Welcome New Dukes!
Transition Resources for students:
- Disability Accommodation Application Process
- Disability Documentation Guidelines
- Housing Accommodations
- Learning Success Strategies: Free academic coaching
- K-12 vs. University: An Educational Journey
- JMU 101: An online webinar series that breaks down topics most important to admitted students
- Counseling Connections
Disability Accommodation Application Process
- Student Applies: Submit the Disability Accommodation Application on our website by our recommended deadline of May 23*. You can do this once you have decided to come to JMU.
- Please review the JMU Disability Documentation Guidelines on our website to determine what documentation** you need to upload to your application. Submitting documentation that does not meet our documentation guidelines may result in the application process being delayed.
- ODS Reviews: Reviews will begin after the May 23 recommended deadline. The Disability Services Practitioners strive to review all new applications with documentation within 15 business days. We will be receiving high volumes of applications during this time, so we invite students to contact us if they have questions about the status of their application.
- ODS Contacts the Student: Once the review is complete, our administrative staff will contact you at your @dukes.jmu.edu email account with instructions for next steps.
*We will still accept applications submitted after May 23. This recommended deadline is in place to ensure that the application process is completed, any necessary communications occur, and any approved accommodations are set up in time for the start of classes.
**If your decision to commit to JMU is dependent on knowing what accommodations you would be approved for, you can request that Disability Services complete a review of your current documentation and accommodation request. If you are interested in requesting this, you can email disability-svcs@jmu.edu or call us at 540-568-6705.
K-12 vs. University: An Educational Journey
K-12 Experience for Students with Disabilities:
- School Responsibilities
- Identify students with disabilities
- Comply with IDEA/504
- Students have a right to free and appropriate education
- Ensure academic success of students
- Teacher Responsibilities
- Classroom Experience
- Formally trained in teaching
- Adapts materials to student’s learning style
- Helps student learn and process information
- Course Materials
- Always checks student’s work
- Reminds student of incomplete work
- Reviews assignments and due dates
- Student Support
- Structures time for students
- Initiates help sessions
- Available for talks before and after class
- Provides support to parents
- Teacher advocates for student
- Classroom Experience
- Student Responsibilities
- Attend classes
- Begin to learn about self (areas of strength & challenge, etc.)
- Begin to learn self-advocacy skills
University Experience for Students with Disabilities:
- University Responsibilities
- Comply with ADA/504
- Access is provided
- Accommodations are provided while maintaining the fundamental nature of the curriculum
- Possible Professor Characteristics & Behaviors
- An expert in their subject but faculty members vary in their level of specific training for teaching
- Accessible for help during office hours or by appointment
- Expects student to ask for help, if needed
- May not provide reminders of due dates
- Student Responsibilities
- Classroom Experience
- Needs to think about and integrate multiple topics
- Takes responsibility for absorbing classroom materials
- Student’s decisions have consequences
- Course Materials
- Gets course material from syllabus
- Often gets homework assignments from syllabus
- Pays attention to due dates as written in the syllabus
- Manages own time
- Responsible for notes/material covered in class
- Student Support
- To be considered for accommodations, students must disclose their disability to Disability Services through appropriate documentation and request accommodations
- Student is expected to ask for help
- Attends professor’s office hours, as needed
- Should provide parents with any appropriate information
- Advocates for self
- Classroom Experience
| School Responsibilities | Teacher Responsibilities | Student Responsibilities | ||
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| Classroom Experience | Course Materials | Student Support | ||
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| University Responsibilities | Possible Professor Characteristics & Behaviors | Student Responsibilities | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classroom Experience | Course Materials | Student Support | ||
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Adapted from An Educational Journey, University of Vermont Student Accessibility Services.
References: Wharton, C. (2022). ADA in the Classroom.
Transition Resources for Parents/Family of students:
Questions?
If you have questions, contact us at disability-svcs@jmu.edu or 540-568-6705 to schedule an appointment with a Disability Services Practitioner.
Office of Disability Services
