Accessibility Support
What is a Disability?
An individual with a disability is defined as someone with a physical or mental impairment which impacts one or more life activities. Disabilities are both visible and invisible. Examples include Anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, Crohn’s Disease, Cancer, Spinal Cord Injuries, Depression, Addiction, Asthma, Allergies, Auto-Immune Conditions, and Chronic Illness.
What is a Reasonable Accommodation?
A reasonable accommodation is defined as modifications of programs, policies, practices, and procedures that enable students with disabilities to have an equal opportunity to benefit from and have access to college programs and services. Reasonable accommodations aren’t special treatment or advantages, nor do they lessen rigor or expectations. Instead, they seek to remove barriers caused by one’s clinical diagnoses. For additional information on the types of accommodations offered at the University, visit Types of Accommodations at Notre Dame.
Register Here for Accessibility Support
1. Students interested in exploring accommodations need to complete complete an INITIAL ACCOMMODATION REQUEST.
2. If deemed necessary, a Sara Bea staff member will reach out to the student to schedule an accommodations intake appointment to discuss the student’s diagnoses and related barriers. Student testimony comprises a significant part of the accommodations process and, when required, a conversation must be had in order to determine reasonable accommodations. Sara Bea staff may rescind a request for an accommodations intake appointment if the student does not respond within a two week time period. If a request has been rescinded, accommodations may be re-requested by contacting the Sara Bea office or by submitting a Supplemental Request form found in AccessND.
3. If a student has not already done so, they should provide documentation substantiating their diagnosis / diagnoses, treatment history, and any relevant recommendations. Sara Bea staff reserve the right to request updated or more robust documentation at their discretion. Provision of this documentation is intended to support the student as we identify accommodations that will best suit their unique needs.
4. Neither context of a student’s conversation with a Sara Bea staff member nor information shared via medical documentation will be shared external to the Center for Student Support and Care without a student’s consent.
5. Students and Sara Bea staff will discuss reasonable accommodations and appropriate next steps.
6. Students should complete a Semester Request at the start of each semester for which they would like to utilize accommodations.
7. Students previously registered with Sara Bea Accessibility Services who wish to explore further accommodations should log into AccessND and complete a Supplemental Request. See below.
For Previously Registered Students
Students who are already registered with Sara Bea Accessibility Services can use AccessND to view, request, and renew accommodations. They can also schedule exams with the Testing Center and the Sara Bea staff through AccessND. Click on the logo to the left log in.
We have also created a Resource Library for using AccessND with both written and video instructions. If you have any questions about using the portal, contact our office at 574-631-7157.