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Accommodations

Students with properly documented disabilities, who are registered with the Disability Services Center, may be eligible to receive reasonable accommodations on a case-by-case basis.

Regarding accommodations, students agree that:

  • Accommodations will not alter or waive an essential part of any course, program, or degree.
  • Technical standards or requirements set forth by the major or school will be met.
  • Receiving reasonable accommodations is not a guarantee of academic success.
  • Accommodations are not retroactive.
  • The effectiveness of accommodations requires an independent effort from the student to accept certain ongoing responsibilities for planning, managing, monitoring, and communicating accommodation needs.
  • In order to receive Testing and Classroom accommodations each semester, Request for Reasonable Accommodation form letters must be requested from the Disability Services Center at the beginning of each semester.
  • Students must HAND-DELIVER each Request for Reasonable Accommodation form letter to his/her professors as early as possible. Once the student and professor have discussed the student's accommodation needs and the professor has signed the letter, the ORIGNAL letter must be RETURNED to the Disability Services Center. (Professors may make copies of these letters, as needed.)
  • Testing and Classroom accommodations become effective on the date that the Request for Reasonable Accommodations letter is signed by the professor and are only valid from the date signed through the end of the semester.

Types of Accommodations

Appropriate accommodations are determined on an individual basis and are based upon the specific recommendations and justifications for reasonable accommodations, as described in the Disability Verification Documentation section of this website. Accommodations can entail (but are not limited to) the following:

Program Accommodations

  • Reduced course load with full-time status
  • Priority registration

Classroom Accommodations

  • Note taker requests
  • Permission to tape lectures
  • Extended time on assignments (For each extension desired, the student must request the extended time for the assignment and the professor will determine if the request is reasonable and therefore, whether or not to grant the request.)
  • Copies of lecture notes and/or study guides, if available.
  • Flexibility with attendance (This accommodation must be based upon current documentation and is at the discretion of the professor. Absent extraordinary circumstances, this accommodation will NOT be granted for attendance dependent environments.)
  • Sign Language interpreters/CART reporters
  • FM Assistive listening device
  • Physically accessible classrooms
  • Furniture requests

Testing Accommodations (see also Testing Policies)

  • Extended time (This accommodation usually consists of 1 ½ to double time and is based upon documentation submitted by the student. Extended time for exams allows a student to have additional time to complete the exam, NOT the ability to take the exam at a later date.)
  • Separate location (The purpose of a separate location for testing is to help to reduce distractions. Therefore, the separate location is not guaranteed to be distraction-free or private.)
  • Readers/Scribes
  • Use of Computer, Calculator, and/or Assistive Technology

Housing Accommodations

Upon registration, the Disability Services Center will verify to the Office of Residential Life and Housing the student’s need for accessible housing. However, it is the student’s responsibility to submit his or her housing deposit and complete all paperwork required in accordance with the Office of Residential Life and Housing’s deadlines. (For more information, please see www.ric.edu/residential-life.)

WHEN TO REQUEST ACCOMMODATIONS

  • Students needing accessible Housing should register with the Disability Services Center upon acceptance to the College.
  • Students needing Physical Accessibility accommodations and/or use of Sign Language Interpreters should request accommodations as soon as possible but no less than two weeks before the beginning of the semester.
  • Students seeking Testing, and/or Classroom accommodations should request accommodations as soon as possible after enrolling in classes for the upcoming semester or at least within the first two weeks of the semester.
  • Students seeking Reduced Course Load status must request this accommodation prior to the end of the add/drop period of the semester for which it is needed. This accommodation must be requested EACH semester it is needed; this status will NOT be automatically renewed each semester.​​​

Page last updated: October 01, 2019