MIT is committed to providing equal opportunity to students with disabilities to allow full participation in all services and programs. As required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Amended Act of 2008 (ADAA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the following are the responsibilities of the DAS staff, faculty, and students in making a reasonable effort to provide appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities at MIT.
DAS Staff Responsibilities
The DAS staff is responsible for ensuring that MIT meets its obligation to provide access to individuals with disabilities. The DAS staff works with faculty, students, staff, programs, and departments to develop and implement MIT’s compliance strategies and plans. Additionally they help these groups, and external resources and services, in providing direct delivery of aids, services, and academic adjustments to students with disabilities. They review student documentation, determine appropriate accommodations, monitor and mediate conflicts, and works with faculty regarding the provision of accommodations to students.
Faculty Responsibilities
The faculty are responsible for working with DAS to ensure students are provided “meaningful access.” Primarily, this involves working with the student and DAS to assure the provision of reasonable accommodations. Faculty play an important role by helping to determine whether requests compromise classroom academic standards and assisting in implementing reasonable accommodation requests. Faculty members should direct all questions/concerns regarding accommodations for students with disabilities to DAS.
Student Responsibilities
Students with disabilities are responsible for providing to the DAS staff documentation that identifies their specific disability, describes their functional limitations, and lists the requested accommodations.
The documentation and accommodation request must be provided in a timely manner so DAS has reasonable time to review the request and coordinate accommodations. Students are responsible for following the Institute’s procedures for requesting and receiving accommodations, academic adjustments, and auxiliary aids and services.