Purpose of Student Disability Services
  • Assist in the development of reasonable accommodations for students
  • Provide services and accommodations to students with disabilities
  • Work closely with faculty and staff in an advisory capacity
  • Provide equal access for individuals with disabilities

Qualified Individual

  • Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity
  • Has approved accommodations issued by Student Disability Services after a complete review of appropriate documentation by a qualified professional
  • Is otherwise qualified to attend UT

Confidentiality

  • Disability documentation and the nature of the disability is confidential between the coordinator and the student, unless the student chooses to reveal it
  • Any explicit or implicit inference to a particular student and the disability is inappropriate

Eligibility Verification

  • Determined on an individual basis based on discussion between the student and the associate director of Academic Excellence Programs
  • Documentation requirements are based upon the best practices and guidelines of the national organizations AHEAD (www.ahead.org) and ETS (www.ets.org)
  • Self-disclosure by student to Student Disability Services
  • Verification by another institution does not necessarily guarantee eligibility for services at UT
  • IEPs alone are NOT sufficient documentation
  • Documentation must be received in a timely manner to allow for thorough review of documentation and establishment of services

Access to Academic Services

  • Reasonable accommodations will be made based on an individual’s disability
  • Requests that will fundamentally alter the integrity or standards of a course or major will not be honored
  • Accommodations are made to allow equal access to opportunities given to all students; however, success cannot be guaranteed

Student Responsibilities

  • Identify themselves to Student Disability Services
  • Provide appropriate documentation and request accommodations in a timely manner
  • Meet with the associate director to obtain letters of accommodation
  • Assume personal academic responsibility by meeting with faculty and staff and requesting help when needed
  • Inform Student Disability Services in a timely manner should any problem with accommodations arise

Student Disability Services Responsibilities

  • Work with the student, staff and faculty to provide reasonable and appropriate accommodations to allow equal access for students with disabilities
  • Provide students with a central location to resolve disability issues
  • Provide assistance with academic skills, such as organization, time management and study skills
  • Serve in an advisory capacity for students with disabilities
  • Maintain strict student confidentiality

Examples of Academic Accommodations Provided

  • Extended time on tests
  • Distraction-reduced test environment
  • Note taker in class  
  • Use of a computer for note taking, written assignments and tests
  • Access to the instructor's lecture notes
  • Permission to audio record class lecture
  • Special seating in the classroom
  • Adaptive equipment/assistive technology
  • Test Scribe and/or Test Reader
  • Enlarged print
Contact Information

Academic Excellence Programs
Student Disability Services
Academic Success Center, North Walker Hall 
(813) 257-5757 or (813) 257-3266
disability.services@ut.edu


Website: Student Disability Services