Registering with the Resource Office on Disabilities is a required first step for students who wish to request a disability related accommodation or service. Students must contact the Resource Office to request registration materials, which include guidelines for documenting a disability. Once the Resource Office receives registration materials and appropriate documentation, the student must meet with the director of the Resource Office to discuss appropriate accommodation(s). A student may register and submit documentation to the Resource Office even though a specific accommodation request is not anticipated at the time of registration.

Documentation provided to the Resource Office on Disabilities is kept confidential. Information submitted directly to the Resource Office will not become part of a student's permanent record at Yale.

Students who are unsure about their eligibility for assistance from the Resource Office should schedule an appointment with the director of the Resource Office on Disabilities.

Who is eligible for the services of the Resource Office on Disabilities?

The Resource Office facilitates accommodations for undergraduate and graduate and professional school students with disabilities who register with and have appropriate documentation on file in the Resource Office. Appropriate documentation provides clear, concrete justification for each accommodation requested.

Who is a student with a disability?

Generally, a student with a disability is one who has an impairment or condition which substantially limits a major life activity such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working. An impairment substantially limits a major life activity when the individual's major life activity is restricted as to the conditions, manner, or duration under which the activity can be performed in comparison to most people. The Office offers its services to individuals who have temporary or permanent impairments.

Types of accommodations

All accommodations and services are individualized based on student needs, course requirements, and appropriate documentation. The following are examples of the types of accommodations requested most often:

• Adaptive computer technology
  
• Classroom accommodations (wheelchair accessible location, seating priority, etc.)
  
• Examination & testing modifications (extension of time, distraction-free testing location, use of a laptop or a computer, etc.)
  
• Materials in alternate formats (large print, Braille, Books on Tape, etc.)
  
• Note takers
  
• On-campus housing modifications
  
• Readers
  
• Referrals to other campus and community services
  
• Scribes
  
• Sign language interpreting
  
• Special transportation

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