Student Services

Several steps must be taken to ensure reasonable accommodations are appropriately issued.

1. Students must schedule an intake with one of our support specialists. During this intake, we will use the interactive process to discuss barriers in the college environment due to disabilities and determine reasonable accommodations.
2. If you have documentation before the meeting, you may provide it ahead of time by:
   1. Emailing it to ADR@saintpaul.edu.
   2. Dropping it off at the ADR office in room 1405.
   3. Bringing it to the intake meeting.
3. If reasonable accommodations are approved, we will give you an Accommodation Letter. This letter will be sent to instructors with the student’s permission.

Examples of Documentation of Disability include, but are not limited to:

• High school IEP, evaluation, or 504/508 plan
• Diagnostic assessment report
• Letter from a healthcare provider (such as a therapist, counselor, or chiropractor)
• Accommodation Letter from another college or university
• Documentation of disability due to military service
• Letter from a county worker, vocational rehabilitation counselor, or social worker
• A Completed Disability Documentation Form (available by email or in person).

Note: we do not require documentation to be up to date for permanent conditions, or when the requested accommodations do not differ greatly from the documentation.

Documentation Should Include:

• Your name, Saint Paul College Tech ID or StarID, and date of birth
• Diagnosis and name of the evaluator
• Current functional limitations or symptoms that affect your learning

Accommodations are not automatically activated each semester. Students should contact ADR before or at the start of each semester to request accommodation letters for current classes.

Testing accommodations require that both the student and their professor complete certain steps. This process must be done for each test.

After completing an intake and ensuring testing with accommodations is an accommodation, you may initiate a test by filling out a Testing with Accommodation Form. You can access this form by emailing the ADR office or stopping by for a paper copy.

The Testing with Accommodation Form must be filled out completely by both the student and instructor. Upon completion, ADR will help schedule your test in the Testing Center or ADR’s private testing space.

Common testing accommodations are:

• Taking tests in a reduced distraction or private room
• Extended time on exams and quizzes
• Use of approved assistive technology, like Text-to-Speech or dictation

ADR will work with publishers, disability-access repositories, and other sources to obtain an accessible version when available.

After completing an intake and ensuring alternative textbooks are listed as an accommodation, send ADR an email with the ISBN (thirteen-digit number usually on the barcode) and proof of purchase for the textbook needed. ADR will complete the next steps and follow up directly with the alternative text.

The college abides by copyright law eligibility, meaning that only students with a verified disability and proof of purchase are eligible for alternative texts.

After completing an intake, ensure that ASL Interpretation or CART services are an approved accommodation. Confirm your course schedule with the ADR team and communicate which courses need these services. Requesting ASL or CART services must be done each semester.

Please reach out to the ADR team prior to each semester to confirm your accessibility need and course schedule.

ADR is a student facing office, but we are here to help. If you are seeking support implementing an accommodation, please email us: adr@saintpaul.edu.

Faculty may choose to implement inclusive classroom practices that help remove barriers that often exclude students with disabilities from full participation. The following should be adapted to all teaching practices:

• Never deny accommodation requests without consulting ADR.
• Include an accessibility statement on all syllabi.
• Post class notes and PowerPoint slides online.
• Identify course readings early to allow time for the creation of accessible materials.
• Select only captioned videos; contact ADR early to get support captioning uncaptioned materials.
• If present, ensure ASL Interpreters and CART captioners have appropriate placement in the classroom.
• Ensure class activities, including field trips, are accessible.

More information about digital accessibility and Equity by Design connect with the Academic Effectiveness and Innovation office https://www.saintpaul.edu/employees/aei/

If you believe an accommodation should be denied, you will need to fill out a Faculty Denial of Approved Accommodation form. This form is available from the ADR office. The Director of ADR will review the denial and partner with the you to find alternative reasonable accommodations.

If you suspect a student could benefit from an accommodation, please fill out our Access and Disability Resources Referral form.