The Ins and Outs of Getting Accommodations

If you have or think you might have a disability contact our office as soon as possible. We can provide accommodations that can help you succeed at UMM.

The sooner you communicate your needs, the better! It is best to contact us before the start of the semester because it gives our office time to investigate and discuss your options with you.

picture of open book, notebook, pen and plant on a brown table by a window

Step 1:	Complete an Application form, a Services Requested form and an Information Release form. Bring these documents with you when you meet with the Disability Services Coordinator. You will also need to bring a copy of your current class schedule.
Step 2:	Provide official documentation of your disability, which is generally provided by a health care provider or testing specialist. Like other documents related to your progress at UMM, these documents are confidential. Our office can help you request the information and have it sent directly to us.
Step 3:	Communicate with the Disability Services Coordinator: we are here to help you. We will meet at least once per semester to review the accommodations that will enable your success, and we will put this plan on paper and keep it in your file for future reference. This plan will specify: The accommodations to be provided Why and when they will be provided Who is responsible for providing them How they will be provided
Step 4:	You will be provided with a letter from Disability Services that describes your accommodation needs for each class that you are enrolled in for the current semester. You should deliver this letter to your instructor to help develop good communication with them. Your instructor may wish to discuss the accommodations with you, and good communication with your profs can be the key to success. Be open to these discussions! Keep in mind that while the instructor must offer accommodation, he or she is not expected to compromise essential elements and components of the course or evaluation standards. Discussion and negotiation are a normal part of the process. It is in your best interests to share the letter with your professors and your academic advisor early, although you may choose not to do so. If you choose not to request accommodation from your professor, your prof is not obligated to provide it. S/he is not obligated to allow you to make up work or retake exams that you may have performed poorly on because you chose not to advocate for your needs. Don’t just show your prof the letter. Visit an office hour to introduce yourself and your needs. If you have past experiences with accommodations, discuss your successes and failures. You know yourself best. Remember, you’re both human beings! Collaborating in the learning process may be a lot of fun. Your prof actually expects to help students in this way (Go figure!). Visiting early in the semester to be proactive about what would help you is a measure of your self-respect.
Step 5:	Contact the Disability Services Office if the accommodations are not implemented in a timely and effective manner. Office staff can advocate on your behalf. Students with disabilities who believe they have been discriminated against on the basis of their disability should contact the Disability Services Office.; if this is not possible, the student should contact the Dean's Office (see "University of Minnesota Grievance Procedure and the Americans with Disabilities Act,").