About Student Disability Services*

Mission: The Office of Student Disability Services is dedicated to the philosophy that all Kansas City University (KCU) students are assured equal opportunity, access and participation in the University’s courses, programs, activities, services and facilities.  Disability support services are provided for documented disabilities and can include academic and/or clinical accommodations. We aim to promote accessible learning environments and facilitate academic success through innovative services and programs in partnership with faculty, staff and students at KCU.

The Accommodation Process** 

Individually designed accommodation plans and services are determined based on the documented needs of each student in conjunction with their program requirements and are created to match the specific disability-related needs of each student with those program requirements in mind.

1. Fill out the student disability services (SDS) student accommodation request form. If you have documentation (from your treating physician, psychologist, counselor, etc.), please submit it in the portal.
2. SDS will contact you to set up a time to discuss the information provided in your intake form.
3. Meet with the SDS team member. If you do not have documentation, please provide it to SDS staff as soon as possible. Often, documentation is needed to properly assess appropriate accommodations.
4. For certain academic accommodations, determined on a case-by-case basis, there will be more interaction necessary between the SDS staff member and either your documentation source or academic department/professor.

Timeline: Students should submit required forms and engage in the interactive process at least four weeks before the start of the relevant academic term. If a disability arises after this period, students should submit their request as soon as possible. Late requests may result in delayed services or missed deadlines.

Register early to avoid delays: It is important to note that academic accommodations are NOT retroactive. This means that any work completed or turned in prior to sharing your accommodations letter with the professor/instructor will not be subject to your accommodations. For this reason, it is best to register with SDS early, even if you do not use accommodations at the beginning of the semester. If you do wish to use accommodations later in the semester, beginning the process later may take longer than you anticipate and delay any potential academic accommodations.

Documentation Guidelines

The physician verification of disability form is the preferred form of documentation. However, other documentation will be considered. All documentation turned in for accommodation consideration should be on official letterhead, dated and signed by the provider. In some cases, medical documentation or psychological assessment write-ups will substitute for letters from the provider. Letters written by providers should include the following:

1. Qualifications and credentials of the diagnosing/treating evaluator or licensed professional related to specific diagnosis or impairment
2. Diagnostic information identifying the impairment/disability including the functional impact on the student’s ability to participate in the academic and/or clinical environment
3. A description of the diagnostic methodology used (e.g., criteria, methods, procedures, clinical narrative, observation, specific results).
4. A description of current and past accommodations, services, medications, auxiliary aids, assistive devices and support services that are logically related to the student’s functional limitations.
5. Recommendations of academic accommodations to address current functional limitations in the academic and/or clinical environment.

** If you plan to request accommodations for entrance or qualifying board exams (e.g., MCAT, COMLEX, USMLE, DAT), please be aware that these exams often require more extensive documentation than what is required by KCU. Begin this process well in advance to avoid delays.

Student Responsibilities and Rights 

Responsibilities

• Notify the school: If you need accommodation(s), register with Student Disability Services.
• Provide documentation: It is the student’s responsibility to provide documentation from a qualified health care provider about their disability. Student Disability Services will be able to tell you what types of documentation are required.
• Determine requirements of your classes and possible accommodations needed.
• Request accommodations: Request accommodations as far in advance as is possible.
• Meet academic and conduct standards: Students with disabilities are held to the same academic and conduct standards as all other students. While accommodations are provided to ensure access and equity, all students must meet the essential requirements of their courses and programs.

Rights

Every qualified student with a disability has the right to:

• Equal access to educational and co-curricular programs, services, activities and facilities available through KCU.
• Reasonable and effective accommodations, academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids as determined on a case-by-case basis.
• Confidentiality regarding disability information, including the right to choose to whom the disclosure of disability is made, except as required by law or as necessary to assess and implement any accommodations.
• Receive information in reasonably accessible formats (must meet request deadlines to ensure availability).

*Information provided here is intended to summarize KCU policy. In the event of a conflict between KCU policy and information provided here, the KCU policy governs.