Information for Students
For a complete list of resources available to you at Meredith, click here.
- Certification Process
- Differences Between High School and College
- Disability Testing Referral List
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Internship and Job Opportunities
- Notetaker Program
- Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities
- Reading Technology
- Emergency Evacuation Plan
CERTIFICATION PROCESS
Students requesting disability services are required to complete the following certification process:
1. Return the Disabilities Disclosure and Request for Accommodation.
This step is only necessary if you are a new Meredith student. This form can be located in the Advising and Early Registration Handbook or may be obtained from Counseling Center/Disability Services. Once you complete the form, send it to:
Meredith College
Disability Services
3800 Hillsborough St.
Raleigh, NC 27607
2. Submit documentation of the disability meeting the Meredith College Documentation Guidelines.
Meredith College Documentation Guidelines
Meredith College Documentation Guidelines for ADHD
Students requesting Disability Services (DS) from Meredith College are required to submit documentation to determine eligibility according to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. DS also uses documentation to determine reasonable accommodations for individuals based on the functional limitations caused by a disability. Reasonable accommodations are provided to ensure individuals with disabilities have equal access to all programs and services.
DS reviews documentation and makes decisions about accommodations on a case-by-case basis, considering the impact of a particular individual's disability within the specific context in which that individual must function. Changing conditions and/or changes in how the condition impacts the individual may warrant more frequent updates in order to provide an accurate picture and determine continued eligibility. Therefore, DS reserves the right to request additional information in order to determine eligibility.
Nationally, most institutions of higher education utilize guidelines developed by the Association of Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) and the Educational Testing Service (ETS). We encourage students and evaluators to review the best practice documents published by these organizations. It is the responsibility of the student to provide documentation meeting the guidelines set forth by Disability Services.
AHEAD Best Practice for Documentation
ETS Documentation Guidelines
Disability Services reserves the right to make final decisions concerning eligibility and appropriate accommodations based on the quality, how recent, and how complete the documentation submitted is. All documentation is confidential and will be maintained by the Counseling Center/Disability Services.
3. Complete an intake interview with Disability Services staff.
An intake interview takes about one hour, during which the student will provide information about how the disability impacts her life functioning. The intake also provides an opportunity for the student to become acquainted with support services that are offered through Disability Services. When possible, documentation should be submitted before the intake session. Students may make an appointment by calling (919) 760-8427.
Provisional Status
When partial documentation is submitted, DS reserves the right to approve that student for provisional services for the current or upcoming semester. Partial documentation is defined as documentation that meets part, but not all, of the documentation guidelines or that which establishes a history of being considered an individual with a disability. Provisional certification is intended to provide students with temporary accommodations and/or services while that individual seeks additional documentation in order to become fully certified and, thus, to be qualified to receive future accommodations.
Insufficient Documentation
When documentation submitted to the review team is incomplete, the student will be asked to seek an additional evaluation and/or clarifying information from the evaluator(s). An Individualized Education Plan (IEP), 504 Plan, or Summary of Performance (SOP) provides useful information, but is generally not considered sufficient documentation generally are not sufficient documentation to establish that the student is eligible for services and accommodations in an institution of higher education. Further, documentation that simply states a diagnosis and does not include information about the functional limitations and handwritten/case notes are generally not considered sufficient documentation.
Student Responsibilities
It is the student’s responsibility to:
- Meet the essential qualifications and institutional standards
- Disclose the disability in a timely manner to Disability Services staff
- Provide appropriate documentation
- Inform Disability Services staff of accommodation needs
- Talk with professors about classroom accommodations, as needed
- Inform the Disability Services staff of barriers to a successful education
- Follow through with appointments
- For a complete list of the rights and responsibilities of students who are seeking certification with Disability Services, see the Rights and Responsibilities form.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE
You may already know that there are differences between high school and college for students with disabilities. The atmosphere is more challenging, and there is less structure to help you stay on track. Additionally, the laws that govern services for students with disabilities change. Because of these changes, the services you receive and how you obtain services in college are a bit different from what you may have experienced in high school. For a comparison of how things are different, click here: Differences Between High School and College.
DISABILITY TESTING LOCAL REFERRAL LIST
To obtain a list of Triangle area evaluators who are trained to perform disability evaluations, click here. This list is not exclusive but is comprised of professionals who are familiar with working with Meredith College Disability Services and who have received positive feedback from students. You are welcome to use an evaluator who is not on the list as long as they are qualified to perform the particular assessment you need. If you are using an evaluator who is not on our list, you may want to print of a copy of the documentation guidelines and provide them to your evaluator.
As a student, how do I obtain a reasonable accommodation?
Obtain official documentation from a medical doctor/psychologist including diagnosis, prognosis, limitations imposed by the disability, maintenance plan and recommended accommodation(s).
Schedule an appointment with Disability Services staff (919) 760-8427.
What are my responsibilities as a client of Disability Services?
Once you begin receiving services from Disability Services, you need to assume the responsibility for self-advocacy by talking with your instructors about your disability and reasonable accommodations, keeping the Disability Services staff informed of your progress and concerns, and keeping appointment times or contact the office as early as possible should you need to reschedule an appointment.
I have a disability but I don't want any of my friends or classmates to know. Are the services confidential?
Your disability is confidential and you determine to whom and when to disclose it. No one in Disability Services will disclose information about you or your disability. All information is confidential, and you can be as discreet as you choose to be regarding your disability.
Do all my professors have to know about my disability?
No. None of your professors have to know that you have a disability. However, without disclosure accommodations cannot be made. Your instructors need to know only that you have a disability and the appropriate accommodation(s).
What can Disability Services provide for a student with disabilities?
Examples of accommodations/services that have been appropriate for some individuals include study buddies, self-advocacy training, readers, technical assistance, test taking, special residence hall arrangements, extended test time, sign language interpreters, notetakers, and test/study strategies.
What do I need to do in order for you to provide letters to my instructors?
A student is asked by the Disability Services staff during the intake review if she wants any or all of her instructors to be aware of her disability. Once she has signed a release indicating she wants her instructors notified, letters will be sent to the instructors.
Do I notify Disability Services prior to attending Meredith College and orientation?
Yes, if possible. You may make an appointment with Disability Services staff by calling the (919) 760-8427 as soon as you have been accepted for enrollment. During orientation, all students take math, English and foreign language Placement Tests. If you need accommodations to take these tests, Disability Services must have your documentation several weeks before you take the tests. If parents or students need any additional accommodations (such as interpreters or wheelchair access), please contact Disability Services at least ten business days before your arrival.
What services can Disability Services provided for a student with a temporary illness?
We can explain the procedures, assist the student in obtaining the appropriate documentation, and notify her instructors of her illness. However, if a student is able, we always recommend that she contact her instructors to discuss arrangements. Then, the instructors can make the necessary accommodations for the student. Accommodations are provided on a case-by-case basis.
INTERNSHIP AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES
After graduation are you planning to continue your education with graduate school or enter the working world? Maybe you haven't decided what you want to do once you have completed your degree. The best way to plan your future is by obtaining as much information as possible so that you can make the most educated decision. Check out the links below for information on what to do after graduation. Also included are links for internships and other academic opportunities that may help you before graduation.
Meredith College Career Center
Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities
Equal Opportunity Publications
National Center on Workforce and Disability
Washington Center for Internships
NOTETAKING ASSISTANCE
Notetaking assistance is provided as an accommodation for students whose documented disability interferes with their ability to take notes. Notetaker assistance is intended for a student’s personal study use only and is not to be shared with other individuals. This service is provided as a necessary academic accommodation and is not considered a substitute for a student’s attendance and participation in class. Students requesting notetakers will seek assistance from their professor to identify a volunteer notetaker who is also in the course.
The notetaker stipend program was piloted for the spring semester of 2007 to address the notetaking needs of students who use sign language interpreters. Since students who use interpreters are not able to observe the interpreter and take notes like other hearing students can, a notetaker is an additional accommodation that is typically used. We only pay student notetakers who are providing notes to accompany interpreting services, not volunteer notetakers in all classes. The primary reason for this extra measure is to ensure that the Deaf or Hard of Hearing student have access to the information presented in class should the interpreter not show up (which could happen due to sudden illness, accidents, etc.,)
For more information regarding becoming a notetaker, notetaker training, and the expectation of notetakers, click on the links below.
Notetaker Stipend Program Handbook
Notetaker Training -- free and online
Notetaker Code of Ethics
Notetaker Evaluation
PREPARING FOR POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The US Department of Education and the Office of Civil Rights has prepared a useful handout that explores the rights and responsibilities for students who are entering college. To access the document, click here: Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities.
READING TECHNOLOGY
Reading Technology or screen reading software has the ability to read digital text documents out loud to the user. In some cases, this allows for a combination of auditory and visual processing of information, which can increase comprehension. Through scanning, virtually any text can be converted to a digital format that can then be used with this technology. For more information, please visit our Reading Technology web site.
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Please click here for more information on emergency procedures at Meredith.
