The most appropriate accommodations are unique to the individual student and most often stem from a collaborative relationship among the Office of Disability Services, the student, and the instructor/service provider. There is no substitute for effective communication between the instructor and the learner. The key to effective communication of accommodation needs is to register early with the Office of Disability Services and for instructors to include a disability statement in their syllabi. According to the PVAMU Faculty Handbook, during the first week of a class, faculty are to inform students of their responsibility to self-report any disabilities that they believe require accommodation in order for them to participate in and benefit from instruction. It is the responsibility of the student to provide the instructor with documentation showing that they have registered with Disability Services and requested accommodations.
What accommodations are not covered?
The purpose of an accommodation is level the playing field and allows students with a disability to have equal access to an education and to achieve at his highest potential. The Office of Disability Services does not provide the following:
- Personal assistants for services such as dressing, eating, bathing, or personal devices such as wheelchairs, hearing aids or glasses.
- Accommodations that lower or change the course mastery requirements.
- Accommodations that would compromise the integrity of the program or degree.
PVAMU Disability Services Support Documentation Requirements
- Documentation should be provided by a licensed or properly credentialed professional appropriate for making the diagnosis and has no personal relationship with the individual being evaluated.
- Clear diagnostic statement identifying the disability – DSM-V Code
- Functional limitations of the disability – information on how the disabling condition (s) currently impacts the individual in a classroom/work environment
- Description of current and past accommodations, services and/or medications. Assistive technology, support services, and accommodations previously tried or provided to ameliorate functional impacts of the disability
- Recommendations for accommodations, adaptive devices, and/or collateral support services logically related to functional limitations; if connections are not obvious.
- Documentation should be within last three to five years current.