How to Receive Services
Disability Support Services is UNC's designated office for determining a student's eligibility for disability services. There are various factors that influence the decision for each student: the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act; the student's diagnosis and documentation of strengths and weakness; and the specific UNC course and its requirements.
Listed below are the recommended procedures for a student to follow when requesting disability accommodations.
- The student is responsible for providing Disability Support Services with medical or psychological documentation. The diagnosis must be from a psychologist, physician, or psychiatrist authorized to diagnosis the stated disability.
- The Director of DSS verifies the documentation using the Documentation Guidelines (available on request at DSS) established by the Consortium of Support Programs for Students with Disabilities - Colorado Post-Secondary Institutions. If the documentation is questionable, an expert in the diagnosing field evaluates the documentation. The Director informs the student of the acceptance of the documentation or the need to seek additional documentation.
- Each student with appropriate documentation meets with the Director of DSS to discuss academic accommodations. The determination of appropriate services is based on the student's documentation, academic strengths and needs, history of disability services, DSS accommodations offered, and campus resources. The student receives services that are appropriate for the disability and verified by the documentation.