Accessing Disability Services
For information contact:
Dean Martha Bledsoe, Assistant Dean of Studies and Disability Services
Wheaton College
Norton, MA 02766
508.286.8215 voice/ 508.286.5682 TTY/ 508.286.5621 fax
mbledsoe@wheatonma.edu
A full range of academic support services are available to any student and may include the peer tutoring program or study skills workshops given by the Preceptors. Any student with a documented disability is eligible to receive accommodation services from Disability Services. Accommodations are services available only to students with a disability who provide documentation and where the documentation is approved by the Dean of Studies and Disability Services as needing an accommodation.
The purpose of accommodations is to reduce the disadvantages that may exist because of an individual's disability. These accommodations must be considered "reasonable accommodations" that do not compromise the academic integrity of the academic program. Disability related law does not require that institutions waive specific courses or academic requirements considered essential to a particular program or degree. Rather, they are mandated to modify existing requirements on a case-by-case basis in order to ensure that individuals are not discriminated against because of their disability.
Students wanting access to services must self-identify and provide in a timely manner appropriate verification of their disability. Eligibility for reasonable and appropriate accommodations will be determined on an individual basis. Specific to Wheaton, to be considered "otherwise qualified" students must be able to function effectively in a residential, highly rigorous, liberal arts environment. This calls for the ability to do strenuous coursework and participate fully in and out of the classroom.
Appropriate documentation will assist the student and college in determining reasonable accommodations, as stipulated under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other pertinent state and federal regulations. Documentation must be current (in most cases within three years of the current date) and must be completed by a qualified practitioner. This documentation must include a comprehensive assessment including test scores and recommendation for accommodations.
It is the responsibility of the student requesting accommodation to present documentation and request accommodation in a timely manner, prior to the beginning of the academic semester. It is suggested that documentation be sent by registered mail. Neither Wheaton College Admissions, nor the Academic Advising Center accepts responsibility for the materials until it is received by the college.