Support For Students With Disabilities
Support for students with disabilities will be arranged for students who have current documentation. These students are entitled to “reasonable modifications” that will facilitate their university learning experiences. Generally, support refers to Richmond students who have a physical, sensory, learning, and/or psychological disability that substantially limits a major life activity, such as walking, communicating, seeing, hearing, or learning.
This includes students with documented:
- Learning disabilities
- Attention disorders
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Other health impairments
Because the provision of all reasonable accommodation and services is based upon assessment of the current impact of the disability on academic performance, it is in the individual’s best interest to provide recent and appropriate documentation. In most cases, this means that a diagnostic evaluation has been completed within the past three to five years. Flexibility in accepting documentation is important, particularly if the previous assessment is applicable to the current or anticipated setting.
If documentation is inadequate in scope or content, or does not address the individual’s current level of functioning and need for accommdation(s), reevaluation may be warranted. Furthermore, observed changes may have occurred in an individual’s performance, or new medication(s) may have been prescribed or discontinued since the previous assessment was conducted. In such cases, it may be necessary to update the evaluation report and reassess the student’s functional abilities with greater frequency. The update(s), conducted by a qualified professional, should include: a detailed assessment of the current impact of the disability, an integrated summary of relevant information, a rationale for ongoing services and accommodation, and previous diagnostic information.
For further information about support for students with learning disabilities, contact
Allison Cole-Stutz
Dean of Students
Email: colesta@richmond.ac.uk
