Students enrolled in post-secondary education are required to self-identify if they would like to request services on the basis of disability. The University of Oklahoma attempts to provide every opportunity for a student with a disability to self-identify. The first opportunity is at time of application. A statement on the University admissions application refers students to the Disability Resource Center to request information on services. After admission, students are provided the opportunity to request contact by DRC by responding to disability-related questions on the New Student Survey during the enrollment process. Subsequently, faculty members are encouraged to provide students the opportunity to self-identify by including a statement regarding accommodations for students with disabilities on their syllabus or verbally at the first class meeting. Prospective students and current students are always encouraged to contact DRC directly, as soon as possible, to request services or accommodations.
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Students who would like to request disability-related services or accommodations are required to schedule an appointment for an initial intake procedure with the Disability Resource Center staff. As part of the intake procedure, the DRC staff will require appropriate documentation of disability. Eligibility will be determined on the basis of the presence of a disability and a need for services and accommodations to support an equal educational opportunity. Information from the disability documentation, the student’s stated experience with services that have been effective in past academic settings and the DRC professional judgment will be drawn upon in making the eligibility determination.
The first prong of the federal definition of disability includes two elements: 1) a physical or mental impairment which 2) substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of the person in question. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, major life activities include but are not limited to walking, breathing, seeing, hearing, performing manual tasks, caring for oneself, learning and working. Therefore, disability has both medical and functional elements, and both of these elements must be explicitly documented for DRC’ purposes. Students are required to provide documentation of disability prior to the provision of services. Accommodations cannot be retroactive and begin only after documentation is received and a reasonable time for accommodation development has been allowed.
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Rights and Responsibilities of Students with Disabilities |
- Meet all University qualifications, including the essential technical, academic and institutional standards.
- Provide appropriate documentation of disability as outlined in the Guidelines of this publication.
- Contact and meet with the Disability Resource Center staff in a timely manner when seeking accommodations.
- Follow specific procedures for obtaining reasonable accommodations.
- Seek information, counsel and assistance, as necessary.
- File an appeal of any decision regarding reasonable accommodation with the University’s Office of Equal Opportunity in accordance with prevailing University discrimination grievance procedures.
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Rights and Responsibilities of OU |
- Evaluate individuals not based upon their disability, rather on their ability.
- Make available and accessible information regarding policies and procedures to individuals with disabilities.
- Provide reasonable accommodations upon request in a timely manner once appropriate documentation of disability has been received.
- Keep all records and communications confidential except where permitted or required by law.
- Provide information regarding filing an appeal or formal grievance.
- Maintain University standards.
- Select among equally effective and appropriate accommodations.
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