For the purpose of higher education, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a disability as a significant impairment of one or more major life activities, which include but are not limited to performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, digesting, sleeping, and learning. The ADA requires reasonable accommodations to address major life activities as a way to overcome barriers that limit opportunities for otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities.

Documentation Requirements

To determine the eligibility of educational accommodations, appropriate documentation is required by Florida Tech’s Office of Accessibility Resources.

Documentation presented must be written and signed by a qualified educational, medical, and/or mental health provider (including professional credentials and contact information), and include the following:

• diagnostic impressions (including how the diagnosis may be a disabling condition and the functional limitations resulting from the disability)
• relevant educational, developmental, and/or medical/mental history
• recommendations of specific accommodations (including supporting evidence)

Supporting documentation (i.e., 504 Plan, IEP, medical records, etc.) may also be provided, but does not serve as a substitute for a written letter/evaluation completed by a qualified provider.

Steps to Request Accommodations

1. The student will gather documentation by a qualified provider as noted in the Documentation Requirements section AND complete the Accessibility Request Form for Accommodations. Then, the student will submit all paperwork to the Office of Accessibility Resources.
2. After review of the paperwork, the Accessibility Resource Specialist will contact the student to discuss the decision regarding eligibility, the possible implementation of accommodations, and any recommendations for interventions.
3. If eligibility criteria are met, accommodations are activated.  Notification is sent via email to the student and the student's program of study.  It is advised that the student communicate with each instructor to discuss the implementation of the accommodations for the term/semester.

The student is encouraged to contact the Office of Accessibility Resources with any questions and/or concerns regarding their accommodations. Please note: Accommodations must be activated each term/semester with the Office of Accessibility Resources by completing the Student Accommodation Agreement Form located under Forms and Documents. The last day to activate accommodations is the Friday of the 6th week of classes for each term/semester.