Disability Services

Frequently Asked Questions

 

  1. How do I receive disability services at MSUM?

Contact MSUM Disability Services at 218-477-2131 to start the application process.


 

  1. When do I need to apply for disability services?

As soon as you have been admitted to MSUM, call 218-477-2131 to schedule an appointment for an intake interview with the Coordinator.


 

  1. Can I use my 504 Plan or IEP for documentation of my disability?

If your 504 Plan or IEP contain the necessary information, it may be accepted as documentation.  (See Documentation Guidelines)

 

  1. Will I receive the same services I received in high school?

Maybe.  High school Special Education programs are required by law to provide whatever service, help, or accommodation that you needed to be successful.  Colleges/Universities are required by law to provide “equal access to education” through programs, activities, and facilities.  They provide access by using accommodations, not necessarily services or extra help.  Access is provided through reasonable accommodations.

 

For example, services such as word banks or reduced assignments probably won’t be provided because postsecondary schools don’t provide modifications that would change the educational standards of coursework.
 

 

  1. Can I receive a failing grade in a college class in which I am receiving accommodations?

Yes.  Accommodations ensure “access” not “success”.
 

 

  1. I have a disability.  Will I be eligible to use accommodations in college?

Maybe.  The decision to provide accommodations is based on the activity and whether the disability creates any barriers to doing it.  For example, a student who is paralyzed from the waist down has a disability and needs a physically accessible environment.  However, this same student would not be eligible for note taking services or books on tape because the disability doesn’t interfere with reading or writing.


 

  1. Will my 504 Plan follow me to college?

No, the 504 Plan developed by your high school will not follow you to college, but the rights and protections under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 apply.  Section 504 is civil rights legislation and provides two things: 1) Nondiscrimination on the basis of disability and 2) an equal opportunity to participate.  The concept of “maximizing success” is only found under IDEA for elementary and secondary schools.


 

  1. Who decides what accommodations I can use in college?

The disability services office at the college in which you are enrolled makes the final decision after reviewing your disability documentation and talking with you.  Accommodations will be based on how the disability interferes with access to the educational environment and course curriculum.


 

  1. Do I have to pay for my accommodations?

No.  It is the college’s responsibility to provide reasonable accommodations to eligible student with disabilities with no cost to the student.
 

 

  1. Do colleges and universities provide testing to identify a learning disability?

Colleges and universities are not required to provide testing services.
 

  1. Is financial assistance available through the disability services office for students with disabilities?

No. Check with the financial aid office at the school you will be attending.  Some agencies that may provide support include Vocational Rehabilitation, Workers Compensation, the Veterans Administration, and Job Services.
 

  1. Will the Disability Services provide services like helping me get ready for the school day or pushing my wheelchair?

No.  Services or equipment needed to assist a person with activities of daily living are the responsibility of the individual, not the college.

 

For example, helping with dressing or reminding someone to take their medications, is a personal service that an individual needs in order to function on a daily basis, whether or not they are in college.

 

If the service or equipment is needed solely for the purpose of participating in a college program or activity, it is the college’s responsibility to provide it.  For example, the college would provide a writer or scribe for essay tests if the student’s disability prevented her/him from writing.  The college, however, is not obligated to provide a writer so that same student could do homework or write personal letters.