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Disability Resources for Prospective Students

Welcome, Prospective Bulldogs!

We are happy that you are considering UMD.

Two important facts about Disability Resources:
1. Disability Resources is not special education.
2. Using accommodations will not go on your academic record.

We understand the stigma of special education and know you want nothing to do with it. At UMD, using accommodations is easy and "normal". We will discuss - with you - the accommodations supported by your documentation. These accommodations "level the playing field", but will not give you "extra help" or an "unfair advantage". The laws we follow - ADA and Sec 504 - are civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination against students with disabilities. Read more.

Admission...
All students, including those with disabilities, must meet UMD's admission standards. However, if you have disability-related circumstances that need to be considered, you may submit a letter with your application explaining your situation. Your application will be reviewed by both Disability Resources and Admisssions staffs.

Accommodations

Students with disabilities must meet the same course and graduation requirements as all students, with or without accommodations. Many students with disabilities can do OK without accommodations, but the students who want to earn the highest grades they are capable of, will use accommodations so they can really show what they know. The DR specialists will help you decide which accommodations will 'level the playing field' for you.

It's easy to get disability accommodations at UMD. You meet with your disability specialist, discuss the accommodations you've used in the past, and learn what is available at UMD. Depending on your documentation, you may qualify for extra time and a quiet place to take exams or audio textbooks or copies of lecture notes or learning the awesome technology that makes reading and writing tasks easier. When you and your specialist decide what you will use, your specialist will write a letter for you to deliver to your professors. This letter, and all other disability information, is confidential. No disability information about you leaves our office without your consent.

Housing accommodations may be necessary for students with particular disability limitations. Students must submit their disability documentation plus a completed Housing Accommodation request form. Decisions about housing accommodations are made jointly by the offices of Disability Resources and Housing and Residence Life.

Scholarships

Qualifying students with disabilities may apply to the Marcia Bevard-Kulick and Harry Oden scholarships. Additionally, University of Minnesota Duluth offers a number of academic scholarships for incoming freshmen with outstanding academic achievement.

 

Some High School-College Differences

  High School University
Primary Disability Legislation Idividuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and 2008
Assessment School conducts assessment and provides documentation of disability Student must provide current documentation of disability by a qualified professional
Getting
Accommodations		 School initiates services and sets up meetings Student initiates requests for meetings with DR staff and accommodations
Educational Goals School determine goals and monitors progress of student Student sets own goals and monitors progress
Course Workload May be modified or reduced Will not be modified
Homework May consist of 1-2 hours per day, much of it done in class Student should expect to spend an additional 2-3 hours of study for each hour spent in class
Reading Minimal outside reading Reading-intensive environment; reading requires analytical skills and retention of information
Accommodations Determined by broad educational and legal mandates Determined by current impact of disability, student request, and essential requirements of the course

Related Resources

Interested?

For more information, contact:

  1. Penny Cragun

  2. Director, Disability Resources
  3. 241 Kirby Student Center
  4. (218) 726-8727
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The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
Last modified on 05/14/12 02:20 PM
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