Why do we in postsecondary education provide services and accommodations to students with disabilities?

A.    Because it’s our ethical and professional responsibility to afford all of our

       students the opportunity to successfully complete their courses.

B.    Because there are federal laws that mandate it.  If we didn’t, we would lose

       federal and state funding. Additionally, both the institution and the individual instructor

      could be subject to costly litigation, should a student’s complaint be supported by

       the Office of Civil Rights.

C.   Because we want to receive good reviews on sites like ratemyprofessors.com and

       we want students to really really like us.

Most of you will answer A. Providing educational opportunities is the reason you’re in this business.  However, there are legal mandates that govern the provision of services and accommodations to students with verified disabilities.  You want to be aware of the laws so you know you are within compliance. Here is a synopsis.