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Requesting Accommodations

Accommodation Procedure
Students who wish to receive accommodations are expected to meet with a member of the Disability Services staff during the first few weeks of classes to set up accommodations. Students requiring alternate format books, sign interpreters and captioning should contact the staff several weeks before the semester begins to ensure timely accommodations. A collaborative effort between the student, Disability Services Staff, and the faculty should produce a reasonable accommodation for a documented disability. 

To complete the major steps of requesting accommodations a student must:

  1. Schedule an intake appointment and submit documentation. The student must schedule an intake appointment with either the Director or Coordinator of Disability Services to discuss available support services and the process for requesting accommodations and/or classroom adjustments. In order to fully evaluate requests for accommodations or auxiliary aids, Simmons College will need documentation of the disability that consists of an evaluation by an appropriate professional and describes the current impact of the disability as it relates to the accommodation request. Documentation may be submitted prior to the intake appointment.
  2. Request services at the intake appointment. Submission of documentation is not the same as the request for services.
  3. Participate in the determination of reasonable and appropriate accommodations by completing a Student Accommodation Letter with the Disability Services staff member for EACH course in which you wish to receive accommodations.
  4. The student must then take each Student Accommodation Letter to the instructor of the course for which it covers. It is encouraged that the student meets privately with the instructor so that they may discuss the matter confidentially.
  5. The student should discuss with the instructor the specifics of how each accommodation will be provided during the course of the semester. If there are concerns, either about the accommodation or the manner in which it is to be provided, either the student or the instructor should contact the Disability Services Office immediately.
  6. If there are no concerns, the instructor should retain the Student Accommodation Letter for their own records. A copy of the Student Accommodation Letter is also kept on file with the Disability Services Office.

Accommodation letters must be obtained EACH semester for EACH class in which a student wishes to receive the accommodations. Students who have already registered with the Disability Services Office and who have previously received accommodations still need to meet with the office each semester. Due to the large number of students with disabilities being served at Simmons, it is suggested that students make an appointment with the Disability Services staff well in advance. While every effort will be made to respond to crisis situations, it is still the responsibility of the student to make an appointment to Student Accommodation Letters in a timely manner. Accommodations are not retroactive. Faculty members are not obligated to provide any accommodation to a student without the required forms.

Location

Main Campus Building Room E108

300 The Fenway
Boston, MA 02115

Contact

For more information regarding Disability Services, please contact:

Timothy Rogers
Director of Disability Services
timothy.rogers@simmons.edu

For appointments, call 617-521-2474.