Documentation

Documentation Guidelines

Salem State is committed to providing appropriate services and accommodations that allow self-identified students with disabilities to access all programs and activities at the university as stated in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Disability Services provides academic support to students with all types of disabilities, including, but not limited to:

• ADHD
• Blind/Visual Impairment
• Deaf/Hard of Hearing
• Head Injury 
• Learning Disabilities
• Physical Disabilities
• Psychiatric/Psychological Disabilities

In order for disability services to determine accommodation needs, the student must meet with a disability services counselor and request specific services and accommodations. During this meeting, documentation, academic accommodations, and student responsibilities will be discussed. Final decisions regarding academic accommodations will be made with you and your disability services counselor.

Intake Meeting

During your intake meeting, you will complete the intake data form and your documentation will be reviewed.

• Disability services will verify your eligibility and discuss what types of services and/or reasonable accommodations you may need at this time. 
• Additional documentation may be requested to complete your file, or to answer questions or inconsistencies regarding your current status and the requested accommodations.
• Accommodations are determined on an individual basis.
• You are responsible to fill out an "accommodation request form" with disability services for each semester in which services are being requested.

Faculty Notification

We will also discuss "confidential accommodation approval letters," signed by you and the disability services counselor. It is your responsibility as the student to share these letters with your professors, which verify that you have registered, and have appropriate documentation on file with disability services.

• Confidential accommodation approval letters inform your instructors of your accommodations. 
• Students are responsible for meeting with their professors to discuss the letter's contents. 
• You will be given a form that must be signed by each affected professor, and you must return it to disability services.