CHP Student Handbook

Disability Accommodations in Academic Programs

Office of Disability Services

Chamberlain University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for eligible students with documented disabilities as defined by state and federal laws relating to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973). No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States, as defined in Sec. 705(20) of this title, shall, solely by reason of their disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. For more information on how to receive ADA accommodations, contact our Office of Student Disability Services at [email protected] or 855.229.0848 or refer to chamberlain.edu/ada. You may also fax your request to 630.596.1651.

Accommodation Request Process

  1. Email the OSDS with your intent to apply for accommodation.
  2. Indicate first and last name, institution, program, term and your preferred method of contact, and any supports you require.
    1. Phone
    2. Email
    3. Teams
    4. Other - describe
  3. Obtain and fill out the Student Accommodation Request Form
  4. Gather the information from your physician or clinician applicable to the diagnoses for which you are applying. If there are multiple diagnoses, there may also be paperwork required from multiple specialists.
    1. The OSDS will determine if the request is applicable to the office and its services. 
      1. If yes, OSDS will proceed with interactive process and review.
      2. If no, OSDS will refer the student to the appropriate supports and services available.
    2. Through an interactive process, the OSDS will work with the student to determine if they meet the criteria for accommodations, discuss potential accommodations to address barriers in the academic or clinical setting, and ensure that requested accommodations are reasonable and do not fundamentally alter the nature of the program or technical standard.
    3. During the interactive process, the student can expect to get updates on status, such as:
      1. In Review- the file is being reviewed by the Accommodation Coordinator
      2. Incomplete- the student has not provided enough information for the Accommodation Coordinator to make a determination or there are issues that need to be corrected on the request form.  If the request is Incomplete, OSDS will request additional information and/or inform the student of missing items.
    4. Accommodation requests are concluded in one of the following ways:
      1. Approved- either as requested or with alternative accommodation. If the request is Approved, OSDS will send the student a notification letter.
      2. Denied- based on available information. If the request is Denied based on available information, OSDS will send the student a notification letter and will reach out to the student to set up a phone call for additional assistance.
      3. Closed-based on the requested accommodation being available to all matriculated students regardless of disability status.  If the accommodation request is closed on this basis, OSDS will send the student information on how to access this resource.

Documentation Expectations 

OSDS Request Form:

  • The request form contains 1) a self-report form and 2) a physician/clinician form
  • The physician/clinician form must be completed by a licensed physician or clinician who has expertise applicable to the student’s diagnosis and is familiar with the student’s personal diagnosis and history. The physician/clinician form includes information about:
    • Diagnostic codes
    • Physician/Clinician license numbers and credentials
    • Explanation of how the student’s disability affects a major life activity and is relevant to the student’s need in an academic setting
    • Specific recommendations for accommodation

Supporting Documentation:

Along with the request form, students should submit supporting documentation from their physician/clinician, dated within the last five years, which at a minimum, verifies: 1) the presence of the diagnosed medical condition and 2) the current impact of the diagnosed medical condition.  However, if the documents listed below are unavailable to the student, OSDS encourages students to submit documentation available to them along with the request form to help facilitate the process. 

If a student does not have supporting documentation or is having difficulty obtaining the supporting documentation from their physician/clinician, or a student is unsure what type of supporting documentation to provide with the request form, OSDS encourages and welcomes the student to schedule an appointment with an OSDS Accommodation Coordinator to further discuss.

Examples of supporting documentation that may be requested include but are not limited to:

  • Audiology Report
  • Ocular Assessment
  • Formal Diagnostic Interviews
  • A Formal Assessment to include:
  • Intellectual functioning
  • Academic achievement
  • Information processing
  • Neuropsychological Assessment
  • A signed and dated clinical summary on letterhead

Note:  Some requested accommodations may require more detailed documentation to illustrate a connection between the impact of the disability on a major life activity, the described barrier in the academic or clinical setting, and the requested accommodation.