Accommodation Process

Step 1: Meet with the Director of Accessibility Services

Your first step in obtaining accommodations is to request a meeting with the Director of Accessibility Services. We encourage you to do this even if you do not have documentation in hand at the time of the first meeting. The need for documentation can be assessed during the first meeting. Our priority is to begin the conversation about your future college success. Incoming first year students and transfer students please email accessibility@albion.edu to start the process.

The process of determining appropriate accommodations is based on your report of past history and impressions of future needs as well as the Director’s professional assessment and knowledge of your college-level classes. Third party documentation serves to add to the pool of information available to the Director to make judgments regarding the appropriateness of various requests. It is best if you begin the process of obtaining this information as soon as possible. If you are uncertain what you need we can help you.

Documentation of a Disability

Third party documentation that is useful in this process for students with Learning Disabilities or ADHD includes IEP/504 plans and psychoeducational evaluations. Psychoeducational or neuropsychological test scores can be very helpful for us in assisting planning for effective accommodations. We also use this information to assist you in developing the appropriate college level study strategies. For students with other disabilities, a letters from your physician, psychologist or other professional provider should be provided.

It is useful if the report contains the following components:

Diagnosis for which the accommodations are requested
Previous history and prognosis of the disability
A description of the current functional limitations and explanation of how the diagnosis substantially limits a major life activity
Recommendations and rationale for accommodations requested.

To assist you in gathering this information, we have forms that you can have your provider fill out and return to us. The questions contained in the forms can facilitate obtaining the crucial information outlined above.

Forms for documenting specific disabilities

Step 2: Agreement on Accommodations and Services

Together with the Director of Accessibility Services, you will develop a plan for appropriate accommodations and services. If at any time while attending Albion College, you feel you require further accommodations or services, you can meet with the Director to discuss these additional needs.

Step 3: Obtaining Classroom accommodations: Letter to Faculty

To facilitate appropriate and timely accommodations, it is the responsibility of the student to use the Accessible Information Management (AIM) system to apply and then request accommodations after the intake meeting. Letters to professors will automatically be sent after the student completes their accommodation requests through AIM.

Student responsibilities for implementing their classroom accommodations:

Within a week after the letter is sent, discuss implementation of your accommodations with your faculty.
Be sure to ask how the accommodations can be applied to specific course requirements. For instance, would you need extra time applied to daily quizzes? How will you arrange for extra time for exams if you have a class immediately afterwards?
Always take the lead in informing (reminding) your faculty member in advance of the application of an accommodation (e.g. test) so they have adequate time to make arrangements.
Your faculty member has the right to determine how best to implement the accommodations. If there is a disagreement, either party may contact the Director of Accessibility Services.
If a decision is made for the Cutler Center to proctor your exams, please contact the Cutler Center for next steps.

Confidentiality of Disability Information and Documentation

Albion College is committed to ensuring that all information provided by the student remains confidential as is required by law. No one has access to student’s files outside of the Cutler Center.

Students who request accommodations are required to sign a release that indicates the Cutler Center can inform identified faculty members that they are a student with a disability
The nature of the disability is not shared unless the information is required for the implementation or approval of course-specific accommodations (need-to-know basis).

Documentation can be uploaded directly to the Accessible Information Management (AIM) system.

Appeals Procedure

The appeals process is a request for reconsideration of an accommodation request. In general the first step would be to schedule a meeting with the Director of Accessibility to discuss the situation. Faculty may also utilize the appeals procedure if they believe an accommodation is unreasonable and would alter the educational purpose of the course.

Appeal Procedure based on Disability