The following provides a brief summary of Wilmington College’s disability policies and procedures. For complete information, the Accessibility and Disability Services Handbook, which includes all disability policies, procedures, and forms, is available on the Intranet under Student Interests – Student Resource Center, Accessibility and Disability Services, and on the internet at Wilmington College – Academics – Academic Resources – Accessibility and Disability Services.
Legal Responsibility
It is the policy of Wilmington College to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADA Amendments Act), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), and other applicable federal and state regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability.
Individual with a disability – any person who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment. (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended (ADA)).
Pursuant to the ADA, major life activities include caring for one self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working. Basically, any function that is performed routinely by individuals is considered a major life activity.
Admissions Criteria
The admissions process and criteria are the same for all students applying to Wilmington College. Admissions counselors review all applications without regard to disability status. A student may submit a letter with their admissions packet to explain the relationship between test scores and disability and actions the student will take to obtain any needed support in areas of difficulty. Students are welcome to do this, but it is not expected or required.
The Office of Accessibility and Disability Services
Accessibility and Disability Services at Wilmington College are provided through the Academic Services office, a component of the Student Resource Center (SRC). Contact the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services at 937-481-2444 or accessibility@wilmington.edu.
Disability Verification
Students who wish to access Accessibility and Disability Services need to meet with the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services and provide documentation of their disability to substantiate their requests for accommodations. To register with Accessibility and Disability Services, students submit an Application for Services. In addition, the student must provide the Disability Verification form accompanied by current disability documentation from a licensed professional.
Accommodations
Accessibility and Disability Services assists students in accessing appropriate accommodations in compliance with the ADA Amendments Act and Section 504. Individual accommodations are determined for eligible students to enable equal access to and full participation in educational programs and services at Wilmington College.
Every student with a disability, even within the same disability category, has different strengths and needs; the degree of limitation and compensation skills varies widely from one student to another. Severity of the impact of the disability may also vary over time and with the situation. Appropriate accommodations are determined through an interactive process of discussing the student’s strengths and needs, reviewing documentation, considering the request of the student, and evaluating the essential components of a course or program. Students with disabilities are held to the same academic standards as their peers.
Accommodations are developed collaboratively with the student. Each student comes to Wilmington College with an educational history and some knowledge about what works (and does not work) for them. Though policies, procedures, and guidelines are necessary and helpful, they are more effective when coupled with candid dialogue about strengths, needs, and effective teaching and learning strategies. Students are encouraged to share their experience with the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services so that the most appropriate supports can be provided.
Accessibility and Disability Services assists students in accessing appropriate accommodations. Possible accommodations include but are not limited to:
- Testing accommodations (e.g., extended time for test-taking, testing in a quiet location, reader/scribe),
- Alternate format print material (e.g., electronic textbooks, scanned text, enlarged print), and
- Note taking assistance
Course Examinations
Wilmington College complies with Section 504 in its course examinations and other procedures for evaluating student academic achievement in its programs, which require that the College
provide such methods of evaluating the achievement of students who have a [disability] that impairs sensory, manual, or speaking skills as will best ensure that the results of the evaluation represent the student’s achievement in the course, rather than reflecting the student’s impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills (except where such skills are the factors that the test purports to measure).
A student who does not do acceptable work is not given credit. If a faculty member becomes aware that a student with a disability is having difficulty, a referral to the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services is encouraged.
Confidentiality
All inquiries about Accessibility and Disability Services are confidential. Students who wish to use accommodations decide whom to inform about their accommodations through the process of self-identification. With the consent of the student, information from Accessibility and Disability Services about the student’s disability is provided in limited circumstances on an as-needed basis in order to implement accommodations. Under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, Buckley Amendment (FERPA), faculty, staff, and administrators cannot draw the attention of others to a student’s disability. Student disability records are securely stored, and documentation is destroyed five years after graduation or withdrawal from Wilmington College.
Grievance Procedure
A student has the right to present concerns about the process of obtaining accommodations, the accommodations plan, the manner in which accommodations are provided, issues of confidentiality, or any other concern related to Accessibility and Disability Services. The student should first discuss concerns with the Director of Accessibility and Disability Services who will work to resolve the issues. If the concerns are not resolved, the student may submit a written appeal to the Associate Vice President for Retention and Academic Success. The AVPRAS will consult with the Vice President, Chief Academic Officer for academic issues and the Vice President, Chief Student Affairs Officer for non-academic issues to bring about a resolution. If the student continues to have concerns, she/he may submit a final written appeal to the President of the College.