Letters of Accessibility are accommodation letters generated by Disability Services at Olin (DSO) which address a student’s need for reasonable accommodations in the classroom. To request a Letter of Accessibility, students must fill in DSO’s registration form and request an appointment to begin the interactive process for receiving accommodations. These letters are updated each semester and the student must provide explicit permission for DSO to release their letter to faculty.
The Interactive Process
The student is an expert on their own experience. Thus, disability accommodations are done in partnership and collaboration, with an eye to student agency in identifying and understanding the barriers to access they experience. This collaboration to discuss a student’s accommodations is what DSO recognizes as “the interactive process.”
In the initial meeting with DSO, students can expect to get to know the DSO team and philosophy, as well as how DSO can support the student’s needs inside and outside of the classroom at Olin. Together, DSO and the student discuss the student’s experience with their disability, what (if any) accommodations they have had in the past, and how accommodations can functionally remove barriers to accessing their Olin education equitably.
Types of Accommodations
Students who visit DSO come with a wide range of familiarity with what accommodations support their disability or diagnosis. DSO is ready to help students develop this part of their identity by advocating for their needs and rights as someone with a disability. Students who engage in the interactive process with DSO should feel empowered to share their experiences with DSO, so that together DSO and the student can determine reasonable and effective accommodations.
Because we take the interactive, case-by-case process very seriously, and do not believe that there is a one-size-fits-all approach to accommodations, the list below reflects some broader options that exist, but may or may not pertain to the kind of accommodation a student needs. Generally, any accommodation needs to have a direct connection to the student’s disability and some of the interactive process is figuring out how one’s disability presents specific educational barriers and what will be an appropriate accommodation for that situation.
Assistive Technology
Assistive technology, or AT, includes hardware and software that can assist students with a variety of disabilities in completing academic tasks. Some AT is specially designed to accommodate students with certain types of disabilities. Other AT is designed to be used by anyone but is particularly helpful for students with disabilities. Accommodations in this category include AT evaluation and training, permission to use specific types of AT during class or exams, and loan of limited types of AT equipment to students. While assistive technology varies widely in the types of tools and supports it offers to students, the most common AT tools include text to speech, dictation, and notetaking tools such as smart pens.
Classroom/Coursework Access
Designed to afford the student equal access to the classroom and its coursework, classroom/coursework access accommodations tend to be unique to each student, but common accommodations in this category include preferred seating, alterations to the classroom environment, and modifications to the way work is performed in class to accommodate physical or sensory impairments.
Flexibility Accommodations
Students are expected to attend class and meet deadlines for assignments and projects, as detailed in the Handbook and Catalog. However, if a student has a documented disability with random or episodic acute episodes that may occasionally impact their ability to attend class, complete exams or assignments at the scheduled time, limited Flexibility in Attendance/Assignment dates may be considered an appropriate accommodation. The number of allowable absences and availability of assignment extensions depends on the design and learning objectives of the course. Accommodations may not alter the essential, core components of a course or fundamentally change its delivery, learning outcomes, or requirements.
Breaks and Leaving the Classroom
Students are allowed to walk, stretch, use the restroom, stand up, bring a snack to class, etc., during class and this is typically not disruptive to class time. However, students with disabilities that involve the need to regulate from being overstimulated may feel the need to leave the classroom at times. Students may request this type of accommodation to be in their letter of accessibility which will let the faculty member know that they do not need assistance and will return to class when they are ready to rejoin.
Extended Time on Exams and Assessments
Extended time on exams and timed assessments is an accommodation DSO can offer, however, students may find it is not an accommodation that is frequently activated at Olin. This is because of the nature of the Olin curriculum as a project-based and hands-on learning environment. This does not mean that assessments do not exist at Olin, though, and DSO may often advise students who have had this accommodation previously to leave space for it on their accommodation letters as record. That way, if a student decides to cross-register at any of the BOW consortium schools, they can activate this accommodation as-needed. With extended time accommodations, DSO often needs documentation that will guide us on how much extended time is appropriate for the given person with a disability (example: time and a half, 100% extended time, etc). DSO cannot determine the amount of extended time based on a disability as we are not diagnosticians; this needs to be explained using documentation.
Alternate Format for Textbooks or Course Materials
This accommodation is designed to provide the student an alternate format for their course materials. Typically, Olin Faculty use the learning management system, Canvas, to share electronic course materials with students. When DSO becomes aware of a resource that is not accessible for a student with a disability, DSO works collaboratively with the faculty member to find an alternative format that is suitable for the student’s needs. Students are encouraged to connect with their faculty member to see if they might already have an alternate resource for them to use, should this accommodation need to be activated.
More resources about more accessible course experiences are available through the OAT hub.
Housing and Dining Accommodations
Olin works closely with relevant key campus stakeholders in order to accommodate students outside of the classroom as well as inside of the classroom. When a student needs housing or dining accommodations, they should contact DSO at disability.services@olin.edu and request an appointment to speak with someone about their specific housing or dining accommodations. Please remember that supportive medical documentation is required with all accommodations whether it be for academic, housing, or dining accommodations.
Please know that if you suspect a need for a housing or dining accommodation, please contact DSO as soon as possible. These kinds of accommodations can be quite sensitive and the burden on the student to engage the interactive process is much higher when things are at a crisis point. We want to avoid this as much as possible, so we strongly encourage students to reach out proactively if they have questions.
Some examples of housing or dining accommodations requests include:
- Single occupancy dorm room with private bathroom
- Single occupancy room with shared bathroom (also known as a single room within a suite)
- Accessible room features
- Room with ample access to elevator, or a room on the ground floor
- Some examples of dining accommodation requests include:
- Accommodations related to documented food allergies and sensitivities
- To-go “ozzy boxes,” to package food to-go