Disability Services

Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQs

Will my instructors automatically be notified of my accommodations every quarter?

No. Disability Services does not automatically assume that students want the same accommodations for each class. Students must log in to the Disability Portal to request accommodations each quarter.

Can you help me get into a class that is full?

No, students with disabilities have equal access to classes and as such must register the way other students do. In other words, a student who has a disability does not have priority status for entrance if the class is full.

Can you tell me which instructors to take (or avoid)?

Disability Services does not provide any kind of academic advising. All instructors at CWU are required to provide approved accommodations for students, so students with disabilities have an equal chance to be successful with any instructor.

Do I have to register my service animal with the university?

An individual with a disability who uses a service animal is not required to register the animal with university authorities prior to bringing the animal on campus. However, students are strongly encouraged to register with Disability Services so that the presence of the animal on campus is documented as part of an approved accommodation. Information about service animals can also be added to your notification letter. Students with service animals who plan to live in university housing should register with DS.

I have a disability, but am thinking about trying college without accommodations. Is this a good idea?

The decision to seek accommodations is entirely up to you. Many students have said that they wish they would have taken advantage of accommodations earlier in their college careers. Once you are approved for accommodations you can choose whether or not to request them each quarter. Accommodations are not retroactive.

Can I obtain a disability parking sticker from the DS office?

DS does not provide parking permits. The Washington State disabled parking placard, plate, decal or tab as well as a paid parking permit are necessary to park in the disability parking spaces on campus. Temporary state permits are also available.

Prospective Student FAQs

Will I get the same accommodations in college that I received in high school?

Colleges don't have to provide the same level of support and services a student might have received in high school.

A student's history of accommodations is discussed during the intake process and is considered when applying accommodations to the academic environment. Colleges are not required to provide accommodations that fundamentally alter the nature of a class or that will pose an undue administrative or financial burden on the institution. In addition, accommodations provided may not be the same at different post-secondary institutions.

Do IEPs or 504 Plans transfer to college?

No. Colleges don’t fall under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), so there are no IEPs. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 still protects students from discrimination when they get to college. However, students won’t get a 504 plan like they had in high school.

The goal of Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act is to ensure equal access for people with disabilities and protect them against discrimination.

Can a parent meet with Disability Services on behalf of their student?

When your student was in high school, parents were legally entitled to be part of the process. It’s the exact opposite when your student is in college. The law protects your student’s privacy. So if you want to talk to Disability Services staff or anyone else involved with your child’s accommodations, you’ll need permission from your student. A signed release allows the school to share information with you, but it does not authorize you to act on your student’s behalf. Parents may fill out the application on behalf of their student, but students must participate in the Access Planning Meeting.

Documentation FAQs

What is the documentation?

Documentation is information describing your disability and how it impacts you. Information from health care providers, educational assessments or other evaluations along with the information that you share during your meeting with the Access Specialist will help us understand how university courses, systems, and facilities may present access barriers for you.

We will consider any information, including but not limited to records of past accommodations and services from high school, another college, state or high-stakes testing organization; formal psychological or medical evaluations, and letters from past health, education or service providers.

Documentation should provide information about the specific functional limitations caused by the disability. Recommendations should be directly linked to the impact or functional limitations associated with the disability, or medication prescribed to control symptoms and include a clear rationale based on the level of impairment. While recommendations about specific accommodations from medical providers will be taken into consideration, Disability Services determines what accommodations are necessary to provide equal access.

Disability Services recognizes that some students may have difficulty providing disability documentation. If you have questions about getting documentation, please contact us.

What information should my documentation contain?

Documentation should provide information about the specific functional limitations caused by the disability. Any recommendations should be directly linked to the impact or functional limitations associated with the disability, or medication prescribed to control symptoms and include a clear rationale based on level of impairment.  While recommendations about specific accommodations from medical providers will be taken into consideration, Disability Services will determine what accommodations are necessary to provide equal access.

How can I submit my documentation?

If you have information or documentation, you can submit it to Disability Services by bringing it to our office in Hogue 126, faxing it to: (509) 963-2587, emailing it to ds@cwu.edu or mailing it to:

Disability Services
Hogue Hall 126
400 E University Way
Ellensburg WA, 98926-7582