Utilizing Accommodations 

Implementing Accommodations

Once a student has been formally approved for accommodations, an accommodation letter will be drafted and signed by the case manager and then shared with the student via their official VCU e-mail. Accommodation letters clearly denote accommodations, but do not disclose the nature of the disability.

In order to implement accommodations, students must provide their instructor(s) with an accommodation letter. To do so, students are highly encouraged to make an appointment with their instructors to discuss accommodation needs in a private setting. Students are never required to disclose information about their disability, but clarification and planning related to accommodations, such as alternative testing or peer note-taking, may be necessary.

While students have the right to distribute their accommodation letters and other materials at any point during the semester, SAEO encourages students to do so during the first week of class. Students can always opt not to use accommodations once a letter is distributed. Waiting for academic and social stressors to compound before alerting professors to accommodations can often result in more stress for both instructor and student, which can otherwise be avoided. *Accommodations are not retroactive*; students are entitled to their accommodations only after they share their accommodation letter with each instructor from whom they wish to receive accommodations.

Revising Accommodations

Although the intake process is designed to identify all relevant accommodations, some accommodations may need to be modified throughout a student's tenure at VCU. Additionally, a student's needs may change over time. Accommodation letters may be revised at any point during the course of a student's enrollment, however, some changes may require updated and/or additional documentation. If students ever have questions about modifications, they should contact their case manager.