WELCOME to the University of Missouri-St. Louis
Thanks for choosing UMSL and Welcome to Disability Access Services (DAS)! Because you are a University of Missouri-St. Louis student, you will have the opportunity to receive the education you want and the services you need. This handbook is made available to help you achieve your personal and academic goals while attending UMSL.
Disability Access Services (DAS) is here to assist you in gaining equal access to all University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) services, classes, and events. DAS also will assist you in determining how UMSL can best help you meet your accommodation needs in these areas. Disability Access Services is the primary office on campus with staff that have specialized knowledge and experience in disability issues. DAS is the central location for maintaining information about your disability through written records and staff contact
The mission of Disability Access Services is to acknowledge the uniqueness of each student as a valuable member of the University of Missouri–St. Louis community. Recognizing UMSL’s commitment to equal access to education, we strive to ensure full and equal participation in all educational opportunities by:
- Providing individualized appropriate accommodations and services
- Maintaining a high level of involvement with campus administrators, faculty and staff
- Helping students with disabilities develop and maintain independence and self-advocacy skills for college and beyond.
- DAS is committed to improving the total university experience for all students with disabilities
Disability Access Services determines appropriate and reasonable accommodations based on individual student needs. These accommodations are based on student report and verified through appropriate documentation of disability acquired from a professional. DAS will also provide assistance to students with disabilities in acclimation to the campus environment, and assist to assure a positive learning experience.
Services available through DAS:
- Pre-admission counseling
- Specialized testing accommodations (extended time, least distraction environment, etc.)
- In-class accommodations
- Alternate textbook resources
- Assistance in locating and training note-takers
- Assistance in hiring readers for blind students
- Certified interpreters for deaf students
- Closed captioning real-time services (transcription)
- Special furniture accommodations
- Emergency location procedures for mobility-impaired students
- Computers equipped with adaptive software
- Coordination with community resources including Vocational Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Services for the Blind, Paraquad/Deaf Way, Quality Transcription Services, etc.
- Provide course substitutions/waivers based on appropriate and supporting documentation
The Intake and Registration Policy and Procedure outlines how UMSL students with disabilities can register for academic accommodations through Disability Access Services. This policy lists the acceptable forms of documentation students must submit to verify their disability.
The Accommodation Policy & Procedures outlines accommodations afforded to students that have registered with DAS and meet that student’s individual needs for the classroom. These accommodations are designed to provide equal access to education and the university experience.
The Testing Accommodation Policy outlines adaptive testing accommodations for students who have a documented disability which may impact them during testing. These accommodations are in cooperation with each professor, instructor, and/or teaching assistant.
The Note Taking Accommodation Policy outlines the procedure for students registered with DAS to obtain a volunteer note taker in their classes. This accommodation is pre-determined by DAS staff and students and offered in cooperation with each professor.
The Governing Laws/Regulations Policy part of the handbook is currently under review and is subjected to change at any time. This section covers federal laws that protect the rights of those individuals with disabilities as well as govern how institutions of higher learning should conduct themselves to meet the needs of those individuals.
The Office of Disability Services provides adaptive testing accommodations for students with disabilities in cooperation with each instructor or teaching assistant.
The University of Missouri along with the Disability Access Services office are governed by federal laws that protect the rights of those individuals with disabilities as well as govern how institutions of higher learning should conduct themselves to meet the needs of those individuals.
The Disability Access Services office follows those guidelines present in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 specifically Section 504, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Governing Laws / Regulations
The Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination based on disability in programs that are conducted by Federal agencies, in programs that receive Federal financial assistance, in Federal employment and in the employment practices of Federal contractors.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act states that no qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall be excluded from, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity that either receives Federal financial assistance or is conducted by any Executive agency, or the United States Postal Service.
Agencies that provide Federal financial assistance also have section 504 regulations covering entities that receive Federal aid. Requirements common to these regulations include reasonable accommodation for employees/students with disabilities; program accessibility; effective communication with people who have hearing or vision disabilities; and accessible new construction and alterations.
Subpart E of the Section 504 regulation requires institutions of higher education to provide auxiliary aids to qualified students who have disabilities. It is therefore the institution's responsibility to provide these auxiliary aids and services to ensure effective participation by students with disabilities.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination based on disability in the area of employment, State, local, and US government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunication (Title II).
Who is protected under the ADA?
To be protected by this law, one must have a disability. The ADA defines an individual with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities (for example: caring for one’s self, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, working, performing manual tasks, and learning), a person who has a history or record of such impairment, or a person who is regarded as having an impairment.
Title II of the ADA is enforced in public colleges, universities, and graduate and professional schools. The requirements regarding the provision of auxiliary aids and services in higher education institutions described in the Section 504 regulations are generally incorporated in the general non-discrimination provisions of the Title II regulation. As colleges, universities, and vocational schools receive Federal financial assistance, they are covered by the regulations set forth in Section 504 requiring schools to make their programs accessible to qualified students with disabilities.
Equity Resolution Procedures
- Equal Opportunity is and shall be provided for all students and applicants for admission without unlawful discrimination on the basis of their race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable state or federal law. This policy shall not be interpreted in such a manner as to violate the legal rights of religious organizations or the recruiting rights of military organizations associated with the Armed Forces or the Department of Homeland Security of the United States of America.
- The University’s Nondiscrimination policies apply to any phase of its employment process, any phase of its admission or financial aid programs, other aspects of its educational programs or activities, and instances occurring in other settings, including off-campus, if there are effects of the conduct that interfere with or limit any person’s ability to participate in or benefit from the University’s educational programs, activities or employment.
- Any person having inquiries concerning this policy should contact UMSL’s Equity Officer.
Important links:
Students also have the right to file an ADA or Section 504 complaint with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the U.S. Department of Education. You may contact an OCR office to obtain a complaint form. The Missouri OCR office is located at:
Office for Civil RightsU.S. Department of Education
One Petticoat Lane
1010 Walnut Street, 3rd floor, Suite 320
Kansas City, MO 64106
Telephone: 816-268-0550
FAX: 816-268-0599
TDD: 800-877-8339
Email: OCR.KansasCity@ed.gov
You may also file an online discrimination form at: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/qa-complaints.html
The student has 180 days after the date of the discriminatory action to file a complaint.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The University of Missouri is also governed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA or the Buckley Amendment). FERPA gives parents access to their child's educational records, an opportunity to have the records amended, and some control over the disclosure of information from the records. FERPA requires schools to provide an administrative process for parents to challenge and request changes to information in their child's educational records that the parent(s) believe may be misleading, inaccurate, or inappropriate.
However, if a student is 18 years of age or older, schools must have a student's consent prior to the disclosure of educational records to a parent.
New regulations under this act, effective January 3, 2012, allow for greater disclosures of personal and directory student identifying information and regulate student IDs and e-mail addresses.
This law also affords students 18 years or older, or students of any age if enrolled in a postsecondary educational institution, the right to privacy regarding his/her grades, enrollment, and even billing information. The institution cannot disclose this information unless the school has specific permission from the student to share this information.
FERPA also permits a school to disclose personally identifiable information from education records of an “eligible student” to his or her parents if the student is a “dependent student” as that term is defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code.
The law also allows students who apply to an educational institution such as graduate school permission to view recommendations submitted by others as part of the application process.
Resources
We would like to extend a warm welcome to our new and returning students! As an UMSL student, you assume new privileges and responsibilities in accordance with the expectations and mission of the university. As a cornerstone of this institution, the Student Standard of Conduct was established in order to protect the specialized learning environment on campus, an environment conducive to learning, integrity, academic success, personal and professional growth and responsible citizenship. As we begin this new school year, please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the policy and procedures implemented through the Offices of Academic Integrity and Student Conduct & Community Standards. A wealth of information is available online from each department at: Dishonesty and Student Conduct.
If you have any questions regarding the university’s expectations, please do not hesitate to contact either one of us for further clarification.
** Regardless of a student’s documented disability, they are expected to adhere to and meet the University of Missouri–St. Louis’ Student Standard of Conduct
131 Millennium 
(314) 516-5671 
(314) 516-6561 
