Disability Services for Students

WHAT IS DISABILITY SERVICES FOR STUDENTS?

Disabled Student Services is part of the Dean of Students Office. It was created to assist Rensselaer students with disabilities in achieving full access both to the academic programs and extracurricular activities offered on campus. Disabilities may be physical, psychological, emotional, or learning-related, such as dyslexia or attention deficit. Disabled Student Services offers information, needs assessment, and individual assistance. All services are provided at the student's choice and are confidential.

WHO CAN BENEFIT?

Any member of the Rensselaer community, or prospective member, can request assistance or information.

If you currently are a Rensselaer student with a permanent or temporary disability, you may find some of the services described in the next section helpful.
If you are a prospective student thinking about applying to Rensselaer, we encourage you to contact us early to discuss your plans. You can be assured that your discussions will be kept confidential and separate from the admissions process.
If you are a member of the faculty or staff at Rensselaer and want to know how to assist a student or someone else you know with a disability, consult Information for Faculty or contact DSS for some useful suggestions.
If you are a Rensselaer employee with a disability, assistance can be arranged through Human Resources.

WHAT SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE?

Since each person is a unique individual, we work one-to-one with you to assess your needs and plan services that will help you achieve your goals at Rensselaer. To help us do that, we will ask you to provide documentation of your disability and its educational impacts after you have enrolled. Below are some of the services you may be eligible to receive. This is not a complete list, but will give you some examples of available assistance.

For all disabilities:

assistance in arranging specialized equipment
assistance in communicating your needs to faculty
counseling on disability concerns, goal planning, and adjustment to college life
a resource collection on disability topics, including employment, laws, and financial resources
referral to or liaison with organizations which may provide additional services or programs, such as state rehabilitation agencies

If you have a learning disability and/or attention deficit disorder:

tutoring and study skills assistance through Rensselaer's Advising and Learning Assistance Center
extended test time, or other testing modifications
tape-recorded or electronic textbooks
reading machine and voice-controlled computer in the Library

If you have a vision disability:

tape-recorded or electronic textbooks
extended test time, or alternative format such as large print
print magnifier and reading machine in the Library
assistance in recruiting readers and note takers
large-print campus maps and early orientation
adapted computers or other devices

If you have a mobility disability:

information about campus access and designated parking
classes arranged in convenient and accessible locations
a selection of barrier-free residence halls
assistance in recruiting aides
adapted computers or other hardware
campus tours and orientation

If you have a hearing disability:

use of equipment such as TTYs, adapted telephones, and assistive listening systems
visual fire alarm in your residence hall
assistance in recruiting note takers and arranging sign language interpreters

If you need assistance in using the Library, please see this article.

WHAT IF I NEED SOMETHING NOT LISTED OR I’M NOT SURE I WANT SERVICES?

We will work with on-campus resources or organizations in the local community to arrange the assistance you require, based on your individual needs, to participate fully at Rensselaer. You should be aware that you must request services in order to receive assistance from Disabled Student Services. However, you are under no obligation to use services and you may cancel services at any time. We believe you should take an active role in shaping and managing the services you use.

IS RENSSELAER'S CAMPUS ACCESSIBLE?

While Rensselaer appears at first glance to be a difficult campus for persons with mobility limitations, in fact, significant progress has been achieved over the years and access can be assured for all programs of study. Most academic buildings are accessible, and through individualized scheduling we can ensure that your classroom locations are barrier-free and conveniently located. Additionally, several residence halls have been modified to provide a choice of living arrangements. Students with vision loss will find that most elevators have tactile markings. Parking spaces are reserved and marked for disabled drivers in campus parking areas. Individual campus tours focusing on access needs can be arranged at any time by contacting Disabled Student Services.

To contact us:

Disabled Student Services
Dean of Students Office
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
110 8th Street
Troy, NY 12180-3590

Voice or TTY: (518) 276-2746
Fax: (518) 276-4839

Email: dss@rpi.edu

Rensselaer admits qualified students without regard to age, race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national or ethnic origin, veteran status, marital status, or disability.