Getting Started with Accommodations

FAQs about Accommodations

• What are accommodations?

  An accommodation is a change to a policy or to an environment on campus, or the provision of an aid or service, when needed by an individual with a disability to access the College's courses, programs, activities, and/or facilities.

  Students with disabilities have the right to engage and participate fully in all of the same curricular and co-curricular opportunities the College offers to students without a disability. In addition, they have the right to access and utilize the same information shared with all students, and have the same opportunity to achieve, both inside and outside the classroom.

  When these opportunities are not offered equally, or when there are institutional barriers to full engagement and participation for otherwise qualified students with disabilities, the College will arrange reasonable accommodations in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008, and similar state laws.

  The goal of accommodations is to adjust the environment (for instance, ensuring a classroom is wheelchair-accessible) or modify the approach to engaging with a course or experience (for instance, providing access to course materials in different formats) to ensure students with disabilities can participate fully and have the same opportunity to succeed as their non-disabled peers.

  Accommodations do not alter the essential aspects of an environment, a course, or an experience, or reduce the rigor required to complete a task (for example, a student may need extra time to take an exam, rather than reducing the number of questions or difficulty of the exam.)

• Who qualifies for accommodations at Williams College?

  The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 identify a person with a disability as an individual who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, reading, thinking, or learning.

  Conditions that are minor and/or temporary (such as the flu or seasonal allergies) do not typically count as disabilities under the ADA. However, some short-term impairments that may last a month or more (such as concussions or broken bones) can qualify as disabilities, depending on their severity and duration. In determining accommodations, our office focuses on the specific impact a condition or diagnosis has on the student while living in the Williams environment (what "functional limitations" arise in this environment due to the condition), moreso than on general characteristics of a diagnosis.

• How do I request an accommodation from the College?

  The accommodation request process is student-centered and student-driven, meaning that the student must take the lead to submit a request to OAE following the steps below.

  Accommodations are then determined as part of an interactive process during which OAE staff work collaboratively with the student to determine the adjustments and/or auxiliary aids needed to provide equal opportunities for learning and living on campus. This interactive and collaborative process requires that students self-advocate and meet with a member of the OAE staff to discuss their request for services prior to a decision being made. 

  There are three core steps to requesting any accommodation:

  1. Student Request Form
     Complete this Accommodation Request Form to open a case file and submit your request in Accommodate, our web-based accommodations management software. For students who already have a case file in Accommodate, log in then go to Accommodation > Supplemental > Add New to request to renew, modify, or add to your accommodation plan.
  2. Documentation from a Healthcare Provider
     Documentation from a licensed healthcare professional is an important part of the accommodation request process. To make sure OAE receives the information that is most helpful in determining accommodations, please ask your provider to complete our Documentation of Disability form. A signed letter on professional letterhead that follows our Documentation Guidelines is also acceptable.
  3. Meeting with an OAE Staff Member
     Once you've completed steps 1 and 2, please email [email protected] to arrange a meeting to discuss your request in more detail and make a plan for next steps.

  Please note: we typically cannot approve accommodations until all three steps have been completed.

  We are dedicated to providing clear guidance and proceeding thoughtfully with all accommodation requests. At times, we may need to consult with your healthcare provider, your faculty, and/or other offices on campus to gather more information and determine what accommodations will be the most effective. The average timeline for review is two weeks after a student submits their request form and documentation.
  

  For more information on specific accommodations, please see the menu on the right.

• How do I notify my faculty of my approved academic accommodations?

  Once approved for academic accommodations, students must communicate with OAE each semester to confirm the courses in which they'll need accommodations and to give permission to share their letter of accommodations with their faculty.

  To do so, students should complete a Semester Request in Accommodate (log in with your Williams email and password, then go to Accommodations > Semester Request > Add New) by the end of the add/drop period each semester. Faculty will not be aware of a student's needs or be required to implement accommodations until a Semester Request is submitted and the letter of accommodations is sent.

  Once your accommodation letters go out (you’ll get an email), please follow up with each professor directly. Faculty check-ins give you a chance to confirm they’ve received your letter and to discuss any details for implementing your accommodations in their course. We find that students meet with the most success when they engage proactively with their instructors around their specific learning needs.

  Some accommodations require ongoing coordination with faculty and/or OAE (for example, arranging alternative testing locations, electronic versions of course readings, additional time on assignments, or flexibility with course attendance policies). Students are responsible for maintaining open lines of communication with faculty and working with them to implement approved accommodations, with the support of an OAE advisor.

  Any concerns or questions about implementing your accommodation(s) should be shared with OAE as soon as possible (email your OAE advisor or [email protected]).

• What are the limits of academic accommodations?

  The goal of academic accommodations is to ensure that all students, regardless of ability status, can access and participate in the learning opportunities designed with care and intention by Williams faculty. All students must complete the same quantity and quality of work, and are expected to meet the same fundamental learning goals, with or without accommodations. 

  All academic accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis by OAE staff and implemented through a collaborative process by OAE, the student, and individual faculty using guidelines provided by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

  According to these guidelines, an academic accommodation would be considered unreasonable if it:

  • Imposes an undue financial or administrative burden on the institution or its staff or faculty
  • Threatens the health or safety of others
  • Alters or eliminates a fundamental aspect of a course or program, such as a learning objective or assessment method

  In addition, accommodations cannot guarantee a specific grade or achievement level (i.e. should be utilized for access, not success) and cannot be implemented retroactively.

  In the event that a requested accommodation is determined to be unreasonable, either in the initial review process or when implementing it in a specific course, OAE will work with the student and the faculty to determine an appropriate alternative method for ensuring equal access.

 

Rights and Responsibilities

• Prospective Students

  While Williams operates no specifically-structured programs for individuals with disabilities, the College is committed to providing full and meaningful access to campus programs, services, and experiences as designed, regardless of disability status.

  Students with disabilities are expected to pursue a full course of study (typically four graded courses per term and at least one course per Winter Study Period) and meet the same academic standards, with or without accommodations.

  Prospective students are encouraged to:

  • Consult with the Office of Accessible Education regarding potential accommodations at Williams to support a documented disability;
  • Discuss concerns about support for disabilities with members of the admission staff, housing office, health/psychological services, and the Dean’s Office. These conversations are shared with College personnel on a need-to-know basis only.

  While the Office of Accessible Education (OAE) is unable to confirm specific accommodations until a student is enrolled at the College and has completed the request process described above, we welcome the opportunity to talk with you about your needs, what the Williams experience entails, and what other resources on campus would be useful to include in your web of support, including peer tutors, the Writing Center, quantitative skills support, research support, one-on-one guidance from faculty and the Dean's Office, Health and Wellness Services, International Student Services, the Davis Center, and more.

• Current Students

  Williams College students with disabilities have the right to:

  • equal access to courses, services, facilities, activities, and programs available through the College;
  • reasonable, appropriate and effective accommodations and/or auxiliary aids determined on a case-by-case basis through an interactive process;
  • confidentiality of all information regarding the disability and accommodations; readily available alternative formats of information.

  Williams College students with disabilities have the responsibility to:

  • meet the College’s qualifications and academic requirements;
  • identify themselves in advance as individuals with disabilities when seeking accommodations;
  • provide recent documentation from a licensed healthcare professional which:
    • identifies the disability,
    • describes the challenges faced due to the condition,
    • recommends accommodations to be provided;
  • follow specific procedures, comply with deadlines and agreements, and communicate with the Office of Accessible Education regarding any problems which may arise concerning the accommodation process.

  The College operates no specifically-structured academic programs for individuals with disabilities. Students with disabilities are expected to pursue a full course of study (typically four graded courses per term and at least one course per Winter Study Period) and meet the same academic standards, with or without accommodations.

  In addition to reasonable accommodations, the College offers all students a variety of support services such as peer tutors, the Writing Center, quantitative skills support, research support, one-on-one guidance from faculty and the Dean's Office, Health and Wellness Services, International Student Services, the Davis Center, executive function support, among others.

  Students with approved academic accommodations should complete a Semester Request form in Accommodate at the start of each semester to have their letter sent to their faculty. Faculty will not be aware of a student's needs or be required to implement accommodations until a Semester Request is submitted and the letter of accommodations is sent.

• Williams College

  Williams College, through the administrators providing support for students with disabilities, has the right to:

  • uphold academic and conduct standards;
  • request recent documentation from a student completed by an appropriate healthcare professional which:
    • identifies the disability,
    • describes the challenges faced due to this condition,
    • recommends accommodations to be provided;
  • discuss a student’s need for reasonable accommodations and/or auxiliary aids with the professional source of their documentation with the student’s signed consent;
  • determine appropriate accommodations and/or auxiliary aids in consultation with students with disabilities, faculty, and campus partners;
  • provide accommodations for a reasonable, temporary period of time in order to enable the student to obtain the necessary/additional documentation;
  • deny a request for accommodations and/or auxiliary aids if the documentation:
    • does not identify a specific disability,
    • fails to verify the need for the requested services,
    • is not provided in a timely manner;
  • refuse to provide an accommodation and/or auxiliary aid that is inappropriate or unreasonable including any that:
    • pose a direct threat to the health and safety of others,
    • fundamentally alter the essential nature of a course or program,
    • pose an undue financial or administrative burden on the College.

  Williams College, through the administrators providing support to students with disabilities, has the responsibility to:

  • provide information regarding policies and procedures to students with disabilities and assure its availability in alternative formats;
  • provide reasonable and appropriate accommodations and/or auxiliary aids for students with disabilities upon timely requests by students (eligibility for accommodations determined on a case-by-case basis);
  • maintain the confidentiality of records and communication concerning students with disabilities;
  • inform students with disabilities of College policies and procedures for filing an appeal or grievance.

  The Office of Accessible Education (OAE) coordinates the efforts of the College to provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities through an individualized, interactive, and collaborative process that includes the student, our staff, the student's healthcare provider, campus partners (when applicable), and faculty (when applicable).

• Faculty

  Williams College faculty members have the right to:

  • deny a request for any accommodation which:
    • fundamentally alters the nature of their course or program,
    • undermines the purpose of an exam or course,
    • alters the essential nature of the course,
  • Should a faculty member believe that this situation may be the case, they should discuss the matter with the Office of Accessible Education.

  Williams College faculty members have the responsibility to:

  • discuss with the OAE any concerns related to the accommodations or arrangements which they have been requested to implement;
  • provide reasonable accommodations, as approved by the College;
  • assure confidentiality of information regarding students with disabilities;
  • consider a syllabus statement identifying resources for students with disabilities on campus. For example:
    • “Students with disabilities who may need accommodations for this course are encouraged to contact the Office of Accessible Education at [email protected] or 413-597-4672 as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations are provided in a timely manner.”