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Comprehensive Support Plans to Empower Your Success

Our Accessibility and Disability Services are designed to help you put the necessary accommodations in place to achieve your academic and personal goals. Whether you need adjustments to access your courses or specialized resources, assistance is available at Edgewood College. We work closely with you to develop a support plan tailored to your specific needs to help you fully experience college life.

Who Is Eligible for Support?

No matter what type of disability you have, you may be eligible to receive support services. That includes learning disabilities, autism, mental health concerns, intellectual disabilities, and physical health conditions.

Also, if you had an IEP or 504 plan in high school or have a recently identified disability, you are eligible for our services.

Common Accommodations

Here are some examples of the accommodations you might benefit from:

  • Testing: Extra time, alternate locations
  • Note-taking: Recording lectures, note-taking software, access to instructor notes
  • Assignments: Arranged extensions
  • Course materials: Digital format textbooks, scanning print materials, text-to-speech software
  • Flexible attendance: Adjustments for symptoms, breaks during class

Note: Accommodations cannot be a “fundamental alteration” of a course’s learning standards.

Webinar: Services Overview

Learn about the disability support services at Edgewood College and University of Wisconsin-Madison in the following two-hour webinar. Topics include the differences between K-12 and post-secondary supports and how to navigate the process to receive accommodations.

 

Prepare to Request Accommodations

If you’re seeking accommodations, you’ll need to complete some forms, including the Disability Intake Form, to begin the process. Also, both Edgewood College and the state of Wisconsin offer resources to help you request accommodations.

Accessibility and Disability Services Mission and Values

Mission

The mission of Disability and Accessibility Services at Edgewood College is to be a partner in creating an accessible college community where students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate fully in all aspects of the educational experience.

Values

  • To provide services in a respectful manner
  • To acknowledge that students have rights and responsibilities
  • To promote students’ autonomy and management of their own services
  • To promote diversity on campus
  • To recognize a student’s right to privacy and confidentiality
  • To provide information in accessible formats to enable students to make informed decisions
  • To offer services in a timely manner

Frequently Asked Questions About Disability and Accessibility Services

Eligibility for Services

Who does Disability and Accessibility Services support?

Disability and Accessibility Services serves students with documented disabilities significantly affecting major life functions. Students registered with our office have disabilities including, but not limited to: ADD/ADHD, autism, Asperger’s syndrome, traumatic brain injury, learning disabilities, deaf, hard of hearing, blind, low vision, diabetes, seizure disorders, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and chronic medical conditions.

I have a disability. Will I be eligible to use accommodations in college?

Maybe. The decision to provide accommodations is based on the specific activity and whether the disability creates any barriers to doing it. For example, a student who is paralyzed from the waist down has a disability and needs a physically accessible environment. However, this same student would not be eligible for note-taking services or books on tape because the disability doesn’t interfere with writing or reading.

How often or how long do I receive services if I’m eligible?

Our support services are available to students for as long as they are at Edgewood College and as often as they need them. Students must remember to stay in contact with Disability and Accessibility Services so that we can work together to ensure your success.

How does the law change from high school to college for individuals with disabilities?

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) governs special education services in public schools K-12. The focus of these programs is to identify an area of need and plan for annual goals that improve the student’s skills in that area. For example, a student with a low reading level due to a disability may receive extra instruction to raise their reading ability. At the college level, IDEA no longer applies and special education services for students no longer exist. The law is transitioned to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and becomes more of a civil rights concern, protecting the student from discrimination by providing reasonable accommodations as well as ensuring access to all educational programs and services for those with a qualified disability. For example, the same student may be allowed extra time to process reading tasks on tests and larger assignments, but would not have annual reading goals or be provided extra instruction to improve their reading level.

Is financial assistance available through the Disability and Accessibility Services office for students with disabilities?

No. Check with Edgewood Central to inquire about federal aid, scholarships, and other funding options. Also search the internet for “Disability Scholarships.” Some agencies that may provide support are:

Accommodations Request Process

I have a disability, do I need to register with you?

Yes, if you want a Support Plan of accommodations. As soon as you have been admitted to Edgewood College, contact Disability and Accessibility Services for an intake interview with the Advisor.

How do I receive disability services at college?

To receive services, fill out the Disability Intake Form or contact Disability and Accessibility Services to start the application process.

Is my disability documentation kept confidential?

When you consent to having your plan sent out, instructors will receive a copy that describes your accommodations but does not provide details about your disability. Students are free to share details with instructors as they see fit, and many do.

The plan does state the following: NOTICE: In providing services, Accessibility and Disability Services staff may disclose disability information provided by you with appropriate college personnel/faculty participating in your educational programming, including support services.

How recent does my disability documentation need to be?

Current professional documentation that verifies your disability will be accepted. Documentation must be recent enough to identify functional limitations and support the need for academic accommodations. Student self-reporting is more important than documentation from a health care provider, as the student can speak directly to challenges faced in learning settings.

I think I have a disability, but I have never been tested. What should I do?

Contact Disability and Accessibility Services to discuss the situation, as each is unique. Edgewood College does not provide screening for disabilities or provide evaluations, but the Advisor can explain the process for the student to get evaluated. Costs incurred for any evaluation are the student’s responsibility. Students may choose to start with their physician, who may either assess them for a disability or refer them to someone more appropriate.

Who has to pay for a new evaluation?

Neither your high school nor your post-secondary school is required to conduct or pay for a new evaluation to document your disability. You may, therefore, have to pay or find funding to pay an appropriate professional for an evaluation.

If you are eligible for services through your state vocational rehabilitation agency, you may qualify for an evaluation at no cost to you. You may locate your state vocational rehabilitation agency at rsa.ed.gov by clicking on “Info about RSA,” then “People and Offices,” and then “State Agencies/Contacts.” In Wisconsin, it is the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation for Wisconsin.

Maintaining Your Accommodations

What are my responsibilities as a student with a disability?

Your first responsibility is to self-identify. If you do not identify as a student with a disability, Disability and Accessibility Services cannot provide you with accommodations. After you have self-identified, you should provide the Advisor with documentation. Each semester you will need to request a letter be sent to the professor of each class in which you plan to use accommodations. You should respond promptly to emails requesting updates from you, including which instructors should receive a copy of your Support Plan. You are responsible for checking your plan each semester and requesting any needed changes.

How are faculty members informed of my accommodations?

To receive accommodations for the semester, students must review their Accommodation Granted letter and submit emails using the Faculty Notification Form. Disability and Accessibility Services will then email a copy of your Support Plan to your professors at the beginning of the semester. You are responsible for discussing with your professors how the accommodations will be carried out in the class. The Disability and Accessibility Services Advisor can be included in those conversations as students or professors request.

Do I need to do an intake every semester?

You do not need to do an intake every semester, but will need to inform Disability and Accessibility Services each semester which instructors your Support Plan should be provided to.

Additional Support Opportunities

Cutting Edge Inclusivity and Accessibility Program

The Cutting Edge® Program at Edgewood College delivers an inclusive and accessible college experience for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities through support in academics, housing, social interactions, and more.

Academic Tutoring

Enhance your study abilities and work toward improving your schoolwork through tutoring and study group services. We aim to empower you to become a lifelong learner, regardless of your abilities or background.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

All students of color as well as LGBTQ+, low-income, first-generation, and undocumented students are invited to take part in the academic, financial, and personal support needed to create a positive, welcoming college experience.