Accommodations for disabilities
Academic accommodations
In order to be eligible for accommodations for your disability, you will need to provide Northwestern's disability support services office with recent documentation (within 3 years) of your disability. Staff will review your documentation and consider your request for accommodation. Once the evaluation is complete and we've determined that your disability currently impacts your academic work and/or ability to participate in Northwestern's programs, we'll work with you to determine what accommodations are reasonable and appropriate. A plan for those accommodations will be made, and we'll review with you the process for requesting services.
Because each students' disability and the circumstances surrounding each request are unique, it's impossible to predict exactly what accommodations will be made for you. Among those available are the following:
- Accessible classrooms
- Audio taping of course lectures
- Books in alternate formats (audio and digital)
- Exams that are individually proctored, read orally, dictated or typed
- Extended time for test taking
- Help with scheduling and organizational skills
- Laboratory and library assistance
- Preferential classroom seating
- Provision of note takers, scribes or readers
- Self-advocacy and self-determination counseling
- Separate testing area
- Smartpen technology
- Speech-to-text technology (Dragon Naturally Speaking software)
- Student advocacy
- Study strategies
- Test anxiety assistance
- Test-taking strategies
- Tutoring services
Housing accommodations
Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with disabilities who reside on campus. These may include:
- Single rooms
- Wheelchair-accessible rooms
- Private bathrooms
- Rooms located close to elevators and exits
