Accessibility & Disability Support Services
Prescott College’s Accessibility & Disability Support Services ensure equal educational opportunities for students with disabilities.
Overview
Prescott College provides reasonable accommodations for qualified students with documented disabilities to ensure equal access to programs and facilities, in compliance with federal and state laws. A disability is defined as an impairment that substantially limits major life activities, such as learning, walking, or communicating.
While Prescott does not offer specialized programs for students with disabilities, it provides support services like tutoring, academic coaching, holistic advising, and wellness services. With small class sizes and accessible faculty, the College fosters a supportive environment that encourages student independence and self-advocacy.
The Director of Accessibility works with students and staff to coordinate accommodations, aiming to create an inclusive campus where all students can thrive.
When and Where to Reach Us
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm for walk-ins or via appointment
Location: First Floor Library
Requesting Accommodations
Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the Director of Accessibility and Accommodations to request reasonable accommodations. Disclosing a disability and requesting accommodations is voluntary. Students must initiate this process and provide specific requests with supporting documentation.
Each request is reviewed individually. Accommodations cannot compromise program requirements, College policies, or safety standards, and they are deemed unreasonable if they (1) fundamentally alter the nature or operation of the College’s programs, services, or activities, (2) cause undue burden to the College, or (3) pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others.
Requests for accommodations can be made at any time; however, in order for accommodations to be approved prior to the start of the term, completed forms and documentation must be submitted by August 1 for the fall term and January 3 for the spring term. Requests made after the deadlines or during the term will be reviewed and determined as quickly as possible. Housing assignments are made for the full academic year; therefore, housing requests from new students made after the June 1 deadline may be more difficult to fulfill.
- Students initially apply by submitting the appropriate documentation and meeting individually with the Director of Accessibility and Accommodations to discuss their accommodation request.
- After approval, students will request their Faculty Notification Letters (also known as accommodation letters). Once these letters have been sent, students are asked to meet with professors to discuss their accommodation plan; however, professors are encouraged to invite students to start these conversations.
- Each semester, students must request new Faculty Notification Letters for their approved instructors. Letters are sent within 3 business days of the request, apply only from the requested date onward, and are not retroactive.
If any of the following pertain to you, you will need to schedule an appointment with the Director of Accessibility and Accommodations before your Faculty Notification Letters can be requested:
- This is your first time registering with the Accessibility and Accommodations Office (requires an initial meeting of about 30 minutes)
- You are returning from Leave of Absence (LOA)
- You are requesting changes to your accommodations
- There has been a change in disability/condition
Students are expected to work cooperatively with the Director of Accessibility and Accommodations to determine appropriate accommodations, which are reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis.
Some of the most common academic accommodations include (but are not limited to):
- Extended time on exams, tests, and assignments
- Separate setting with limited distractions for tests/exams
- Use of computer for tests, in-class assignments, or note-taking
- Notetaker (peer), note-taking software, or audio recording of classes
- Print materials in an accessible, electronic format
- Priority registration
- Moving classrooms to accessible locations
- Reduced course load
- Technology to support literacy and/or sensory access
The Director of Accessibility and Accommodations will work with students, faculty, and staff to arrange for approved accommodations and assess the efficacy of the accommodations provided.
All students can make an appointment with their individual Success Coach to work on executive function skills (time management, organization, scheduling & reminders) in addition to other academic support services. Students can connect with their Success Coach at any time, and is separate from the faculty advisor.
Housing and Meal Accommodations
In order to determine housing and/or meal accommodations, students must work with the Director of Accessibility and Accommodations to determine reasonable and appropriate accommodations. The Director works with students and staff to determine, provide, and arrange for reasonable accommodations, which are reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis.
At Prescott College, the Crossroads Cafe provides all students with made-to-order meal options and all students who are living on campus are required to have a meal plan. If a student with a disability believes an accommodation, modification, or exemption may be necessary, the student must meet with the Director of Accessibility and Accommodations in order to determine the appropriate accommodations.
Students are encouraged to use campus resources, including resident assistants, study spaces, and peer mediation, to support personal growth in the community. Students with disabilities should meet with the Director of Accessibility and Accommodations to discuss any needed accommodations, which may involve consulting the Director of Residence Life.
- Housing assignments are made for the full academic year; therefore, housing requests from new students made after the June 1 deadline may be more difficult to fulfill. Requests made after the start of the school year will be considered for the following term and, if approved, granted sooner if possible and space permits.
Service and Emotional Support Animals
The College supports the use of service animals and emotional support animals (ESAs) for individuals with disabilities. Service animals are permitted on campus to aid in access and participation in programs. Approved ESAs are also allowed for students with a mental or physical impairment that limits major activities and are prescribed by a licensed mental health professional.
Unlike pets, ESAs provide emotional support through their presence, and service animals perform specific tasks. The College does not allow pets, except fish, but may accommodate approved ESAs under certain conditions.
If an ESA request is granted, the College may inform those nearby of the animal’s presence but not disclose the student’s disability. Roommates or suitemates must agree to share space with an ESA. If conflicts arise, Residence Life may relocate one of the parties involved. ESA requests may be denied if they impose financial or administrative burdens, alter housing policies, or pose health or safety risks.
To request an ESA, students should contact the Director of Accessibility and Accommodations.
Attendance Accommodations
Students with disabilities that affect attendance on a regular basis can request an attendance accommodation. Attendance accommodations are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Director of Academic Services and individual faculty using guidelines provided by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). Students should be aware that faculty are not required to fundamentally alter their classes and excessive absences may mean a fundamental alteration. In cases where it is not possible for a student with a disability to attend enough class meetings to successfully complete the course, a withdrawal from the course can be considered as an alternate accommodation.
Academic Success Toolkit
Our Academic Success Toolkit has a variety of resources that offer techniques and strategies for improving academic learning for all students.
Grammarly is a software program that helps deter writing mistakes, contextual errors, spelling errors, and poor vocabulary usage. The premium version is free for all Prescott College students.
Pomodoro is a time management technique that uses a timer to break down work into intervals traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. Available as a desktop or Phone application.
My Study Life is a cross-platform planner that allows users to store classes, homework, and exams in the cloud, and make it available on any device. Free to download.
ToDoist is a productivity app that helps users organize personal, school, and work responsibilities. Free to download with premium features available for purchase.
The MyHomework app is a digital student planner that allows users to track classes, homework, tests, and projects. Free to download with premium features available for purchase.
StayFocusd is an extension available on the Google Chrome web browser. Users enter the maximum amount of time they would like to spend on specific websites before being blocked.
Pause is a simple extension that challenges you to momentarily pause and reflect before visiting a distracting website. In doing so, Pause breaks the cycle of distraction and helps you be more focused, productive, and intentional with your technology use.
Freedom (available for Mac or Windows) is an all-in-one distraction blocker, whether your distractions are websites, desktop apps, or the entire internet. With Freedom Premium you can add unlimited devices and custom blocklists.
Evernote is a note-taking application that is available on Android, iOS, macOS, the web, and Windows.
Microsoft OneNote is a note-taking application that is available on Android, iOS, macOS, the web, and Windows.
Noteability allows users to draw, write, and annotate documents and photos in a single note to bring projects to life. It is compatible with iOS and ideal for tablet users. Cost is $9.99/individual.
Quizlet is an online learning tool that trains students via flashcards and various games and tests.
MindMeister is an online mind-mapping tool that lets users capture, develop, and share ideas visually. It is completely web-based, which means there is no download and no updating required.
StudyBlue is an online studying platform that allows users to upload class study materials, create electronic flashcards to study and share with others, and practice quizzes. Free to download with premium features available for purchase.
FocusWriter is a simple, distraction-free writing environment that is free to download and features features such as timers, alarms, daily goals, and customizable themes.
Read and Write (R&W) is a text-to-speech program that provides visual and auditory feedback of text. It works with Word documents, PDFs, and web pages. Other features include a screen masking tool, color coding, a highlight collector, an MP3 converter, a translator, and more.
Speechify is a mobile, chrome extension and desktop app that reads text aloud using a computer-generated text-to-speech voice. The app also uses optical character recognition technology to turn physical books or printed text into audio. The app lets users take photos of text and then listen to it read out loud. It works with Word documents, PDFs, and web pages.
NaturalReader is a text-to-speech app that enables users to convert written text from various sources, including webpages, PDF files, TXT files, handwritten notes, and more into high-quality audio
Mental Health & Meditation Resources
Uwill provides free immediate access to teletherapy and mental health crisis support for students. All Prescott College students are eligible to receive counseling services on the Uwill platform free of charge.
Guided Mind is an iPhone and iPad application with guided meditations that address specific challenges and help users relax and deal with the stresses of day-to-day life. Free to download.
Calm is a website and app with relaxing nature videos and guided meditation for stress management. Free to download with premium features available for purchase.
Breathe is an app that guides users through a series of deep breaths and reminds them to take time to breathe every day. Free to download.
Tips & Techniques
Every day, pick 1 big task, 3 medium tasks, and 5 smaller tasks to work on. The focus for picking these tasks can be less on full completion and more on the dedication of time on that day to those specific tasks!
Sort your tasks into different quadrants of what to do first, what to schedule, what to delegate, and what to delete.
List and rank your favorite study spots on campus to either help with efficiency in getting started on your work or to assign specific work to be done only at each of those locations.
Work until motivation runs out, then set a 10 or 15-minute timer to take a break. Repeat as needed and adjust your future study sessions to the average time you can fully focus.
Treat tasks like meetings or classes; schedule them in blocks and focus on nothing else but that given task in that block of time.
If it can be done in 2 minutes or less, do it right away
Learn about the Cornell Note-Taking System and explore different note-taking strategies for improving academic learning.
Access a variety of resources about learning skills that offer techniques and strategies for improving academic learning.
Reading and fully understanding the complex texts you are assigned in college is a skill you can learn. This guide provides actionable strategies for improving your reading comprehension in college.
This worksheet assists students keep track of important class information, major assignments, and essential information about each class.
Start Your Journey
We provide an education that spans areas of study and brings together knowledge from various fields.