Accommodations
Depending on the nature and severity of the disability and the particular needs of the student, students may obtain a variety of academic adjustments. This can include, but is not limited to:
- Academic accommodations (e.g., classroom accommodations, testing accommodations, physical accommodations, alt-format materials)
- Auxiliary aids and services (e.g., note takers, CART services)
- Non-academic accommodations (e.g., housing, transportation accommodations).
- Introductions and referrals to other campus resources
Please Note: Essential programmatic requirements cannot be altered and are determined by faculty and departments. As a student at Brandeis, you are expected to meet all academic and behavioral expectations of both the courses you are taking and of the broader campus community.
Categories and Sample Accommodations
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Common accommodations are:
- Extended test time
- Loan of a digital smartpen or services of a notetaker
- Accessible textbooks and course materials
- Use of adaptive technology
Students then request and receive letters they can give to their instructors, notifying them of the their approved accommodations. Faculty are accustomed to receiving the letter of accommodation from SAS and should not be expected to determine an appropriate accommodation for a disability.
Once students have submitted documentation of a condition (for questions about documentation please visit our documentation section), they are encouraged to set up a meeting with a member of the SAS team. In that discussion with the student, the staff member determines specific classroom and exam accommodations that are based on the student's documented needs.
Brandeis' accessibility office is part of the network of resources and advisors within the Office of Academic Services. Students easily receive introductions and referrals to services and support that are available to all undergraduates: class-year advisors and programming, trained peer advisors and mentors, peer tutors through Brandeis Undergraduate Group Study (BUGS) and advisors for academic fellowships, study abroad and health professions. We readily connect students with the resources of the Writing Center, graduate student tutors in chemistry and math, and the academic advising network of faculty advisors.
Additionally, Student Accessibility Support meets individually with students to advise and support them. Specifically, we promote the use of academic strategies, development of the student's self-knowledge and good communication with faculty and staff.
Brandeis has a number of resources developed around creating accessible websites. This Web Accessibility website provides guidance and standards for Brandeis websites, as well as additional guidance on creating accessible documents and other types of digital content.
The Brandeis Library is dedicated to providing access and services to all members of the Brandeis community.
If you are a faculty or staff member and are seeking accommodations, please visit Support at Brandeis for more information.
