What is a Reasonable Accommodation?

An accommodation is a modification or adjustment to a course, program, service, activity or facility that makes that entity accessible to the person with a disability. (See "Auxiliary Aids and Services for Postsecondary Students with Disabilities" ) Reasonable accommodations are decided on a case-by-case basis and compensate for the functional limitations of the disability. In order for an accommodation to be considered "reasonable," there must be a logical link between the functional limitations and the accommodation.

Reasonable accommodations provide a qualified student with a disability the same opportunity to participate as a student without a disability. Accommodations do not give the student with a disability an advantage over other students but rather "level the playing field." For example, a student who can see uses a printed test. A student who is blind uses a test reader, braille or audio. Both students have the same opportunity to take the test, but in different ways.

Reasonable accommodations do not jeopardize the academic standards or integrity of the course.