Requesting Accommodations

Request accommodations early.

The Accommodations Resource Center will accept and will consider requests for reasonable accommodations at any time. However, we encourage you to register with the Accommodations Resource Center as early as possible, as eligibility must be established before services may be provided and accommodations are not retroactive.

For academic accommodations and services requiring considerable advance planning and preparation, such as alternatives to print materials, ASL interpreting, or CART services, it is strongly recommended that requests and any required documentation be submitted at least six (6) weeks before the start of the class. The Accommodations Resource Center will make every effort to meet belated requests, but immediate access is not guaranteed.

Below is a general description of the registration process. Your experience may vary depending on the nature of your request.

Step 1: Disclose to the Accommodations Resource Center that you are an individual with a disability.

An “individual with a disability” is a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This does not mean you must receive Social Security Disability or have a certain VA disability rating to be considered. A disability is any physical or mental illness/condition that substantially limits your functioning in your day-to-day activities.

The University is not required to identify individuals with a disability. In higher education, the responsibility falls on you to self-disclose your disability to our office in order to receive accommodations.

You are not required to contact the Accommodations Resource Center if you have a disability. However, if any academic, housing, or other adjustments are wanted, you must disclose your disability to our office.

Complete an Accommodation Request to disclose your disability and begin the registration process.

Step 2: Provide the required documentation verifying the disability and its limitations to your functioning.

You will also need to provide verifying documentation of your disability. Documentation is also often medical, such as medical records or a letter from your doctor verifying the diagnosis, symptoms, etc. We can review IEP or 504 Plans to see if it includes the information we need. You can also send documentation you used at a previous college for review.

You are responsible for the cost of any testing or examination that may be needed to evaluate your disability status and provide documentation.

Accommodations you received in K-12 or at another college are not transferrable to Bellevue University. Our office will do an independent review of the documentation and your self-report to determine accommodations appropriate for higher education and your courses at Bellevue University.

You can submit your documentation with your Accommodation Request. Guidelines for the documentation as well as submission instructions can be found on the Accommodation Request form.

Step 3: Review the accommodations proposed by our office.

A draft of the accommodation notification letter will be sent to you for approval. This draft is an example of what will be sent to your professors and lists the proposed accommodations. This provides you an opportunity to ask questions or express any concerns you have about the proposed accommodations. Once you give your approval, your professors will be notified of your approved accommodations. You will receive copies of these notifications for your records.