Registering with Disability Services

Application Process

  1. Apply through the regular admission process, be accepted, and commit to the Randolph-Macon College by submitting your deposit.
  2. Complete and submit the Disability Services Application.
  3. Submit comprehensive and age-appropriate documentation of a disability. DS recommends students submit their disability documentation while completing their Disability Services Application.
  4. Schedule a meeting with Disability Services staff to discuss reasonable accommodations.
disability services application

Disability Documentation Guidelines and Required Forms

One of the purposes of DS is to determine if a student’s request for disability-related accommodations is appropriate.  An important piece in making this determination is documentation the student provides to DS.  Disability documentation for the purpose of providing accommodations must both establish disability AND provide adequate information on the functional impact of the disability so effective accommodations may be identified.  The documentation needs to provide DS with a basic understanding of the student’s disability and enough information to anticipate how the current impact of the disability is expected to interact with Randolph-Macon’s requirements.

Documentation that is submitted to DS must:

  • Clearly state the diagnosed disability or disabilities
  • Describe the functional limitations resulting from the disability or disabilities
  • Be age-appropriate — describe how the disability or disabilities currently affect the student in an educational setting
  • Describe the specific accommodations requested
  • Adequately support each of the requested accommodations
  • Be typed or printed on official letterhead and be signed by an evaluator qualified to make the diagnosis (include information about license or certification and area of specialization)

Learn more about the Essential Elements of Quality Documentation.

Required Forms and Documents

  • All students must complete a Disability Services Application.
  • Students with physical disabilities, mobility impairments, chronic health conditions, or who are blind/visually impaired or deaf/hard of hearing – Medical Verification Form
  • Students with psychological disabilities – Psychological Verification Form
  • Students with ADD/ADHD – ADHD Verification Form (results from any assessments that were completed should also be submitted with the form)
  • Students with documented learning disabilities must submit their most recent psycho-educational assessment completed by a licensed psychologist (ideally within 3 years) to DS.

Important notes

  • If possible, please submit any disability documentation or other relevant documents electronically to Disability Services via the Disability Services Application on the Disability Services Online (DSO) portal (preferred for unregistered students) or email (dss@rmc.edu).
  • It may take several weeks to arrange accommodations, so it is most helpful if students disclose their disability and submit documentation before the semester begins (June 1 for incoming freshmen). However, DS is available to work with students with disabilities at any point in the academic year.
  • Students who are requesting accommodations for a state or national standardized exam such as the Praxis, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, etc. will need to submit documentation to those entities.  Approval for accommodations at Randolph-Macon does not guarantee accommodations for a state or national standardized exam.
  • A student is not registered for disability accommodations/services, and may not receive accommodations until the appropriate documentation has been submitted to and approved by DS.  Providing information to the Office of Admissions, or discussing disability services with an admissions counselor or faculty member does not automatically register you for accommodations/services.
  • Disclosure of a disability to DS and disability documentation submitted by a student is considered confidential.  Furthermore, any accommodation a student receives is confidential and will not be noted on a transcript or permanent record. DS will not discuss a student’s disability or release any part of the documentation without the student’s informed consent.
  • All records kept by DS are systematically destroyed after 5 years unless the student is still enrolled at the College.  Students should keep the original copy of their documentation.