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Definition of a Disability

Disability Services is committed to providing equal access and reasonable accommodations, where appropriate, for qualified disabled students as covered under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 1990, and the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008.

• The ADA defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of an individual. Major activities are those activities which the average person can perform without difficulty. Examples of major life activities include, but are not limited to, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, concentrating, reading, caring for oneself, sitting, standing, lifting, bending. A major life activity also includes the operation of major bodily function, including but not limited to, functions of the immune system, digestive, bowel, bladder, endocrine, respiratory, normal cell growth, circulatory, and normal cell growth.

• a record of such an impairment; or
  

• being regarded as having such an impairment

In addition, in order for a student to be considered eligible to receive academic accommodations, the documentation must show functional limitations that impact the individual in an academic setting. Students who meet the first (actual disability) and second (record of disability) parts of the definition are entitled to reasonable accommodations; individuals who only meet the third part (regarded as) are not entitled to accommodations.

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