How to Register with Disability Services
Documentation Guide
Handicapped Parking, Entrances and Pathways

Mission

• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities.
• According to these laws, no otherwise qualified individual with a disability will, solely, by reason of his/her disability, be excluded from participating in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of a public entity.
• With respect to post-secondary educational services, "qualified" means "a person who meets the academic and technical standards requisite for admission, or participation in the educational program activity with or without reasonable modifications to rules, policies or practices; the removal of architectural, communication or transportation barriers; or the provision of auxiliary aids and services."
• It is Mercer University's goal to address the student's special needs to ensure that opportunities for academic success are made available.

Eligibility for Services                                                                            
1.           The student has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities (incl. walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working.)
2.          The student has a documented  record of such impairment from an appropriate medical, psychological or counseling professional, which upon initial submission to the Disability Services Office is no older than five years. Beyond that, additional testing may be required at the student's expense.
3.          The student claiming disability should ideally submit a request for a Faculty Accommodation Form within the first two weeks of every new academic session. The Disabilities Services Office will recognize newly tested / diagnosed students throughout the semester. The student must request this form through the Disability Services Office and circulate the form to each individual faculty member, for his / her signature.
4.           A Faculty Accommodations Form should be filled out each semester regardless of whether the student intends to utilize the accommodations or not.
5.        Students should work with each of their individual professors to determine if accommodations will be handled by the professor or the Disability Services Office.
6.          Students must notify the Disability Services Office at least two weeks in advance of any and all exams for which this office is responsible for the accommodations. Newly tested students should submit documentation at least a week before any scheduled testing.
7.          Students must maintain the same anticipated academic level in class as students without disabilities, attend class (meeting individual class/course requirements), and provide timely notification of specific needs.

Services Provided
The Disability Services Office can arrange one or all of the following services for students with learning disabilities:

• Quiet/Low Distraction Room for exams
• Extended exam time, usually time and a half, but up to twice the time typically allotted, based on diagnosis.
• Referal for individual academic, personal and career counseling
• Tutoring through peers or Academic Resource Center (as available)
• Limited academic/career diagnosis or testing (through refeerral)
• Faculty/staff consultation
• Reading and writing computer assisted software Other services may be available on a case by case basis.