The Americans with Disabilities Act as Amended and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability and require the University to make reasonable accommodations for those otherwise qualified individuals with a disability who request accommodations. A reasonable accommodation is a modification or adjustment that allows an individual to gain equal access and have equal opportunity to participate in the University’s courses, services, activities, and use of the facilities. The University is not obligated to provide an accommodation that requires a substantial change in the curriculum or alteration of any essential elements or functions of a program.
The University of Pittsburgh has designated Disability Resources and Services (DRS) as the authorized department to determine eligibility for reasonable accommodations on the basis of disability. Students requesting accommodations must do so by registering with DRS in a timely manner. Students shall also be required to provide documentation of their disability that 1) meets the University of Pittsburgh’s established guidelines for documentation of a disability, and 2) demonstrates or documents how their disability functionally impacts their participation in courses, programs, jobs, activities and/or the use of facilities at the University. Accommodations are determined individually and are intended to eliminate institutional barriers for qualified individuals to have equal opportunities for participation. Accommodations do not remove or exclude requirements, rather they allow a student with a disability the same opportunity as their nondisabled peers to fully participate and benefit from programs and services.
Procedure for Requesting Accommodations
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The student completes the Student Application, which is intended to allow students to describe the impact and functional limitations of their disability/disabilities.
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Students are required to upload documentation of their disability according to the documentation guidelines established by the University of Pittsburgh. DRS will review all formats of documentation submitted.
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Student applications and documentation are reviewed and evaluated. Students will be notified once their documentation is reviewed as to whether the documentation has met the established guidelines and verifies the existence of a disability.
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The process of determining reasonable accommodations is collaborative among the student, the disability specialist, the professional providing the diagnosis, and the course instructor or program director if necessary. Once reasonable accommodations are determined, students are responsible for requesting Disability Notification letters in order to notify faculty of their accommodations.
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This process for receiving accommodations is specific to the University of Pittsburgh and, thus, accommodations received at previous institutions may not be applicable to the University of Pittsburgh. Likewise, accommodations approved at this University may not be applicable to other institutions, professional schools, or standardized testing boards.