PACER’s fact sheet, The ADA, Section 504 & Postsecondary Education, notes that students should notify the appropriate institutional office well in advance of the necessary modification or accommodation. “The student and office will usually identify accommodations that were successful in the past,” Leuchovius says. Faculty may also refer students to disability services.

Common accommodations for college students with disabilities

1. Removing physical barriers to provide access to buildings. Obstacles or other features in the building or school environment can impede students with disabilities from gaining full access to facilities, services and programs. But colleges and universities can meet ADA accessibility requirements by removing these barriers and ensuring that all buildings, including residential facilities, are easily accessible.

That said, buildings constructed before 1977 don’t need to comply with the relevant accessibility code under Section 504—as long as the college can ensure that students with disabilities can engage in programs through other means, such as attending classes that are relocated to an accessible building, Leuchovius says.

Instant Insights /

5 most common accommodations for college students with disabilities

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