In the pursuit of equal access and in compliance with state and federal laws, the University is required to provide accommodations to students with documented disabilities.
- Section 104 of C.F.R. Title 34, Education : Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by entities which receive federal financial assistance
- Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: Prohibits disability discrimination by public entities
- Section 104 of C.F.R. Title 34, Education : Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by entities which receive federal financial assistance
- Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: Prohibits disability discrimination by public entities
Board of Regents Policy 14-10 (Nondiscrimination on Basis of Disability)
UWM’s Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) provides a variety of accommodations and services for those students who are registered with the Accessibility Resource Center.
The purpose of academic accommodations is to reduce or eliminate barriers to ensure students with disabilities have equal access and opportunity to learn and participate fully in the university’s programs and services.
Faculty Notification of Accommodations
Each semester, students registered with the Accessibility Resource Center use an online accommodation management system to request accommodations for individual classes. When the student selects accommodations for their classes, the instructor(s) receive a Notification of Disability Accommodations letter from ARC that lists the student’s accommodations. Students are encouraged to meet with instructors privately to discuss their accommodation needs.
Policies and Procedures
Accommodation related policies and procedures including an appeal process for accommodation decisions, rights and responsibilities of students with disabilities, and rights and responsibilities for use of accommodations.
View Accommodation Policies and Procedures.
Academic Flexibility
Due to the impact of a chronic medical or psychological disorder, some students may need flexibility with attendance or due dates. Students who need such flexibility are often those with disorders that may worsen during the semester or require medication management, hospitalization, or other acute treatment.
The academic flexibility accommodation is intended to provide equal access to students with a disability. A reasonable accommodation preserves both the integrity of the course and the student’s access to classroom activities. Appropriate accommodations do not change the expectations for meeting the essential elements of the course.
More information for instructors and students managing attendance flexibility and due date flexibility accommodations is available on the Academic Flexibility page.
Alternate Formats
Some students are eligible to receive course materials in an alternate format as an accommodation. This accommodation is provided to ensure that students with print and other disabilities have access to course materials. An alternative format of standard print books and materials is accessible to people with print and other disabilities.
More information for instructors and students with an accommodation of alternate formats is available on the Alternate Formats page.
Assistance or Emotional Support Animals
An assistance animal provides emotional or other support that minimizes one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability. This group includes therapy animals, emotional support, or comfort animals. Unlike service animals, assistance animals are not required to be trained to perform work or tasks. Assistance animals do not qualify as service animals and are not allowed to accompany persons with disabilities in any academic or public areas of campus.
Guidelines and student expectations for assistance animals is available on the Assistance or Emotional Support Animals page.
Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology (AT) refers to a device or service that uses technology to help students overcome barriers related to a wide range of disabilities. This type of accommodation may be needed by students who have a learning, visual, hearing, mobility, or other disability that significantly affects their ability to participate in a traditional classroom setting or format. ARC may recommend specific Assistive Technologies as an accommodation to ensure that students have equal access to instruction and to all aspects of the learning environment.
More information for instructors and students with assistive technology accommodation is available on the Assistive Technology page.
Communication Access
Students who are deaf or hard of hearing may need real-time captioning or sign language interpreting services for communication access.
More information for instructors and students with real-time captioning and sign language interpreting accommodations is available on the Communication Access page.
Memory Aids
Memory aids may be an accommodation used during testing but are at the instructor’s discretion and NOT intended to fundamentally alter or reduce the essential requirements of the course. Therefore, the instructor may wish to determine what is allowed or not allowed through private conversation with student.
Read Instructor Considerations on the Memory Aids page.
Notetaking Services
Notetaking accommodations ensure that students have access to the information being presented in class in a way that helps them be most successful. Students with psychiatric impairments, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, and physical impairments may require a notetaking accommodation. Notetaking accommodations and services meet the requirements of state and federal law and UW System Policy.
More information for instructors and students with notetaking accommodations is available on the Notetaking Services page.
Service Animal
A service animal refers to any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. These tasks may include a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the person’s disability, including but not limited to:
- Assisting individuals with low vision or blindness
- Alerting individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing
- Pulling a wheelchair or stabilizing an off-balance person
- Retrieving items such as medicine, food, or a telephone
- Recognizing and assisting a person having a seizure
- Alert and support the student who may be experiencing flashbacks of emotional trauma
More information about service animals is available on the Service Animal page.
Testing
A testing accommodation is intended to ensure that students have equal access to exams and are able to demonstrate what they have learned rather than measure the impact of a disability. These conditions are not intended to alter the fundamental nature or requirements of the course. Alternative testing accommodations apply to all modes of learning (face-to-face, blended/hybrid, and online courses) and include time-restricted assessments, such as quizzes and exams. This accommodation may be needed by students who have a learning, visual, hearing, mobility, or other disability that significantly affects the ability to take exams in a traditional setting and/or format.
More information for instructors and students with testing accommodations is available on the Testing page or under Alternative Testing FAQs.