Baker University Disability Resources

Baker University is committed to providing equal educational opportunities to all students who meet academic admission requirements. The Office of Disability Resources, in the lower level of Collins Library, provides comprehensive support services to meet the individual needs of students with disabilities.

Mission Statement

The Office of Disabilities, housed within Student Academic Success, provides and coordinates support services and programs that enable students with disabilities to maximize their educational potential. The Office also serves as a resource for members of the Baker community so that all students with disabilities can freely and actively participate in university life.

Contact

Kathy Wilson
Academic Success Assistant
785.594.8352
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Philosophy

Because every student and his or her level of disability is different, Baker University's programs are highly individualized. It is an individual's choice to self-identify, and Disability Resources works with those who do so on a case-by-case basis. If and when to use any of the available services is up to the student, not the school. Integration, self-advocacy and individual responsibility are promoted and expected.

Students with documented disabilities meet with the coordinator of Disability Resources to request accommodations. Once required documentation is received, accommodations are made individually, based on the needs of each student. Examples of accommodations include but are not limited to advocacy, extended test time, testing environment with minimal distractions, note taking services, assistive technology, assessment referral, registration assistance, accessibility and liaison to university academic service areas and to community agencies.

General Guidelines

Most students requesting accommodations through the Office of Disability Resources have disabilities that fall into one or more of the following categories:

• Learning disability
• Visual disability
• Communication disability
• Deafness
• Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD)
• Psychological disability
• Mobility disability
• Other functional disabilities

Invisible Disabilities

Students may have invisible disabilities and prefer to keep their conditions confidential. It is important to respect the rules of confidentiality.

Temporary Disabilities

Some disabilities are temporary and might require accommodations for a limited time. Students who are recovering from surgery, injury or severe illness may be unaware of accommodations that may be reasonable for a limited time period. Such students are encouraged to contact the Office of Disability Resources to establish reasonable accommodations.

The Disability Resources staff provides accommodations only in the sense that they send letters to faculty, explaining the nature of the student's disability and suggested accommodations. These support services are designed to create equal opportunities for students with disabilities, not to lower academic standards or to alter the essential nature of the degree requirements.

To that end, accommodations at Baker University do not include reduced standards of academic performance, special classes or programs for students with learning disabilities, evaluation or diagnostic testing of learning disabilities, separate or special tutorial programs for students with disabilities or waivers of essential academic courses.

Access to Academic Services

The Office of Disability Resources, in conjunction with Student Academic Success, provides reasonable accommodations, auxiliary aids and support services based upon documentation, functional limitations and a collaborative assessment of needs. Based on what they are authorized to use, specific class needs and personal preference, students then select which accommodations or auxiliary aids they will use. In some cases, the auxiliary aid provided might not match the student's preference, however, reasonable accommodations and auxiliary aids will be provided.

Because of the nature of the disability, the degree of impairment might fluctuate. Therefore, accommodation needs could vary throughout the semester. In addition, students must request academic accommodations for each semester.

General services may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Exam accommodations, including extended time, readers and/or scribes, and computers
• Adaptive equipment
• Disability counseling and advocacy
• Learning skills specialists
• AD/HD coaching
• Alternative media, such as taped textbooks, scanned text and enlarged print
• Adaptive technology training
• Access to class notes
• Sign-language interpreter
• Consultations on transitional issues
• Faculty/staff information about student disability issues
• Coordination of adaptive transportation and/or disability parking
• Accessible housing, arranged in conjunction with the Office of Student Life
• Distraction-free environment for exams
• Referral to campus tutoring services
• Campus access information
• Arrangements with the library for assistance with materials
• Other accommodations arranged on an as-needed basis

Waivers

According to the law, institutions are not required to eliminate or substantially alter standards and requirements that they can demonstrate to be legitimate, reasonable and necessary. The courses at Baker are designed to meet the criteria of being reasonable and necessary. Consideration of a waiver will be made only in an extreme situation and impeccable documentation will be needed. The coordinator of Disability Resources will assist the student in determining reasonable and necessary accommodations.

Accommodations Process

• The student contacts the Office of Disability Resources and asks for accommodations.
• The student should provide the Office of Disability Resources with recent, professional documentation of disability.
• The Office of Disability Resources and the student work together to determine accommodations. Instructors will consulted when necessary.
• The Office of Disability Resources prepares paperwork stating the approved accommodations.
• A memo from Office of Disability Resources is provided to instructors.
• Accommodations are provided.
• The student and the Office of Disability Resources evaluate the accommodations with input from instructor.