requests for accommodations or services due to a condition that is fluctuating, is to be supported with documentation written within the past year.
4. Documentation is to be comprehensive to substantiate the diagnosis.
   1. Documentation is to include educational, developmental and medical history relevant to the disability for which accommodations are being requested.
   2. Documentation is to include a description of the diagnostic methodology used to document and diagnose the stated disability - information on the evaluation methods, procedures, tests, dates of administration, as well as clinical narratives, observations and specific results.
   3. Documentation is to include a description of the current functional limitations resulting from the disability - information on how the disabling condition currently impacts the individual in the environment for which accommodations are recommended. Information is to be thorough enough to demonstrate whether and how a major life activity is substantially limited by providing a clear sense of the severity, frequency, and pervasiveness of the condition.
   4. A description of the expected progression or stability of the disability is to be provided - information on expected changes in the functional impact of the disability over time and context. Information on the cyclical or episodic nature of the disability and known or suspected environmental triggers to episodes provides opportunities to anticipate and plan for varying functional impacts.
   5. Information on both current and past medications including side effects, auxiliary aids, assistive devices, support services, and accommodations, including their effectiveness in ameliorating functional impacts of the disability.
   6. Prior IEP/504 Plan. Will be considered if it includes:
      1. The testing scores used to diagnosis the disability.
      2. Includes data from high school.

What is a disability?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a person with a disability as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Major life activities are basic activities that most people can perform with little to no difficulty, including walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, caring for oneself or performing manual tasks. Disabilities may be acquired at any time and are an aspect of life and diversity.

When do accommodations begin?
At OU, students receive an accommodation letter from DSS noting their accommodations and share this letter with their faculty each semester. Accommodations are not retroactive and only begin once faculty receives the accommodation letter.

What if my professor won’t honor my accommodations?
Contact your Coordinator at DSS if your professor will not honor your accommodation. The accommodation letter includes instructions on how to contact DSS should the faculty disagree with the provision of a listed adjustment or service. Any faculty objections regarding accommodations approved by the DSS Office relative to their course will be forwarded first to the Associate Dean of the faculty's college or school and, if necessary, then to the university's Office of the Provost for resolution in consultation with the DSS Office.

Will my professor discuss my accommodations or disability?
Faculty are responsible for maintaining confidentiality and facilitating accommodations outlined in the accommodation letter. Faculty should direct any questions about the accommodation letter or the implementation of the accommodations to the DSS Office.

How often do I need to renew my accommodation letter?
Each semester, the student can request an accommodation letter by filling out a request form in person at the DSS Office or emailing [email protected].

What are my options if DSS denies my accommodation request?
The DSS Office will notify students in a reasonably timely manner in writing of any denial of a requested accommodation. The notice will contain the reason(s) for the denial and inform the student that the denial can be appealed to the Director of DSS and then to University's Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Does DSS provide temporary accommodations?
Students with temporary injuries, such as a broken limb, concussion or surgery recovery, can register and receive services through the DSS on a temporary basis. Accommodations are typically approved for one semester and may be approved on a more permanent basis later, as needed. 

What does “fundamental alteration” mean within the context of higher education and disability?
A "fundamental alteration" is a change so significant that it alters the essential nature of a course or a program of instruction. These can include:

• A major change in the nature of the program;
• Lowering an academic standard;
• Removing or waiving acquisition of a skill that is essential;
• Removing or waiving acquisition of a skill that is directly related to the health and safety of others; and
• Removing or waiving requirements that are directly related to qualifying for that license.

Whether accommodations “would fundamentally alter the nature of its service, program or activity” must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis (Title II, Americans with Disabilities Act). The goal is to distinguish the nature of how the course has always been taught from the truly essential objectives and requirements of the course or academic program. Through this process, methods of instruction and assessment may be examined to determine how the course or program information is taught and whether there are opportunities for alternate format of materials, alternative teaching and learning methods, additional skills or strategies, etc.

If it is determined that a requested academic adjustment would result in a fundamental alteration, the university must then consider whether there are alternative academic adjustments that could accommodate a student without fundamentally altering the course. If a faculty member is concerned that an accommodation fundamentally alters an essential requirement or course objective of a course or academic program, please contact the DSS Office for further guidance.

Do you provide personal attendants?
Oakland University is not required to provide personal attendants, individually prescribed devices, tutors for personal use or study, or other devices or services of a personal nature. Services related to daily living needs are the responsibility of the student.

Where is my documentation and file kept?
The DSS Office will maintain a file containing the dates of a student's request for accommodation, the nature of the student's request, any supporting documentation, the reason(s) for any denial of the student's request, and a description of the interactive process that occurred between the Coordinator and the student. We keep this file for five years after the student’s last contact.