Frequently Asked Questions

Disability support services are obtained through the Monahan Learning Center (MLC) located in Knowles Hall. There are various factors involved in determining a student's eligibility. To receive services and accommodations at Northeastern or to get information regarding eligibility of services, a student must notify the institution's transition specialist and initiate the process for determining their eligibility for accommodations.

The transition specialist is responsible for determining a student's eligibility for disability services. There are various factors involved in determining accommodations for each eligible student, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the student's diagnosis and documentation of strengths and weaknesses.

The MLC does not conduct learning disability testing; however, we can provide you with a list of professionals in the area that do learning disability assessments. The student is responsible for costs associated with any assessments.

No. Affiliation with Accessibility Services through the MLC is confidential and not part of a student's official academic record.

No, there are no fees for reasonable accommodations. Accommodations are required by law and are the responsibility of the college.

To receive accommodations at Northeastern, a student must provide current documentation from an appropriate licensed professional regarding their disability and its impact in an academic setting. A student's Individual Education Plans (IEP) and 504 Plan are accepted by Northeastern as relevant documentation, although these documents do not guarantee any specific accommodation.

Sufficient documentation must:

• State the specific disability, as diagnosed.
• Provide relevant educational, developmental, and medical history.
• Describe the comprehensive testing and techniques used to arrive at the diagnosis, including evaluation date[s] and test results with sub-test scores. For example, for a student with a learning disability, measures of cognitive ability, academic achievement, and information processing are usually necessary. 
• Describe the functional limitations (how the disability impacts learning). 
• Establish the professional credentials of the evaluator, including information about license or certification and area of specialization.

Northeastern has the right to deny any requests for accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary services if the documentation demonstrates that they are not warranted or if a student fails to provide appropriate documentation.

The purpose of accommodations is to allow the student to demonstrate his or her knowledge of the subject matter rather than measure the disability. Accommodations are not provided to lower program and/or class standards, but to "level the playing field" and prevent intentional or unintentional discrimination against persons with disabilities.

Examples of possible accommodations:

• Extended time to take tests.
• Alternative testing area.
• Reader for tests.
• Note-taker for classes.
• Preferential seating in class.

(Specific accommodations depend on the disability, how an individual is affected by his/her disability and other regulations of current laws and legislation.)

Anything that would alter the nature of the course is not an accommodation but a modification and is not offered at the college level.

Examples of modifications that are not typically offered at Northeastern:

• Changing assignment requirements.
• Alteration of grading scales.
• Variation of degree requirements.
• Any accommodation that will require a substantial change to course, activity, program, policy, or procedure.

Services that are provided in high school to students with disabilities can be different from those that are offered in college. There are variations in governance and student responsibility. Understanding these differences can contribute to student success.

Differences in Governance

High schools are governed by the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA).	Colleges are governed by the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act but not governed by IDEA.
In high school, parents are notified and required by law to give permission for any decisions regarding their son or daughter. The student does not need to give explicit permission.	The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) mandates that the college cannot release any information concerning an adult over the age of 18 unless the students has given explicit written permission.

Differences in Responsibility

High schools are responsible for the right to education for all children.	The student is responsible to choose whether or not to attend college and to demonstrate qualification for college attendance.
High schools are responsible to provide free disability evaluations and documentation.	The student is responsible for providing current documentation of their disability to the college.
High schools are responsible for creating an Individual Education Plan (IEP) that determines placement and appropriate support services.	The student is responsible for planning his/her own education, identifying resources, and requesting reasonable accommodations.
High schools are responsible for implementing the IEP, making services available and including them in the schedule.	The student is responsible form implementing their own academic plan and requesting services each time they are needed.
The high school is responsible for fundamental curriculum alternation to allow individualized goals and objectives.	The student is responsible for meeting the unaltered fundamental college academic standards, standard course objectives, code of conduct and program requirements.
High schools are responsible to provide personal services such as transportation, mobility between classes or content tutoring beyond that offered by regular classes.	The student is responsible to provide their own personal services to assure their own independence and safety.
High school administrators, teacher and parents advocate for students.	The student is responsible to advocate for himself/herself in college.

For more information, please refer to the US Department of Education.