Sarah Lawrence College complies with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act in providing reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities.An individual with a disability is defined as a person who "has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities of such an individual; has a record of impairment; or is regarded as having an impairment." The College works individually with students to provide equal access to programs and activities on campus.

The process for receiving accommodations begins when the student requests an accommodation and provides documentation of her or his disability and is an interactive one between the student and the college. Students requesting accommodations must have the relevant forms completed by an appropriate licensed professional. Forms must be filled out completely, stating a specific diagnosis, method for arriving at the diagnosis, and specific recommendations for accommodations that are directly tied to the stated diagnosis. Accommodations are determined on an individual and flexible basis and are made in consultation with the student. Documentation is considered confidential information and does not become part of a student’s permanent record.

Documentation must be provided by a qualified health professional knowledgeable about the disability and should include a diagnosis and description of the nature of the disability, duration (if temporary), limitations as relevant to a residential educational setting and recommendations for accommodations. Documentation should confirm the need for accommodations based on the student’s current level of functioning in an educational setting. Diagnoses of disabilities documented by family members will not be accepted due to professional and ethical considerations even when the family members are otherwise qualified by virtue of training or license. All documentation is kept in the Office of the Dean of Studies and will be released only with the signed consent of the student.

Examples of commonly requested accommodations include:

• Peer note-taking, testing accommodations, sign language interpreting, adaptive equipment, membership in Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic
• Housing accommodations
• Formatting in alternative media such as readings on cassette tape, large print, Braille

In order that accommodations are provided in a timely manner, requests should be submitted in the semester (or summer for new students) prior to enrollment. The Office of the Dean of Studies will determine the appropriate services and accommodations in consultation with other appropriate offices. Students with disabilities should request modifications if they feel their accommodations are not effective. Students with disabilities who have questions or concerns should speak with the assistant dean of studies and disability services: