Eligibility & Reasonable Accommodations

Determining Eligibility

In order to receive consideration for accommodations under the ADA Amendments Act (2008) and Federal Rehabilitation Act, documentation should demonstrate a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits at least one major life activity.

“Substantially limits” refers to an impairment that prevents an individual from performing a major life activity or significantly restricts the condition, manner, or duration under which the average person in the general population can perform the same major life activity.

Note:  Accommodations received in high school or at another university do not guarantee eligibility or like accommodations at the Colorado School of Mines.  All requests will undergo the DSS review process.

Reasonable Accommodations

A “reasonable accommodation” modifies the environment or a task in order to provide equitable access to a program or activity in the most feasible manner available.

Reasonable accommodations are both disability- and person-dependent. Hence, they may vary from person to person for the same “type” of disability. The term “reasonable” refers to the match of the accommodation, including professional justification, to the limitation caused by a particular disability to a specific student.

Also, “reasonable” includes the resources required to provide an accommodation.  A request for accommodation is deemed reasonable if it:

    • Is based on appropriate individual documentation
    • Allows the most integrated educational experience possible without compromising essential requirements of a course or program
    • Is not of a personal nature (e.g., personal care attendants)
    • Does not impose an undue burden on the University
    • Does not pose a threat to personal or public safety