Disability Services

Disability Services works with students to provide reasonable accommodations for those that have a documented disability, and/or disability-related needs. Disability Services is the only designated office at the College for students to voluntarily disclose a disability, submit appropriate documentation for verification, and request accommodations. Disability Services engages with you in an interactive process to determine reasonable accommodations and ensure an individualized accommodation process.

For staff, faculty, and other non-student professionals on campus, accommodations are coordinated through Human Resources.

If you are looking to report an access issue, please help the College identify them so we can remove the barriers as quickly as possible and maintain access for everyone, by filling out the . As a campus and community, we strive to remove barriers to our programs wherever they exist through systematic barrier removal and proper and timely maintenance.

Our services

Disability Services approves and facilitates academic, housing, dining and on-campus employment-related accommodations in support of students with various types of disabilities, including but not limited to: ADHD/ADD, autism spectrum disorder, chronic medical conditions, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, mental health disabilities, sensory impairments and traumatic brain injuries. The implementation process varies depending on the accommodation, and this information will be shared with students following their intake meeting with an Accommodation Coordinator.

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Accommodations

We provide accommodations in the area of academics, college requirements, dining, housing and student employment. In order to provide you with accommodations, we will need appropriate documentation of your disability from a licensed provider/clinician. We will collaborate with campus office to ensure your accommodations can and will be met.

Assistive technology consultation and support

We strive to ensure all students have equal access to technology on campus and provide a variety of assistive technology. Some options are open to everyone at 69��Ʒ��Ƶ, while other options are available to students registered with Disability Services who qualify for specific assistive technologies.

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Peer support by accessibility fellows

Fellows are student employees that serve as representatives of Disability Services, demonstrating principles of access and inclusion in their work. Disability Fellows work directly with the staff in Disability Services as well as collaborating with the Division of Student Success and other campus partners including the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Disability law compliance

Disability Services at 69��Ʒ��Ƶ College complies with all applicable laws, including but not limited to, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as Amended, the Fair Housing Act, and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Our core principles

Disability Services is committed to supporting students with disabilities throughout their time at 69��Ʒ��Ƶ. We strive to follow these core principles based on current best practices in the field, legal compliance, and 69��Ʒ��Ƶ policy.

Individualized and interactive process

Disability Services uses an individualized and interactive process when identifying reasonable accommodations for a student. Accommodation Coordinators consider accommodation requests on a case-by-case basis, based on supporting documentation and an intake conversation with a student. Once accommodations are approved, Disability Services staff will collaborate with the student and relevant faculty and staff across campus to implement accommodations collaboratively.

Confidentiality and release of information

We are committed to ensuring that all disability information is maintained confidentially. Your documentation will be securely filed within the Disability Services office. The documentation is not kept with any other student records on campus. The information can only be shared on a limited "need to know" basis within the 69��Ʒ��Ƶ College community. Accommodation letters contain only the accommodation information, and not specifics of the disability or diagnosis(es) itself. You may choose to disclose more details with faculty or staff, but are not obligated to do so. However, in order to implement your accommodations with your professors, you must share your accommodation letter with them.

We cannot re-release documentation, per FERPA policy, as it becomes part of your student record. For this reason, we ask that you only give the office copies of any and all documentation.

Once you matriculate you, as a student, are protected by FERPA. Disability Services cannot legally share information with your anyone, including your family members or care providers, unless we have a signed release from you. If you authorize disclosure of information pertaining to a disability, that authorization may be revoked at any time by providing written notification to Disability Services. However, we are always happy to share general information about our office and receive any information that a family member or clinician would like to share with us.

Five College accessibility

For more information about Five College campus accessibility services, please see the website.

Five College students taking classes at 69��Ʒ��Ƶ College, please either: email email Disability-Services@mtholyoke.edu with the and your meeting availability, or drop off a copy of the at the front desk and schedule a time to meet with an accommodation coordinator to discuss how accommodations are implemented here at MHC.

During that appointment with an accommodation coordinator, you will get copies of your 69��Ʒ��Ƶ College Accommodation Letter that lists your approved accommodations. Students are expected to meet with their 69��Ʒ��Ƶ faculty to review their accommodations and discuss how those accommodations will be implemented in their class.

If you have any questions or concerns about implementation of your accommodations at MHC, you should contact Disability Services as soon as possible.

For 69��Ʒ��Ƶ students taking Five College classes, accommodations are honored through the host campus’s disability services offices. Please visit our for more information, and to fill out the .

If you have any questions or concerns about implementation of your accommodations in a Five College class, you should contact the disability services office on that campus as soon as possible. If you are having difficulty connecting with the disability services office at one of the Five Colleges, please let us know so that we can assist you in connecting with them.

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