- Do I need to register for disability services with the Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES)? What if I want to try it "on my own"?
- Will my IEP or 504 plan be sufficient for documentation of my disability? Will I get the same accommodations I did in high school?
- What if I want to "try it on my own" without accommodations for a semester?
- I do not want everyone to know I have a disability. How is this kept confidential?
Do I need to register for disability services with the Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services (DRES)? What if I want to try it "on my own"?
Even if you do not think you will need accommodations or services right away, it is recommended that you register for services with DRES. You may have classes during certain semesters where you will want to utilize disability-related accommodations or other DRES services.
In order to register with DRES, it is a two-step process.
- First, complete an Application for Services online or print it out, complete it and send it to DRES.
- Second, provide documentation that shows your disability that meets our Documentation Requirements.
Registering prior to when you might need accommodations allows you to receive those accommodations and services in a more timely manner than if you had to complete the registration process first.
Will my IEP or 504 plan be sufficient for documentation of my disability? Will I get the same accommodations I did in high school?
While IEPs and 504 plans were essential for you to get accommodations and services in elementary and high school, at the college level other documentation is necessary to substantiate your disability. Please refer to the link for the Documentation Requirements given above.
Accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the documentation of your disability that you provide, the course demands and your input. You may receive some of the same accommodations as you did in high school (such as extended time on tests) but some high school accommodations are not applicable at the college level, such as a "modified curriculum" (such as only having to complete ten homework problems instead of the twenty the class has to complete).
What if I want to "try it on my own" without accommodations for a semester?
You can do this. DRES will not force you to use accommodations. However, keep in mind that you cannot go back, only forward so if you take a test without accommodations and you get a bad grade, you cannot retake the test with accommodations.
You can, however, show the instructor your Letter of Accommodation and plan to use accommodations on the next test in the class. It is best to show your instructors your Letter of Accommodation within the first two weeks of the semester, even if you do not think you will be needing to use accommodations. As the semester progresses, you may want to use accommodations.
I do not want everyone to know I have a disability. How is this kept confidential?
DRES keeps your disability documentation in locked files and it is only accessible to those DRES staff who work with you. You only need to disclose that you have a disability (not specifically what your disability is) in order to receive accommodations through the Letter of Accommodation that you give to your professors.