Academic Accommodations
Academic Adjustments
Partial waiver of a language requirement
Students whose disability may affect their ability to complete the language requirement may petition for a partial waiver of the requirement. Students should speak with their deans regarding the petition process. SAS may support a student’s request for a partial waiver of the language requirement if their documented disability indicates a functional limitation related to language acquisition. If a student does not have documentation regarding a disability, they may contact SAS to request a referral for a psycho-educational evaluation.
Reduced course load
Yale Colleges students may qualify for a reduced courseload (two courses for one fall or spring term) on a temporary basis in rare cases if the student experiences an urgent medical need (i.e., an acute mental or physical health episode) and has completed at least one term at Yale and earned credits during that term. Should a student feel that reducing their courseload to two (2) classes will mitigate the impact of their acute medical condition while allowing them to successfully complete those two classes, they may request a temporary reduced courseload accommodation through SAS.
Yale College students may contact their dean to discuss options to reduce their courseload to three (3) classes.
Graduate and professional students may qualify for a reduced courseload on a temporary basis in rare cases if the student experiences an urgent medical need (i.e., an acute mental or physical health episode). Should a student feel that reducing their courseload to two (2) classes will mitigate the impact of their acute medical condition while allowing them to successfully complete those two classes, they may request a temporary reduced courseload accommodation through SAS. SAS will engage with the appropriate school dean to determine the programmatic requirements and possible reduced courseload for a term.
Accommodations Assistant
An accommodation assistant is a Yale student hired by SAS to assist a student with a disability to obtain access to course content or complete the requirements of a course (e.g., lab assistant to perform physical activities within a lab to aid a student with a disability with dexterity limitations). The accommodations assistant is not a substitute for a student’s full participation in a course. Accommodations assistants:
- Will perform only those tasks directed by the student;
- Are to be used as a tool, not a tutor;
- Will not prompt or guide a student in performing a course activity;
- Will not explain nor interpret course materials or assignments.
Alternative Media
Alternative Media provides students access to print material through a digital format such as PDF, Word document, ePub, or large print, and Braille. SAS collaborates with faculty and teaching fellows to obtain accessible formats of course materials for students as indicated.
Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology (AT) refers to a range of devices, applications, and services that are employed by students to assist with mitigating limitations that are the result of a disability. Note taking technology, speech-to-text and text-to-speech are examples of AT available to students with disabilities through SAS.
Attendance Flexibility
Based on the nature of a student’s disability, absences from class may occur unexpectedly, impacting regular class attendance and participation. SAS understands that participation may be used as part of the student’s course grade. While faculty are not required to alter the requirements of a course or learning objectives, flexibility to complete course requirements may be necessary.
Captioning
Captioning or transcription services convert speech and audio information of multimedia content into a text-based equivalent. Captions are time-synced and integrated into multimedia content, while transcriptions provide the text in full separately from the multimedia content. SAS collaborates with faculty and teaching fellows to caption media or provide transcripts for students with disabilities as indicated.
Communication Access
American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreters
American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters are coordinated for students who communicate through ASL. SAS works with outside vendors to schedule qualified interpreters for academic and co-curricular activities for students as indicated. SAS collaborates with faculty and teaching fellows when an interpreter is working in their classes.
CART Providers
Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) services are coordinated for students who require access to auditorily presented information through live captioning. SAS works with outside vendors to schedule qualified CART providers for academic and co-curricular activities for students as indicated. SAS collaborates with faculty and teaching fellows when a provider is working in their classes.
Deadline Extensions (graduate students only)
A student’s disability may affect their ability to complete or submit assignments, or projects on the due date as a result of unexpected symptoms related to their disability. While faculty are not required to alter requirements of a course or learning objectives, flexibility to complete course requirements may be necessary through deadline extensions. Deadline extensions apply to assignments to be completed during the term only. This accommodation does not apply to work incomplete at the end of a term or postponement of final exams.
Yale College students should work with their residential college deans regarding any request for a dean’s extension.
Notetaking Assistance
Notetaking assistance is provided as an accommodation for students whose documented disabilities interfere with their abilities to take notes in class. Notetaking assistance is determined on a course-by-course basis and is dependent upon the nature of each course and the method of instruction as it relates to the student’s documented disability. Notetaking assistance is not a substitute for a student’s full participation in class. Notes and/or recordings are for students’ personal study use only and are not to be shared or posted. Notetaking assistance may include but is not limited to:
- Technology-based assistance – use of a personal laptop/tablet, Livescribe Smart Pen, Glean, or Notability;
- Permission to record classes (many of the technology-based options have a recording component as a built-in feature);
- Receipt of instructor outlines and/or Power Point presentations, if available;
- Access to recordings of course lectures, if available;
- Receipt of notes from a peer notetaker (graduate and professional students only).
Testing Accommodations
Testing accommodations are approved for students whose documented disabilities interfere with their abilities during exams. Testing accommodations are determined on a course-by-course basis and are dependent upon the nature of each course. Testing accommodations may include but are not limited to:
- Extended testing time;
- A reduced distraction environment testing environment;
- Use of assistive technology such as a computer or speech-to-text software during testing;
- Breaks during testing.
Service Dogs
A service dog is individually trained to perform a specific task(s) which is directly related to the person’s disability. A service dog must be allowed to accompany a student with a disability to any space on campus accessible to that student. Students may choose to notify SAS in advance of bringing their service dog to campus, and “Presence of Service Animal” would then be listed on the student’s accommodation letter. Additionally, SAS will notify public safety of the service dog in case of an emergency. However, students are not required to receive approval for a service dog with SAS. Service dogs must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service dog’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the dog through voice, signal, or other effective controls. The service dog is required to be under the control of the student. Should the dog not be under control the student may be asked to remove the dog from the room or activity.
Campus Access
Accessible Transit Van
SAS collaborates with Yale Transit which provides accessible transit transportation to members of the Yale community who are permanently or temporarily disabled. This service provides a secondary option for transporting individuals from one campus location to another. This service does not provide transportation from beyond the campus and is not designed to provide transportation to and from individual home addresses.
Accessible Buildings and Classrooms
SAS collaborates with Facilities and the Office of the Registrar to provide access to Yale’s buildings and classrooms for students. Students should contact SAS if they have any difficulty with accessing Yale buildings due to a permanent or temporary disability.
Public Safety Notification
SAS notifies Yale public safety of students who are on campus who may need assistance with evacuation during an emergency. The student may or may not live on campus for SAS to notify Yale public safety. Students are encouraged to download the LiveSafe app for emergency notifications and services, which can be found on the Yale Public Safety website.
Residential Accommodations
Housing
Housing accommodations are approved for Yale College students with documented disabilities for whom living on-campus is not viable without an accommodation. For graduate and professional students, housing accommodations are approved for students with documented disabilities for whom living off-campus provides a barrier to accessing their academic programs and co-curricular activities. Housing accommodations include but are not limited to:
- Accessible room/suite/apartment
- Accessible bathroom
- Air conditioner
- Allergy-reduced room (e.g., nut free suite)
- Emotional Support Animal
- Priority snow removal
- Single room
Food Allergies and Dining
SAS collaborates with Yale Hospitality, which can customize menu offerings to accommodate dietary needs based on food allergies, medical conditions, religious guidelines, and preferences based upon lifestyle choices. Students with food allergies and medical conditions should contact SAS to discuss their dietary needs. Information regarding dietary preferences and religious guidelines may be found on the Yale Hospitality website.