Procedures for Students with Disabilities

Eligibility for Services

To be eligible for services and/or accommodations in an academic or residential setting, students with disabilities must identify themselves and present professional documentation to the Office of Accessibility Services. This documentation must be recent, relevant, describing the nature of the disability and providing recommendations for accommodations appropriate to the disability. If the documentation is incomplete or outdated, the college has the right to require the student obtain adequate documentation. The student bears the responsibility for any expense that may be incurred in the process.

It is the responsibility of the student who requests accommodations to provide the following:

1. Documentation prepared by a professional qualified to diagnose disabilities, including, but not limited to those appropriately certified or licensed as physician, educational diagnostician, learning disability specialist, or psychologist/psychiatrist in accordance with NYIT's requirements.
2. Documentation, including the testing procedures followed, the instruments used to assess the disability, the test results, and interpretation of the results.
3. Documentation specifying recommended accommodations.
4. Students with certain disabilities may be required to provide additional testing or appropriate documentation of the disability as determined by the Eligibility Committee.

All information submitted concerning the disability is confidential and will be released to instructors or others only with written consent of a student.

An individualized educational plan (IEP) or 504 plan does not constitute sufficient documentation unless it includes the report of the comprehensive assessment battery as stated above. However, useful information for planning appropriate accommodations is often provided in the IEP; thus, it can be considered as one component of the documentation.

Once the documentation is received, recommendations for accommodations both academic and residential, adaptive devices, and support services will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Procedures for Obtaining Accommodations

• Students with disabilities requesting accommodations must meet individually with the Assistant Director of Accessibility Services.
• Students must provide the appropriate documentation of the disability (as outlined above). The documentation will be maintained in a confidential file and information will only be released with the written consent of the student.
• Arrangements for accommodations are made on an individual basis and are designed to equalize access to educational opportunities. Students must meet individually every semester with the Assistant Director of Accessibility Services to request accommodations.
• The Assistant Director of Accessibility Services will provide the student with the official notification forms, listing the accommodations. The OAS will send a letter of accommodation to each professor that the student is currently taking a class with, detailing the student's accommodations.
• The Office of Accessibility Services will arrange for the implementation of the services/accommodations (e.g., note takers, residential accommodations, special testing arrangements, assistive devices) in conjunction with the professors involved. Once services are in place it is the student's responsibilities to inform the Office of Accessibility Services of his/her needs in a timely manner. (See Rights and Responsibilities)
• Students are encouraged to promptly communicate with the Office of Accessibility Services about any difficulties encountered with the implementation of accommodations both academic and residential.
• The student, the Office of Accessibility Services, and the field placement/internship site will arrange accommodations at field placements and internships for credit bearing courses.

Procedures for Obtaining Exam Accommodations

Students wishing to utilize the Office of Accessibility Services for their exam accommodations must comply with the following testing policies and procedures:

1. Students must complete necessary paperwork at the beginning of each semester so that their professors become aware of the accommodations they are legally entitled to receive. This paperwork must be signed by OAS staff, student, and professor and returned to the OAS in order to receive accommodations.
2. Exams must be scheduled with the OAS at least five days in advance.
3. Students are responsible for providing their professors with the Exam AccommodationsForm and for reminding professors of the accommodations they are entitled to for each and every exam.
4. Students must arrive at OAS on time. Exams are timed and monitored at ODS. As in a typical classroom setting, your exam time will begin at the time your test is scheduled for. Arriving late will result in the loss of exam time.
5. Students will be monitored by a proctor while taking exams. Cell phones are not allowed in the testing room. Academic integrity is a priority and students must uphold the standards of academic integrity while utilizing OAS services.

Formal Grievance Procedure

New York Institute of Technology has adopted internal procedures to provide prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and/or their implementing regulations. Such laws prohibit discrimination in education on the basis of a disability.

View the Formal Grievance Procedure.