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Office of Accessibility Resources

We provide services to students with temporary health issues or permanent disabilities.

D'Youville is committed to providing equal access to all students, including those who qualify as persons with disabilities. Any student with documentation of a disability is eligible for service through the Office of Accessibility Resources. The office is located on the 3rd floor of the Montante Family Library.

Application Process

All students who disclose a disability are referred to Ashley Olsen, Assistant Director of Accessibility and Tutoring Services, who will meet with you to identify what types of accommodations you’ll receive.

After you receive notice that you've been accepted to D'Youville, you should schedule an appointment to apply for services. You'll need to meet with our office each semester to discuss your ongoing needs.

Accommodations

We offer accommodations to meet your temporary or permanent disability needs.

Testing Accommodations

Students must schedule exams 7 days in advance of the exam date to guarantee a testing spot in the OAR Testing Center. Testing spots are not guaranteed for exams that are scheduled fewer than 7 days in advance of the exam date.

All exams that  are administered on campus may be scheduled to be taken in the OAR Testing Center. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Accessibility Resources at:  disabilityservices@dyc.edu

  • Extended time to complete tests
  • Proctored exams in a special location such as the OAR Testing Center
  • A reader to read your test questions to you
  • A scribe who will write down your dictated answers
  • Oral responses to essay questions
  • A proctor to explain auxiliary vocabulary used in the test questions
  • Alternative answer sheets and scrap paper

Testing Accommodations Request Form

Class Accommodations
  • Extended deadlines to complete class assignments
  • Alternative methods to demonstrate mastery of course objectives
  • The opportunity to substitute alternative coursework for certain degree requirements
  • Provision of books on tape
  • Additional time to correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling
  • Exemption from loss of credit for misspellings
  • Use of computer to type essay exams
  • Use of a calculator
  • Possible partial credit if part of the answer is correct
  • Permission to record lectures
  • Provision of a copy of a notetaker's notes
Registration & Course Load Accommodations
  • A reduced course load
  • Priority in registration
  • Information to your advisor regarding your learning needs with respect to times, types of courses, number of courses, and course formats
Textbook Accommodations

If your documentation indicates that you are eligible to obtain textbooks in alternate format and you would like to do so, the following guidelines must be followed:

  • Requests for Alternate Format Textbooks should be made 4 weeks in advance of the start of a class.
  • If you are having difficulty obtaining a text, you should contact Ashley Olsen, Testing Coordinator, Office of Accessibility Resources.
  • Students must be enrolled in a class for which the textbook is being requested.
  • Students must present proof of purchase of textbooks or other materials that are requested before the material is ordered in alternate format by the Accessibility Resources Coordinator.
  • Download and complete an Alternate Text Required request form, or pick up a form in the Office of Accessibility Resource.
  • Students are advised to obtain membership to Recordings for The Blind and Dyslexic (RFBD) and should contact RFBD to order books in cassette or CD format if they are available. Information on RFBD is available at: https://learningally.org/. Students are responsible for membership fees for RFBD.
Non-Academic Accommodations

Non-academic accommodations are determined by the recommendations included in your documentation.

Dietary

  • Assistance with menu planning

Campus Living

  • Modified living arrangements

Student Engagement

  • Contact the Student Engagement Office at advocacy@dyc.edu or the Office of Accessibility Resources if you have any questions about accommodations and accessibility for any campus activities or events.

Required Documentation

In order to receive accommodations, we require documentation of your disability that reflects your current condition.  

Once you're admitted into D'Youville you should contact the Office of Accessibility Resources to review your needs. You'll also need to meet with the Office of Accessibility Resources at the beginning of each semester to determine what accommodations are necessary.

Required Information on Documentation

  • The presence of a disability that substantially impairs the ability of the student to perform a major life activity necessary for the academic program.
  • Recent and sufficient to document the current status of the impairment and its impact on the student's ability to perform major life activities necessary for the academic program.
  • A diagnosis, test scores and a description of the assessment procedures used.
  • The credentials of the evaluator indicating that the person is appropriately licensed or certified to make the diagnostic statement for the disability.
  • Recommendations for accommodations and academic adjustments that may be appropriate to permit the student to have access to the programs and services of the college.

Send your documentation to:

D’Youville University
Office of Accessibility Resources
320 Porter Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14201

Our Mission

The mission of the Office of Accessibility Resources is to ensure that all students, faculty, staff and visitors, receive equal access to academic programs, facilities, work environments and campus activities.

Office of Civil Rights

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the U.S. Department of Education provides information explaining the rights and responsibilities of students with disabilities who are preparing to attend postsecondary schools. This information also explains the obligations of a postsecondary school to provide academic adjustments, including auxiliary aids and services, to ensure that the school does not discriminate on the basis of disability. Read more about the Office for Civil Rights.

Admissions Standards

D’Youville does not discriminate against students with disabilities. Students with disabilities do not need to disclose their disability on any admission documents to have access to academic programs and services. Students with disabilities must meet the same admission standards as students without disabilities. SAT scores taken under special conditions are not identified to the Admissions Office.

Laws that apply to disability services

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an individual with a disability is defined as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act states that, "No otherwise qualified person in the United... shall, solely by reason of...disability, be denied the benefits of be excluded from participation in, or be subjected to the discrimination under any program or activity that either receives federal financial assistance."

Frequently Asked Questions

IF I KNOW OR SUSPECT I HAVE A DISABILITY, HOW DO I RECEIVE SERVICES?

Schedule an appointment to meet with the Assistant Director of Accessibility and Tutoring Services who will guide you through the process.

IF I SUSPECT I HAVE A DISABILITY, WHAT DO I DO?

Schedule an appointment to meet with the Assistant Director of Accessibility and Tutoring Services. They'll provide you with referrals for appropriate evaluation. The evaluator to whom you are referred will determine if you have a disability.

WHAT TYPES OF SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES?

D'Youville provides accommodations to students on a case-by-case basis based on the recommendations provided in your documentation.

REGARDING MY DISABILITY, WHAT WILL I NEED TO DO DIFFERENTLY IN COLLEGE?

In high school, it was your parents' and your school officials’ responsibility to determine your needs and to make sure you received the proper services and accommodations. In college, it becomes YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to seek out services since no one will approach you about your disability. It is up to you to contact the Coordinator of Accessibility Resources and not simply inform your instructors of your disability. Steps to take:

  1. Self-identify by informing the Assistant Director of Accessibility and Tutoring Services.
  2. Provide appropriate documentation as determined by the Assistant Director of Accessibility and Tutoring Services.
  3. Be proactive. Self-advocate. Inform the Assistant Director of Accessibility and Tutoring Services and your instructors if there is a problem with your accommodations.
HOW CONFIDENTIAL IS THE INFORMATION REGARDING MY DISABILITY?

Information regarding your disability is kept in a locked file in the Office of Accessibility Resources. No one sees this information except the Assistant Director of Accessibility and Tutoring Services. In order for anyone else to see this information, you must sign a “Release of Information” form.