Carlow University Policies and Services for Students with Disabilities

Prospective Students with Disabilities
If you are considering attending Carlow University and are a person with a disability there are accommodations which can be made for you with proper documentation via the Disabilities Services Office. Any accommodations a student may receive are based on their individual needs.

If you are interested in learning more about what the disabilities services office can provide for you, you should contact Joan House, Director of Disabilities Services at 412-578-6257 or via E-mail at houseja@carlow.edu.

Contact Information

Policy Regarding Reasonable Accommodations

Policy and Guidelines Regarding Accommodations

Documentation Guidelines for Students Requesting Accommodations

Policy and Guidelines Regarding Course Substitutions

Carlow University Disclosure Notice - Services for Students with Disabilities - and Form (Printer Friendly Version in Adobe Acrobat format)

Carlow University Disclosure Notice - Services for Students with Disabilities - and Form (Printer Friendly Version in HTML web page format)


CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have a disability and would like to request accommodations, contact Joan House in Grace Library 405 at (412) 578-6257 to arrange a meeting and to discuss the specific guidelines for receiving accommodations.

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POLICY REGARDING REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

Carlow University makes every reasonable effort to provide qualified applicants and students with disabilities with the opportunity to take full advantage of its programs, activities, services and facilities. The University's Office of Disability Services does this, in part, by arranging specific reasonable accommodations for students and prospective students. To request accommodations, students or prospective students with disabilities should contact the Disabilities Services Provider, Grace Library 405 at (412) 578-6257 and provide current documentation of their disability and the functional limitations resulting from the disability. Documentation regarding a student's disability will be treated as confidentially as possible and will not be released without the student's consent, unless required by law. The Office of Disability Services and the student will work together to identify appropriate academic adjustments, auxiliary aids and services, and/or other reasonable accommodations which may be warranted under the particular circumstances. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact the University's Disabilities Services Provider in advance of the semester when accommodations/adjustments may be needed.

Carlow University has the right, of course, to establish qualifications and other essential standards and requirements for its courses, programs, activities and services. All students are expected to meet these essential qualifications, standards and requirements, with or without reasonable accommodations.

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POLICY AND GUIDELINES REGARDING ACCOMMODATIONS

Carlow University makes every reasonable effort to provide qualified students (and prospective students) with disabilities the opportunity to take full advantage of Carlow's programs, activities, services and facilities. Carlow does so not only in response to legal directives such as those set forth in the Americans With Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, but as part of its mission to create a community of learners who "respond reverently and sensitively to God and to others and to render competent and compassionate service in personal and professional life."

Guidelines for Seeking Accommodations
For the University to respond appropriately to requests for accommodations, students are expected to follow certain guidelines and assume certain responsibilities.

1. Students seeking accommodations should provide timely notice and documentation of

  • the nature and extent of the disability,
  • the functional limitations resulting from the disability, and
  • the accommodations requested

to Joan House in the Office of Disabilities Services, Grace Library 405 at (412) 578-6257. Students are responsible for cooperating with the Office of Disability Services in an interactive process to identify appropriate accommodations.

2. To request accommodations, students should provide the University with current documentation as described more fully in the section below entitled "Documentation Guidelines." A school plan such as an IEP may not necessarily be sufficient for this purpose.

  • The documentation should describe how the disability affects or impacts the individual's ability to partake of the University's programs and activities.
  • In some cases, it may be necessary for the University, with student permission, to contact the medical or health professional providing the report to obtain further information or clarification.
  • While documentation from professionals may include specific recommendations for accommodation, the University reserves the right to determine what accommodations are reasonable and appropriate within the University setting and within technical and academic requirements of the program.
  • Four to six week prior to the start of every semester, students should meet with the Disabilities Services Provider to discuss their upcoming schedule of classes, update any documentation, if necessary, and discuss accommodations.

3. The University will carefully review information and documentation provided by a student, analyze each student's individual needs, and engage in an interactive process with the student to determine what accommodations may be reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances.

  • Documentation and information regarding a disability are considered confidential and will be revealed only with prior written student permission, unless otherwise required by law.
  • Letters approving accommodations, which are prepared by the Disabilities Services Provider and distributed to the appropriate Faculty and Staff by the student, generally will include information only about the accommodations; it is the student's prerogative to disclose or not disclose information about the disability itself to faculty and/or staff.

4. The University has a right to a reasonable amount of time to review documentation which is submitted, to interview the student, and to take other necessary steps before providing accommodations.

5. The University need not provide accommodations that would fundamentally alter the essential characteristics or nature of a program. Likewise, the University need not provide the exact accommodation requested by the student. The University may provide alternate accommodations as long as they are reasonable and appropriate to make the University's programs, activities, services, and facilities accessible to that individual.

Implementation of Approved Accommodations

1. Once the University has approved the accommodations, the student is responsible for sharing an accommodations letter, if needed, with her instructors and meeting with them to discuss the implementation of the accommodations.

  • The student should arrange a private meeting time other than scheduled class hours to discuss the accommodations.
  • The student is not obligated to identify or discuss the specifics of her disability.
  • The student also should inform the instructor and/or Disabilities Services Provider when particular teaching and testing approaches present difficulties, and should report to the Office of Disabilities Services when the accommodations are not being implemented, when they are not effective or necessary, when they might need to be adjusted, or when they are no longer being used.
  • Further, the student should follow through and be on time with any accommodations which impact other individuals' schedules, such as tutors, readers, sign-language interpreters, test administrators, aides, or, if necessary, canceling them with adequate notice.

2. Faculty and staff cooperate with the Office of Disability Services to provide authorized accommodations in a reasonable and timely manner and meet with the student who provides a letter of request for accommodations in order to determine the means of implementing the accommodation.

  • If the student does not have a letter of request for accommodation or if the student has not yet contacted the Office of Disability Services, the faculty or staff member shall refer the student to that office for processing the student's request.

3. If accommodations include testing in the Disabilities Services Office, the student is responsible for:

  • arranging space, dates, and time with the Disabilities Services Provider
  • providing adequate notice when a testing date is cancelled or changed
  • arriving for testing on time and
  • following the Instructor’s and Disabilities Services Provider's practices for insuring the integrity of the test and
  • observing the University's policies on academic integrity.

4. Accommodations are not retroactive; that is, they do not impact tests or work completed prior to the student's submission of documentation and the University's determination of any necessary accommodation.

5. Students with disabilities have the same responsibility as other students to meet the University's academic, technical and behavioral standards and to follow the University's general policies and guidelines regarding standards of conduct.

Appeals

Students have the right to appeal the University's decisions regarding requests for accommodation through the University's grievance procedure. To file such a grievance -- or to otherwise lodge a complaint in connection with this policy -- you may contact the University's Equal Opportunity Officer, Judith Yankovic, Grace Library Fifth floor, at (412) 578-6310.

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DOCUMENTATION ON GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS REQUESTING ACCOMMODATIONS

To request accommodations, students should provide the University with current documentation as described below. A school plan such as an IEP may not necessarily be sufficient for this purpose.

  • Documentation must be provided by a qualified licensed professional with training and experience in the assessment of physical, learning, attention, or psychological problems in adolescents and adults.
  • Documentation should be current (usually not more than three years old) and appear on professional letterhead, typed, dated, and signed by the professional.
  • Documentation should disclose the nature of the applicant's or student's disability and the functional limitations resulting from the disability, as well as recommended accommodations. While the healthcare professionals may suggest specific accommodations, the University reserves the right to determine what is reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances.

Psychological Disability
The student must provide a recent statement from a licensed mental health practitioner which discloses:

  • DSM IV diagnosis
  • medications and side effects
  • history of the disability, including date of on set
  • the functional limitations resulting from the disability
  • recommended accommodations
  • clinical summary with prognosis.

Learning Disability
The student must provide documentation from a qualified licensed professional (clinical or educational psychologist, school psychologist, neuropsychologist, learning disabilities specialist, medical doctor) with training and experience in the assessment of learning problems in adolescents and adults. The documentation should disclose:

  • the nature of the individual's disability
  • the functional limitations resulting from the disability
  • specific diagnosis
  • clinical summary with suggested accommodations
  • the names of the testing instruments used for testing and the testing results. These include:

a. Diagnostic interview
b. Assessment of aptitude
c. Assessment of academic achievement
d. Test of information processing

Resource List of Testing Instruments (The following is provided as a resource and is not intended to be exhaustive):

Aptitude:
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale
WAIS III, WAIS R, Revised WAIS II
Woodcock Johnson Psychoeducational Battery - Revised: Test of Cognitive Ability
Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale (4th edition)

Academic Achievement:
Peabody Achievement Test
Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults (SATA)
Stanford Test of Academic Skills
Woodcock Johnson Psychoeducational Battery - Revised Test of Achievement
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT)

Attention Disorders (ADD and ADHD)
The student must provide documentation from a qualified licensed professional (clinical or educational psychologist, school psychologist, neuropsychologist, learning disabilities specialist, medical doctor) with training and experience in the assessment of learning problems in adolescents and adults. The documentation should disclose:

  • the nature of the individual's disability
  • the functional limitations resulting from the disability
  • recommended accommodations
  • diagnosis by licensed clinician
  • the names of the testing instruments and the testing results. These include:

a. Diagnostic interview
b. Testing as determined by the interview
c. Specific diagnosis
d. Clinical summary with suggested  accommodation
e. Functional limitations

(not intended to be exhaustive):

Behavior Rating Scales
Self Rating Scales
Continuous Performance Test
WISC
WAIS III, WAIS R

 

Physical Disabilities

For students with visible disabilities (e.g., students with mobility impairments), the student should provide documentation from a licensed medical professional (or interview with Disabilities Services Provider depending upon the circumstances) which discloses:

  • the nature of the individual’s disability
  • the functional limitations resulting from the disability
  • prognosis, when appropriate
  • recommended accommodations.

For students with non-visible physical disabilities, the individual should provide current documentation from a licensed medical professional which discloses:

  • the nature of the disability
  • the functional limitations resulting from the disability
  • prognosis, when appropriate
  • recommended accommodations.

For students with vision or hearing impairments, the individual should provide current documentation from a qualified medical professional which indicates:

  • the extent of visual or hearing acuity
  • the functional limitations resulting from their disability
  • prognosis, when appropriate
  • recommended accommodations.

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POLICY AND GUIDELINES REGARDING COURSE SUBSTITUTIONS

There may be some limited occasions when a student with a disability might request a course substitution. Such accommodations are made only when it is clear through documentation, interviews, and/or student attempts in the course:

  • that the student's disability warrants course substitution consideration; and
  • that such an accommodation would not fundamentally alter the nature or integrity of the academic program.

A request for substitution consideration needs to be made well enough in advance to allow sufficient time for review and decision making. Students who are making such requests should make them as early as possible in their academic careers so that the request does not occur during their last semester prior to anticipated graduation. Generally, a request should be made before the midterm date in the semester prior to taking the course in question.

The process for seeking course substitution is generally as follows:

  • The student discusses the request for substitution with the Disabilities Services Provider.
  • The Disabilities Services Provider reviews the student's documentation and academic history, and, as appropriate, may seek additional clarification from the student or her medical provider concerning the nature of her disability and the functional limitations resulting from the disability. The Provider may also confer with the Assistant to the Academic Vice President for Program Support, the program or department chair, and/or the Curriculum Committee to review any pertinent program and University guidelines. Any recommendation to grant a course substitution request must be approved by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
  • If a substitution is approved by the Assistant Provost of Academic Support and Assessment, the student, the Registrar’s office, and the student’s advisor would be notified.

Carlow University has the right, of course, to establish qualifications and other essential standards and requirements for its courses, programs, activities and services. All students are expected to meet these essential qualifications, standards and requirements, with or without reasonable accommodations.

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Joan House
Carlow University
Director of Disabilities Services
3333 Fifth Avenue
Grace Library, Room 405
Phone: 412-578-6257
Fax: 412-578-2027
houseja@carlow.edu

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