Process for Review & Implementation of Accommodation Requests

1. Undergraduate students who wish to be considered for reasonable accommodations must self-identify to the Student Disability Access Office by submitting:

1. A completed Request for Reasonable Accommodations form
2. Full and current documentation that addresses your disability and provides recommendations as to what accommodations are appropriate. Documentation may be submitted in various ways:
   • online along with your request form;
   • emailed to sdao@duke.edu; or
   • faxed to (919) 668-3977

Confidentiality: The Student Disability Access Office is committed to protecting the confidentiality of student records in our possession. We retain student records in compliance with both state and federal law, in particular with the Family Education Right and Privacy Act (FERPA).

2.  The student’s request form and documentation is thoroughly reviewed by the SDAO staff. If additional documentation is necessary, SDAO will inform the student via email and it is the student’s responsibility to provide the requested information as soon as possible.

3.  SDAO will engage in an interactive process with the undergraduate student’s academic dean to ensure that the accommodations requested do not alter the essential learning skills or technical standards of the course or program. Sometimes SDAO must collaborate with various departments on campus like housing, dining or transportation in exploring the implementation of the accommodations.

4.  Once the above process is completed, SDAO will contact the student via email to schedule a registration appointment with a case manager.

5.  The case manager and student meet to review accommodations that have been approved and how they will be implemented, or discuss the reasons why a request may have been denied. The student is also apprised that individual circumstances may warrant modification of the accommodations agreed upon and listed on the Accommodations Agreement.

6.  If a student disagrees with eligibility and/or accommodation decisions made by the Student Disability Access Office, it is recommended that the student discuss their questions and concerns with their SDAO case manager. Please see Formal Appeal Process below.

7.  Approved accommodations are recorded on the Formal Accommodation Agreement, which is signed and dated by the student and SDAO staff.

8.  Following the registration appointment, the Academic Dean is notified that the student has completed the registration process.

9.  The student is responsible to request a Professor Accommodation Letter from their case manager each semester and must forward this letter to all of the professors in the classes in which the student wishes to receive the accommodation(s).If you receive testing accommodations, it is your responsibility to check your syllabi and learn how your testing accommodations will be implemented.

10.  The student is responsible for requesting a meeting with each professor to discuss the implementation of the approved accommodations.

11.  If questions or concerns arise regarding the implementation of accommodations, the student is responsible for contacting their case manager.

Formal Appeal Process

1. If a student disagrees with eligibility and/or accommodation decisions made by the Student Disability Access Office, it is recommended that the student discuss their questions and concerns with their SDAO case manager. 
2. After meeting with their case manager, the student may request to appeal eligibility and/or accommodation decisions. 
3. If the student is still unsatisfied with eligibility and/or accommodation decisions, the student will be directed to meet with the SDAO Director and/or the DMS Director to discuss their concerns. 
4. If after meeting with the SDAO Director and/or the DMS Director, the student disagrees with the eligibility decisions made by the Student Disability Access Office, the student has the right to file a grievance/complaint. Information regarding the filing of a grievance and/or complaint is available on the Grievances page of this website and by contacting the Office of Institutional Equity at (919) 668-6214.

1. Graduate and Professional students who wish to be considered for reasonable accommodations must self-identify to the Student Disability Access Office by submitting:

1. A completed Request for Reasonable Accommodations form
2. Full and current documentation that addresses your disability and provides recommendations as to what accommodations are appropriate. Documentation may be submitted in various ways:
   • online along with your request form;
   • emailed to sdao@duke.edu;
   • faxed to (919) 668-3977

Confidentiality: The Student Disability Access Office is committed to protecting the confidentiality of student records in our possession. We retain student records in compliance with both state and federal law, in particular with the Family Education Right and Privacy Act (FERPA).

3.  The student’s request form and documentation is thoroughly reviewed by SDAO staff. If additional documentation is necessary, SDAO will inform the student via email and it is the student’s responsibility to provide the requested information as soon as possible

4.  SDAO will engage in an interactive process with the student’s DSL/DGS to ensure that the accommodations requested do not alter the essential learning skills or technical standards of the course or program. Sometimes SDAO must collaborate with various departments on campus like housing, dining or transportation in exploring the implementation of the accommodations.

5.  Once the above process is completed, the SDAO will contact the student via email to schedule a registration appointment with a case manager.

6.  The case manager and student meet to review accommodations that have been approved and how they will be implemented, or discuss the reasons why a request may have been denied. The student is also apprised that individual circumstances may warrant modification of the accommodations agreed upon and listed on the Accommodations Agreement.

7.  If a student disagrees with eligibility and/or accommodation decisions made by the Student Disability Access Office, it is recommended that the student discuss their questions and concerns with their SDAO case manager. Please see Formal Appeal Process below.

8.  Approved accommodations are recorded on the Formal Accommodation Agreement, which is signed and dated by the student and SDAO staff. Students are also provided with the name and contact information of the DSL/DGS.
 
9.  Following the registration appointment, the DSL/DGS is notified that the student has completed the registration process.
 
10.  The student is responsible for requesting a meeting with the DSL/DGS to discuss the implementation of the approved accommodations and the process for requesting accommodations each semester.
 
11.  If questions or concerns arise regarding the implementation of accommodations, the student is responsible for contacting their case manager.

Formal Appeal Process

1. If a student disagrees with eligibility and/or accommodation decisions made by the Student Disability Access Office, it is recommended that the student discuss their questions and concerns with their SDAO case manager. 
2. After meeting with their case manager, the student may request to appeal eligibility and/or accommodation decisions.  
3. If the student is still unsatisfied with eligibility and/or accommodation decisions, the student will be directed to meet with the SDAO Director and/or the DMS Director to discuss their concerns. 
4. If after meeting with the SDAO Director and/or the DMS Director, the student disagrees with the eligibility decisions made by the Student Disability Access Office, the student has the right to file a grievance/complaint. Information regarding the filing of a grievance and/or complaint is available on the Grievances page of this website and by contacting the Office of Institutional Equity at (919) 668-6214.