Accessibility Services for Students

Students are encouraged to connect with the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) as a resource should they want to explore putting accommodations in place  If you need help accessing any information or forms on our website, we will gladly assist you.  Please contact us by phone at 508-831-4908, by email at accessibilityservices@wpi.edu, or by visiting Unity Hall - 5th floor.  Our office hours are Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm; the office does close for lunch from 12-1.

Disclosing Process

In order to disclose a disability and request academic accommodations, students must:

After submitting the online intake form you will receive an auto-reply, from the office to your WPI email account, indicating that the form was received.  Within 7 to 10 business days, after both the online intake form and submitted documentation have been reviewed, an OAS staff member will email you to schedule an intake appointment. During this meeting college appropriate accommodations will be discussed as well as general office supports that OAS can help with during your time at WPI. Once accommodations have been approved, you’ll be able to receive them throughout your time at WPI unless said accommodations have been approved on a temporary basis, you take substantial time off, or your disability has changed. 

There are times that the Office of Accessibility Services does consult with campus stakeholders to assist in the review of documentation. These offices include but are not limited to Student Health Services, the Student Development and Counseling Center, and the Housing & Residential Experience Center.

Please note: Documentation review and intakes are not held during final exam preparation and administration.  Due to the high volume of exams that OAS helps accommodate we are unable to meet for intakes during the final 5 days of each term.

To request a housing accommodation, see the accommodated housing section for more information on the process to request. 

Philosophy on Self-Advocacy

We strongly believe in equipping students with the skills needed to be their best self-advocate.  As such, if any issues arise or you are not receiving your approved accommodations, we encourage you (the student) to notify the Office of Accessibility Services as soon as possible.  

CONTACT
Location: Unity Hall
Phone: 508-831-4908

Sending Accommodation Letters

In order to access accommodations each term, a student must:

1. Send a copy of their accommodation letters to their professors (preferably at the start of the term) through the OAS Student Portal.  

2. Speak to their professors to discuss how accommodations will be implemented for each course.

For more information, see our step-by-step guide on sending accommodation letters or contact our office.  

OAS Student Portal

Helpful Assistive Technology

Interested in trying out some free or low-cost apps that can help with various school-related tasks? Here are a few of our favorites.

  • Cold Turkey can be programmed to block certain websites and other distractions
  • Quizlet provides material for interactive study sessions
  • Pomodoro Timer lets you schedule effective study and break times
  • Remember the Milk makes it easy to keep track of tasks and to-dos
  • SimplyNoise drowns out background noise to help you concentrate
OAS Policies and Procedures
Forms (WPI Login Required)

Alternate Format Media

If you have approved for an Alternate Format Media accommodation, you must:

  • Fill out the E-Text Alternative Format Request form for each course as soon as the textbook information becomes available. If possible, please contact the course professor, prior to the start of the term, to inquire about materials needed.
  • Please note that this process takes time. Requests that require OAS to contact the publishing company directly can take up to 10 business days or longer.

Dining Accommodations

Students with food allergies or other dietary concerns are encouraged to contact OAS so that we may better understand their needs.  OAS can help make connections with either a member of our WPI Food Allergen Trained Staff or WPI Health Services. Dining Services has published a brochure on Dining with Food Allergies and Celiac Disease that you may find helpful to review. If a student feels they need to request additional accommodations, after talking with either a member of the Dining Services or Health Services team, please contact OAS directly.  

Housing Accommodations

  • The deadline for incoming first-year students to request housing accommodations for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year has not been set - please check back closer to April 2025 for more information. 
  • The deadline for upper-class students to request housing accommodations for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year is Wednesday, February 5th, 2025. 
  • All housing accommodation requests that are received after the set housing deadlines will be placed on a standby list.  Based on current occupancy levels at WPI there is no guarantee of what pace the standby list moves at. OAS cannot guarantee the availability of spaces will meet late applicants' accommodation needs.
  • Students must submit a housing accommodation request each and every year that they wish to live on campus. 

Housing-based accommodations are available to students with a documented need. If you plan to request accommodations for housing, please complete the Housing Accommodation Request Form  (WPI Login Required).  You will need to submit supporting documentation such as the Disability Verification for Housing Accommodation Requests (PDF) from a qualified provider or a detailed letter that follows our documentation guidelines.  All students will also need to complete WPI’s housing application. If you would like to find out more information about Gender-Inclusive housing, please visit the the Housing & Residential Experience Center webpage.

Please note that there is a difference between housing accommodations and housing preferences.  Preferences for certain types of housing (i.e. specific residence halls, rooms, locations on campus, roommates) cannot be guaranteed.  Housing accommodations are only approved for the singular student who has a disability-related need (i.e. not roommates or suitemates as well).  There are times when OAS does collaborate with WPI campus partners to ask clarifying questions pertaining to submitted documentation.

Students who feel they may need evacuation assistance in the event of an emergency are encouraged to add themselves to the Voluntary Emergency Evacuation List. Information submitted on this form is forwarded directly to WPI Campus Police.  

Students who are interested in learning about the process of possibly having an Emotional Support Animal within WPI housing are encouraged to contact OAS to learn more about the required documentation and steps needed. Students are also strongly encouraged to review the WPI Animals on Campus Policy to fully understand the process and potential timelines of this accommodation.

Note-Taking Assistance

Students who have met with OAS and gone through the interactive process to determine if note-taking supports can be approved, should first attend three class sessions. This is to determine if what has been made available by the professor is sufficient. If the student finds that more note-taking support is needed, please fill out a Note-Taker Request Form and an OAS team member will contact the student to discuss this accommodation further. 

Reduced Course Load

Students who are interested in learning more about the reduced course load accommodation are strongly encouraged to contact OAS.  The Reduced Course Load accommodation does require supporting documentation, is semester based, and does have a deadline of when it can be implemented. This accommodation can only be put in place prior to the last day of the add/drop period in A-term or in C-term and does have a 12-12.75 credit limit; some nuanced exceptions may apply but would need to be discussed with OAS. Students who would like to learn more about this accommodation should plan to be in touch with OAS before the start of A-term (for the fall semester) and/or C-term (for the spring semester).

Testing Accommodations

Students with approved testing-based accommodations are encouraged to speak directly with their professors at the beginning of each term.  Students are encouraged to discuss their testing-based accommodations and how they will be implemented in the classroom setting.

  • If professors are able to accommodate you in the classroom setting - you should plan to stay in the classroom setting to complete your exam. 
  • If professors are administering online exams you are encouraged to speak directly with your professor to determine how extended time will be implemented.
  • If your professor is unable to proctor your exam and you will be utilizing our Exam Proctoring Center (EPC), you need to schedule your tests at least two school days in advance through the OAS Student Portal. OAS requires at least a two school-day sign-up process for several reasons: OAS-approved testing accommodations are a reasonable accommodation and not an emergency service, OAS staff members need this time to obtain copies of exams from professors, and the need for OAS staff to navigate seating capacity within our Exam Proctoring Center.    

Exam Proctoring Center (EPC) Information:

  • When you schedule an exam in the EPC, through the OAS Student Portal, you will receive an auto-reply, indicating the exam has been booked.  If you do not receive an auto-reply, this means the request was not completed and must be redone.
  • Due to limited seating capacity, the EPC will only be proctoring quizzes/exams that can only take place in person. You are strongly encouraged to reach out to your professors if you have questions/concerns about how your accommodations apply in a remote setting. All exams taking place on Canvas or electronic/take-home format will not be proctored by the EPC.
  • If a professor is able to proctor your exam within the classroom setting - please plan to stay in the classroom setting for your exam.
  • Late sign-ups may not be accommodated due to seating capacity. Please email epc@wpi.edu so that we may assist with scheduling.
  • All alternate time quiz/exam requests must be handled via email. Please email your professor and ask for permission for the alternate time request. Please forward that email to epc@wpi.edu so that we may assist with scheduling.
  • Should you have any questions and would like to meet with an OAS staff member please email accessibilityservices@wpi.edu to set up an appointment.
Office of Accessibility Services
Student Development and Counseling Center
Student Health Services