Academic Accommodation Request Process

Students have the right to apply and seek accommodation requests at anytime. Below are the steps to engage in the accommodation process. We process applications in the order in which they were received. It's important students check their email and return requested information in a timely manner.

1. The student applies with Student Disability Resources to determine eligibility for consideration of reasonable accommodations. (UND IDM login required to complete application).
2. Submit supporting documentation that establishes a disability. A disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
   • Documentation to support a request for classroom accommodations may take a variety of forms. It is part of an interactive, deliberative process to gather evidence to establish disability and identify barriers with connection to the disability. It may include, but not be limited to student self-report, history of having used accommodations, observation and interaction with Disability Services professionals, and records from medical and educational professionals.
   • Student Disability Resources staff will review any third-party documentation provided, including any recommendations for accommodations that may help us determine how best to assure equal access for the student. Documentation is most beneficial when it provides specific insight into how a disability impacts major life activities and various academic experiences. However, just because a medical professional recommends an accommodation does not bind us to approve it. When the recommendations are for support to enhance success or are considered outside the scope of what is necessary for equal access, the student will be referred to other resources.
3. The student will meet with an Access Coordinator (AC) to engage in an interactive process to identify barriers caused by the disability and which accommodation(s) may be appropriate and reasonable. The student and AC will discuss accommodation history, explore evidence of a disability, and identify functional limitations or barriers in a academic setting, and determine what accommodations, if any, are reasonable. Each student is determined on a case-by-case, course-by-course, analysis.
4. Students who have been approved for accommodation(s) will receive a Notification of Disability Accommodations email following the meeting with their AC. This email from Student Disability Resources, supports the reasonable accommodations listed in the email for the semester at the University of North Dakota.
5. It is the responsibility of the student to share the Notification of Disability Accommodations email and discuss their accommodation(s) with each of their faculty members. Students are encouraged to schedule a time to meet with faculty to discuss the implementation of the accommodation(s) and answer any questions or concerns.
6. The student or faculty member should contact Student Disability Resources if there are any questions or concerns regarding the accommodation(s), implementation or reasonableness.
7. Accommodation(s) must be reviewed and updated each semester with Student Disability Resources. Accommodation(s) are not retroactive; they are effective from the date of the Notification of Disability Accommodations email and do not apply to attendance, assignments, or any other course requirement for which the due date has already passed. Instructors must be given timely notification of a student’s approved accommodation(s) prior to implementation.

Federal legislation acknowledges that post-secondary institutions may request a reasonable level of documentation to support specific accommodation requests without requiring extensive evidence from medical/psychological professionals. The goal of documentation is to support a student’s request for specific accommodation(s) in cases where other attempts to find evidence of disability fail to show a connection between disability and the accommodation.

Eligibility for Disability Accommodations

• A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities such as, learning, seeing, hearing, speaking, walking, or breathing. The presence of a disability alone does not necessarily qualify an individual for accommodations.
• Experience functional limitation(s) caused by a disability that significantly limits or prevents access to university programs, services, or facilities.

Criteria for Accommodations

• The determination process is done on a case-by-case basis and is accomplished through an interactive process with the student through discussion(s) and review of the disability documentation.
• There must be a logical link between the functional limitations of the student's disability and the specific accommodation.