For Students

Transitioning to College & Self Identification

Unlike high school, college students need to self-identify or disclose their disability to the ARC in order to receive accommodations and services. Students are responsible for obtaining and providing documentation that verifies their disability.

A "person with a disability" is someone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. A person is considered to be a person with a disability if he/she has the disability, has a record of the disability, or is regarded as having the disability.

The following list is not limited to the common disabilities an individual maybe eligible for:

• Blind and/or Visually Impaired
• Deaf and/or Hard of Hearing
• Learning Disabled/ Attention Deficit Disorder
• Mobility Impaired
• Neurologically Impaired
• Chronic health conditions
• Psychological

If you think the Accessibility Resource Center is right for you, fill out our Student Application and make your first move toward independence

Transitioning from a high school to a higher education institution

Please click on the links below for the UTM Accessibility Resource Center Forms:

• UTM ARC Dining Accommodation Form
• UTM ARC Mental Health documentation form
• UTM ARC Medical Accommodation documentation form
• UTM ARC Modified Attendance documentation form
• UTM ARC Temporary Accommodation Guide
• UTM ARC Temporary Disability Accommodation Form
• UTM ARC Release of Information Consent

Documentation Guidelines

Documentation should be on a letterhead, typed and dated in the form of a letter, report, psychological evaluation, or a high school IEP/504 plan. Reports may include the information as listed below. The professional documenting the disability must be identified by name, title, and professional credentials; license or certification; area of specialty; and the state/province in which the professional practices.

The American with Disabilities Act, (Public Law 101-336, 1990) defines a disability as a physical or psychological impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, (i.e., learning, walking, talking, seeing, hearing, taking care of one’s self). The provision of reasonable accommodations is based on an assessment of the current impact of the student’s disability. As the manifestations of a disability may vary over time and in different settings, in most cases evaluations should have been conducted within the past year (i.e., low vision or neuromuscular conditions are often subject to change and should be updated for current functioning). Documentation should validate the need for services based on the individual’s current level of functioning in the educational setting.

Documentation should be current (generally within three (3) years) and include a combination of the following:

• Diagnosis of the disability
• Degree of current functioning loss
• Limitations of the disability and its effect on the student’s ability to learn
• A recommendation for the types of accommodations needed
• If medications are taken, these should be clearly stated, as well as any potential side effects the medications may cause.

Guidelines for Documenting Disability by Category

In order to provide services to students with disabilities, the University is asking for voluntary self-identification of students with a specific disability. This information will be kept confidential and will be used for the purpose of aiding you, the student, to achieve your fullest potential while enrolled in postsecondary education.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD or Attention Deficit Disorder [ADD])

Documentation should be in the form of a formal letter or medical report. The diagnostic report should include the following components:

• Summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to determine the diagnosis. A summary from a physician who has been treating the student for ADHD/ADD is also acceptable.
• History of symptoms
• Severity of the disorder
• Information regarding medications prescribed and possible side effects that may impact the student’s academic performance
• Information describing current functional limitations or barriers within the academic environment and other settings (How does ADHD/ADD affect the student’s ability to learn?)
• Recommendations for reasonable accommodations that will help the student succeed within an academic setting

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Documentation should be in the form of an evaluation, formal letter, or medical report. The diagnostic report should include the following components:

• Summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to determine the diagnosis. A summary from a physician who has been treating the student is also acceptable.
• History of symptoms
• Severity of the disorder
• Information regarding medications prescribed and possible side effects that may impact the student’s academic performance
• Information describing current functional limitations or barriers within the academic environment and other settings (How does the Asperger’s or Autism Spectrum affect the student’s ability to learn?)
• Recommendations for reasonable accommodations that will help the student succeed within an academic setting

Blind or Low Vision

Documentation should be in the form of an evaluation or medical letter from an ophthalmologist or optometrist. The diagnostic report should include the following components:

• Letter or documentation from an agency specializing in working with and assisting individuals who are blind or have low vision (Division of Blind Services)
• History and severity of symptoms
• Information regarding functional limitations or barriers connected to the student’s vision loss within the academic setting (How does vision loss or blindness impair the student’s ability to learn?)
• If relevant, a description of the expected progression or stability of the impact of the condition over time
• An ocular assessment or evaluation from an ophthalmologist or low-vision evaluation of residual visual function that, where appropriate, should assess the student’s visual loss both with and without the use of mitigating measures, such as the use of eyeglasses or other sensory devices
• Recommendations for reasonable accommodations that will help the student succeed within an academic setting
• Visual impairment is defined by the State of Florida as disorders in the structure and function of the eye as manifested by at least one of the following: visual acuity of 20/70 or less in the better eye after the best possible correction, a peripheral field so constricted that it affects one’s ability to function in an educational setting, or a progressive loss of vision which may affect one’s ability to function in an educational setting. Examples include, but are not limited to, cataracts, glaucoma, nystagmus, retinal detachment, retinitis pigmentosa, and strabismus.

 Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Documentation should be in the form of an evaluation or audiology report. The diagnostic report should include the following components:

• Letter or report from an audiologist or otolaryngologist
• History and severity of symptoms
• Severity of the disorder
• Information regarding medications prescribed and possible side effects that may impact the student’s academic performance
• Information describing current functional limitations or barriers within the academic environment and other settings (How does the deafness or hard of hearing affect the student’s ability to learn?)
• An audiological evaluation and/or audiogram which should assess the student’s hearing loss (dB levels) both with and without the use of mitigating measures, such as the use of hearing aids
• Recommendations for reasonable accommodations that will help the student succeed within an academic setting (sign language interpreter, real-time captioning, note-takers, etc.)
• A hearing impairment is defined by the state of Florida as a loss of thirty (30) decibels or greater, pure tone average of 500, 1000, and 4000 (Hz), unaided, in the better ear. Examples include, but are not limited to, conductive hearing impairment or deafness, sensorineural hearing impairment or deafness, high or low tone hearing loss or deafness, and acoustic trauma hearing loss or deafness.

Orthopedic Impairment

Documentation should be in the form of a formal letter or medical report. The diagnostic report should include the following components:

• Letter from a physician qualified to diagnose and treat the condition
• Identification of the specific orthopedic condition preferred
• History of presenting symptoms
• Duration and severity of the impairment
• Information about side effects of medication currently prescribed
• Information describing current functional limitations or barriers within the academic environment and other settings (How does the disability impair the student from learning?)
• Recommendations for reasonable accommodations that will help the student succeed within an academic setting

 Other Health Disabilities

Documentation should be in the form of a formal letter or medical report. The diagnostic report should include the following components:

• Letter from a physician qualified to diagnose and treat the condition
• Identification of the specific medical condition preferred
• History and severity of the condition
• Information regarding medications prescribed and possible side effects that may impact the student’s academic performance
• Information describing current functional limitations or barriers within the academic environment and other settings (How does the disability impair the student from learning?)
• Recommendations for reasonable accommodations that will help the student succeed within an academic setting

Psychological/Emotional/Behavioral Disability

Documentation should be in the form of a formal letter or medical report. The diagnostic report should include the following components:

• Letter from a physician, psychologist, psychiatrist, licensed social worker, or licensed mental health counselor qualified to diagnose and treat the condition
• History of symptoms
• Duration and severity of the disorder
• Identification of a specific psychological, emotional, or behavioral disability preferred
• Information regarding medications prescribed and possible side effects that may impact the student’s academic performance
• Information describing current functional limitations or barriers within the academic environment and other settings (How does the disability impair the student from learning?)
• Recommendations for reasonable accommodations that will help the student succeed within an academic setting

Specific Learning Disability

Documentation should be in the form of a psychological evaluation. The diagnostic report should include the following components:

• Psycho-educational evaluation or neuro-psychological evaluation
• A specific diagnosis preferred
• History of symptoms
• Duration and severity of symptoms
• Evaluations based on adult norms preferred
• IQ evaluation narrative, scores, and sub-test scores are helpful in determining reasonable accommodations.
• Information regarding medications prescribed and possible side effects that may impact the student’s academic performance
• Information describing current functional limitations or barriers within the academic environment and other settings (How does the disability impair the student from learning?)
• Recommendations for reasonable accommodations that will help the student succeed within an academic setting

Specific Learning Disability Definition

A disorder in one or more of the basic psychological or neurological processes involved in understanding or in using spoken or written language. Disorders may be manifested in listening, thinking, reading, writing, spelling, or performing arithmetic calculations. Examples include dyslexia, dysgraphia, dysphasia, dyscalculia, and other specific learning disabilities in the basic psychological or neurological processes. Such disorders do not include learning problems, which are due primarily to visual, hearing, physical, or intellectual disability, to emotional disturbance, or to an environmental deprivation.

Assessment

The neuropsychological or psycho-educational evaluation for the diagnosis of a specific learning disability must provide clear and specific evidence that a learning disability does or does not exist. The assessment and any resulting diagnosis should consist of and be based on a comprehensive assessment battery, which does not rely on any one test or subtest. Evidence of a substantial limitation to learning or other major life activity must be provided.

Tests for Assessing Adolescents and Adults

When selecting a battery of tests, it is critical to consider the technical adequacy of instruments including their reliability, validity, and standardization on an appropriate norm group. The following list states the recommended tests for screening specific learning disabilities:

Aptitude

• Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – IV (WAIS-IV)
• Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (5^thedition)

Academic Achievement

• Woodcock-Johnson Test of Achievement – Third Edition
• Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT) or specific achievement tests, such as Nelson-Denny Reading Skills Test
• Stanford Diagnostics Mathematics Test
• Test of Written Language (TOWL 4)
• Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests – Third Edition

Information Processing

• Woodcock-Johnson Test of Cognitive Abilities – Third Edition

IQ Evaluation

• Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV)
• Reynolds (RAIS)

Other Documentation Accepted

An IEP (Individualized Education Plan) will be accepted for basic accommodations (i.e., extended time on tests and in-class assignments and use of a tape recorder). The IEP must have a diagnosis and signature page.

Speech and Language Impairment

Documentation should be in the form of an evaluation or formal letter from a speech pathologist. The diagnostic report should include the following components:

• Letter from a physician or practitioner qualified to diagnose and treat the disorder
• History of symptoms
• Duration and severity of impairment
• Information describing current functional limitations or barriers within the academic environment and other settings (How does the disability impair the student from learning?)
• Recommendations for reasonable accommodations that will help the student succeed within an academic setting

Traumatic Brain Injury

Documentation should be in the form of an evaluation, formal letter, or medical report. The diagnostic report should include the following components:

• Psycho-educational evaluation; neuro-psychological evaluation; cognitive- processing narrative, scores, and sub-test scores; and IQ evaluation narrative, scores, and sub-test scores are helpful when determining reasonable accommodations.
• History of presenting symptoms
• Relevant medical and medication history
• Duration and severity of injury
• Information regarding medications prescribed and possible side effects that may impact the student’s academic performance
• Information describing current functional limitations or barriers within the academic environment and other settings (How does the disability impair the student from learning?)
• Recommendations for reasonable accommodations that will help the student succeed within an academic setting

AIM Portal

AIM Management System

As our team is here to assist our students with reasonable accommodations, our AIM Management System helps ease our registration process for new students and better the overall experience for our current students and their faculty and staff. AIM is an online accommodation management portal that facilitates interaction with the ARC, faculty, staff and students. Students will independently coordinate their accommodations. The system protects confidential information about the students and allows for streamlined communication between students, faculty and staff.

About AIM

Accessible Information Management (AIM) is a web-based tool for Wright State students registered with the Accessibility Resource Center. AIM currently provides students the following services:

• Request ARC services each semester
• Electronically e-mail accommodation letters to your professors
• Schedule any exams or quizzes that you want to complete in the ARC Exam Hub

Why do I need to use AIM?

You must request accommodations each semester through AIM in order to ensure the most effective implementation of your accommodations.

Please make sure to request your accommodations in a timely manner, as some accommodations require advanced preparation and planning.

Professors are not obligated to provide you with classroom accommodations if you have not provided your official ARC accommodation letter.

Unless requested by the student registered with ARC, faculty members receive no notification of your registration status at ARC or your accommodations.

Accommodation letters can be requested and e-mailed to you and to your professors upon your request through AIM.

Faculty cannot request verification of accommodations directly from ARC.
Every semester, students must complete the following in AIM:

Request Accommodations

• Acknowledge ARC policies
• Send Accommodation Letters to Faculty
• Schedule ALL Tests/Exams/etc.
• Tips for Requesting Accommodations

ARC recommends that you contact your professors before the start of (or at the beginning of) each semester to discuss your accommodation needs for each class.
Familiarize yourself with each course's syllabus and requirements; proactively address any questions or concerns you may have regarding the provision of your accommodations.
Please remember that you do not need to identify the nature of your disability to your professors; however, many students have found it helpful to discuss their specific learning styles with their professors.

You must schedule EVERY test/quiz/exam you wish to take in ARC via AIM. Requesting accommodations or letters via AIM does NOT schedule your exams in Test Proctoring.

New Students to Receive Accommodations

Before you are able to access an AIM Management System profile, you must complete the registration process and attend the required orientation meeting.

To access the AIM student portal, please click on this link: AIM Student portal. For help, please contact the ARC office.

• Accommodations should be requested by the student every semester if the student wishes to receive them from instructors.
• If students wish to modify their accommodations in any way, they may schedule an appointment with the staff of the Accessibility Resource Center to discuss their accommodation plan. Additional documentation may be requested of the student to support the requested modifications.
• Faculty/staff are responsible for providing accommodations only from the time they receive notice of the disability via the letter from Accessibility Resource Center. Students who self-identify with Accessibility Resource Center and/or request letters late in the semester are not eligible for retroactive accommodations.

Log into AIM and send course access letters to your instructors every semester. Upon request, letters will be sent to your instructors via email, and you will receive a copy to your email.

If you have printed materials in PDF or Word format (Alternative Format):

• At least 6 weeks before classes start, get a complete course material list from your instructor. You will then log into your AIM portal and begin the request and upload receipts.
• Generally, E-books and Inclusive Access books are already in the needed format, but contact disabiltyservices@utm.edu if you have questions or concerns.
• You will receive an email with instructions for accessing your materials as they are ready.

If you have sign language interpreting or transcribing:

• Log into AIM at least 30 days before the start of the semester, as feasible, to allow ARC time to locate a service provider.
• Email disabiltyservices@utm.edu with any changes to your schedule (location, time, dropped or added class) or if you do not need a service provider.
• Email disabiltyservices@utm.edu and request an interpreter for additional events (meeting with a professor/final exams) in the Student Portal by choosing Communication Access and completing a Custom Request (48 hours advance notice for events shorter than 3 hours or preferably two weeks’ notice for events longer than 3 hours).
• Discuss all concerns related to a service provider with the Coordinator for Interpreting & Speech-to- Text Services.

If you have testing accommodations:

• Testing accommodations apply to quizzes, tests, midterms and final exams (QTF).
  • Contact your instructors to verify they received your course access letter and to discuss the logistics of your testing accommodations. Students are generally expected to take their accommodated exams on the same date and time as the class.
  • Discuss alternative testing times with your instructor if, due to accommodations, there may be times where you will encounter a conflict with other classes or with the Accessibility Resource Center hours of operation. They will work with you to identify an alternate time.
• Online tests generally do not need to be taken in the ARC Testing Center, since most accommodations can be provided online.
• Please contact your ARC Coordinator if you have any questions or concerns.
• Instructors may provide accommodations themselves, but they will typically expect you to take your QTFs in the ARC Testing Center.
• Submit exam requests in the Student Portal, AIM portal, accordingly.
• ARC will notify you via email when an exam request is approved.

Please download this document for your reference – Accommodation Request Guide

• In order to schedule an accommodated test, fill out the online alternative testing request located in the Student AIM portal.
• Accessibility Resource Center will work directly with the professor to obtain and proctor the test.
• Upon receiving a request for alternate testing accommodations, the Accessibility Resource Center will review and approve, deny, or request more information.
• Five (5) business days’ notice for regular exams/quizzes and 10 business days’ notice for final exams is required.
• The notice is necessary for seat assignment in the testing room and to allows ARC time to communicate with the professor and coordinate exam details, test times, and instructions.
• Late requests may result in forfeiture of the accommodation for that exam. If the student does not wish to take the exam in the testing room at ARC, but still wishes to receive alternate testing accommodations (extended time or distraction-reduced environment), then they must discuss this with the professor in advance of the test so that arrangements can be made (i.e. tests through Canvas or professor proctored testing, etc).

As with other accommodation types, ARC notifies professors of a student’s testing accommodations by emailing them their “Faculty Notification Letter” via e-mail after the student logs in to their AIM portal and submits their accommodation requests each new semester.

These letters constitute a three-way agreement between ARC, the student, and the instructor, all of whom share some degree of responsibility for making sure that accommodations are met reasonably.

Discuss alternative testing times with your instructor if, due to accommodations, there may be times where you will encounter a conflict with other classes or with the ARC hours of operation. We will work with you to identify an alternate testing time.

In order to schedule an accommodated test be taken in ARC, students can submit an alternative testing request by logging in to the AIM portal. For detailed steps on how to log in and submit this request, see the AIM for Students PowerPoint slides available for download in our Student Resources section.

The student is responsible for submitting each exam request in AIM. ARC will notify you via email when an exam request is approved.

Upon receiving a request for alternate testing request, ARC will review and either approve, deny, or request more information. Five (5) business days’ notice for regular exams/quizzes and 10 business days' notice for final exams is required. This is necessary for seat assignment in the testing room and allows ARC time to communicate with the professor and coordinate exam details, test times, and instructions. We encourage all students to use their syllabi at the beginning of the semester to submit as many test requests up front as possible so they will not be marked “late” in AIM. AIM will track how many late requests a student has made, and when they accumulate 3, ARC staff requests a meeting with the student.

The majority of tests taken with accommodations require proctoring within the Accessibility Resource Center testing space. Some tests, due to the nature or format of the course, don’t travel well outside of the department (for example, laboratory exams with special equipment, foreign language exams with listening components, live performances, etc). In these cases, instructors can make individual arrangements with the student.

Online tests generally do not need to be taken in the ARC Testing Center, since most accommodations can be provided online.

Typically, tests being taken with our office are to begin at the regularly scheduled class time. Any changes to the schedule (i.e. requests to take exam earlier or later than the regular time, at a later or earlier date, etc.) must be arranged with the professor. We require the professor’s written consent before any changes can be made. Professors may consider late arrival for a test an integrity violation, and refuse to grade the test.

The testing space is video monitored by Accessibility Resource Center staff, and cellphones are not allowed. Any suspicions of misconduct or academic integrity violations will be reported immediately to the course instructor.