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UW Colleges Student Services

Disability Services

Disability Services Links

UW Colleges Disabilty Services

What does the UW Colleges Disability Services Office do?

The Disability Services Office coordinates services for students with disabilities attending the University of Wisconsin Colleges. The Disability Services Office works with campus staff to ensure that students with disabilities who have program access needs receive appropriate accommodations.

Who is considered to be a student with a disability?

A qualified student with a disability is an individual who, with or without reasonable accommodation, meets the academic and technical standards requisite, for admission to, or participation in, UW Colleges programs. Such students have physical or mental impairments which substantially limit one or more life activities (e.g., communication, mobility, etc.), have a record of such an impairment, or are regarded as having such an impairment.

Who determines which students are considered to have disabilities that need accommodation?

The Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities(CSSD) in Madison and the Campus Contact (CC) for Students with Disabilities work together to determine which students need accommodations.

Students are responsible for providing documentation of their disability and the need for accommodation. This documentation must identify the disability, for which the accommodation is requested, and substantiate that the need for accommodation is related to the disability.

What kinds of accommodation services are available?

  • Adaptive Software
  • Note-taking assistance
  • Tape recorded lecture
  • Extended time for exams and quizzes
  • Separate testing room
  • Reader
  • Scribe
  • Audio text books
  • Priority registration
  • Preferential seating
  • Accessible classrooms/location/furniture
  • Library assistance
  • Laboratory assistance
  • Advocacy and liason with faculty
  • Others

Procedures for Obtaining Accommodation Services

  1. Students who have a disability, or believe that they may have a disability, and feel they might need program accommodation, should contact the Campus Contact for Students with Disabilities. The Campus Contact is located in the Student Services Office.
  2. The Campus Contact will request that the student provide documentation of the disability and/or will advise the student how to obtain such information. The documentation provided must substantiate that the disability can reasonably be expected to prevent the student from meeting program requirements and should include the following:
    • Identification of the disability which is the basis for the request
    • Documentation that the failure or inability to meet the program requirement(s) for which accommodation is requested is related to the disability. Identification of the specified program requirements for which accommodation is requested.
  3. The Campus Contact will forward the documentation to the . The Coordinator will review the documentation to determine if the student is an individual with a disability who requires accommodation services.
  4. The Coordinator then contacts the student and the Campus Contact with written recommendations for accommodation(s).
  5. Students with approved Individualized Accommodations Plans need to make appointments with the Campus Contact and instructors prior to the start of the semester to discuss implementation of accommodation services.
  6. If the accommodation request is denied, the student may appeal this decision in writing. Please contact the Campus Contact for more information on how to appeal.

Student Responsibilities

The UW Colleges wishes to promote an atmosphere of independence for all students, including those students with disabilities. We want to encourage students with disabilities to become advocates for themselves. To further that mission, here are some guidelines for student responsibility:

  • Adhere to all policies regarding academic conduct, which apply equally to all students, regardless of disability.
  • Meet and maintain academic standards which have been established by the University and applicable departments (with appropriate accommodations where needed).
  • Provide current disability documentation to the Campus Contact for Students with Disabilities (additionally, see your Student Services Office) or to the (in Madison) when requesting accommodations. This information will be kept confidential and will only be released to those who need such information and only with the written consent of the student.
  • Follow all directions and adhere to all timelines when requesting accommodations. Failure to alert appropriate staff in a timely manner may result in significant obstacles to the provision of necessary accommodations for students.
  • Become aware of your rights as a student and learn to advocate for yourself.

Laws Applicable to Students with Disabilities

UW Colleges complies with both the Rehabilition Act of 1973, specifically Section 504, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. No recipients of federal funding may discriminate against a qualified individual with a disability solely by reason of that disability. This means that students with disabilities have equal access to all UW Colleges' programs, services and activities.

Campus Contacts for Students with Disabilities

TTY number for all campuses: 608-265-5766

Baraboo/Sauk County
, 608-355-5219
Barron County
, 715-234-8024
Fond du Lac
, 920-929-3606
Fox Valley
, 920-832-2661
Manitowoc
, 920-683-2829
Marathon County
, 715-261-6235
Marinette
, 715-735-4302
Marshfield/Wood County
, 715-384-1706
Richland
, 608-647-8422
Rock County
, 608-758-6523
Sheboygan
, 920-459-6682
Washington County
, 262-335-5210
Waukesha
, 262-521-5210 (TTY: 262-521-5510)
UW Colleges Online
, 877-449-1877 (Toll Free)

Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities


Disability Services Office
UW Colleges
780 Regent St., Suite 130
Madison, WI 53715-2635
Voice: 608/262-2001
Toll Free: 1-888-463-6892
TTY: 608-265-5766
Fax: 608-265-6784

The Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities works with the Campus Contacts for Students with Disabilities to coordinate disability services. The Coordinator reviews the disability related documentation submitted by the student in order to determine the student's eligibility for accommodations, and writes the accommodation plan with input from the student and campus contact.

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