In order to receive disability-related accommodations and services, you should abide by the following process:

1. Apply and be accepted for admission to Texas A&M University at Qatar through the regular admissions process.
2. Provide current and comprehensive documentation of a diagnosed disability which requires accommodation.
3. Register with Disability Services at the beginning of each semester.

In order to register with the office, a student must present documentation of a legally recognized disability. You can submit your information to the Wellness Program office in the Texas A&M Engineering Building, office 318C. Refer to Documentation for more information.

Once documentation has been submitted:

1. The Wellness Program Coordinator and Counselor and the Texas A&M University Disability Services Documentation Review Committee (DRC) review all documentation and determine whether the student is eligible to receive Disability Services based on the documented disability.
2. Each student will meet with the wellness program coordinator and counselor to determine appropriate accommodations.
3. Appropriate accommodations are determined by the counselor and student, in consultation with an Accommodations Counselor at Disability Services at Texas A&M University, based on the documented needs, previous accommodations, and functional limitations of the student.
4. During this initial meeting with the wellness program coordinator and counselor, Disability Services policies and procedures are discussed with the student. The student is responsible for delivering the accommodations letters generated in this meeting to the instructors. Students are encouraged to meet with their instructors to discuss their testing and other accommodations and to answer any questions the instructors may have.

Documentation submitted should be current (in most cases no older than three to five years), comprehensive, and include the following:

• Student’s name
• Date of evaluation and/or last contact
• A specific diagnosis, including level of severity
• The specific findings in support of this diagnosis including relevant history, observations of the individual, tests administered, test results, and your interpretation of those test results. For a diagnosis of learning disability, ADD or ADHD, a neuropsychological examination or psychoeducational evaluation is required to determine eligibility for services as a student with a disability. Objective evidence of a substantial limitation must be provided.
• A description of the student’s functional limitations as they are directly related to the stated disabilities and necessitate any accommodations
• The evaluator’s name, address, telephone number (in the event our office needs to contact the evaluator), and professional credential relevant to the diagnosis (i.e., M.D., Ph.D., LSSP)
• The documentation must be on letterhead, typed, dated, and signed

How to get documentation:

The professional making the diagnosis of a disability should be an appropriately trained evaluator, such as a physician, psychologist, psychiatrist, or educational diagnostician. For example, an audiologist would diagnose a hearing impairment; a psychiatrist, psychologist, or clinical social worker would diagnose a psychological disability. **Documentation from a family member or family friend is not acceptable**

Disability Services provides guidelines for documentation. If you have any questions about required documentation, contact the wellness program coordinator and counselor at +974.4492.7839. Disability Services reserves the right to request additional information or evaluation. Information regarding resources to use in obtaining an evaluation is available from the Department of Student Affairs.

Disability Services serves as the repository for medical documentation of disabilities. Documentation submitted to Disability Services is confidential and used solely for the purpose of assisting students in identifying and securing accommodations and services to support their full participation at Texas A&M University at Qatar.

The goal of accommodations is to provide access to educational programs and co-curricular activities.
Some general information about accommodations:

1. Accommodations are provided on an individual basis as needs arise. Accommodations are designed around the needs of the student.
2. Examples of accommodations include: extended testing time, interpreters, note-taking, reader services, scribe services, audio books and other adaptive technology services.
3. Providing accommodations such as extended test time or altered test formats is the responsibility of the faculty member. Disability Services may provide suggestions or assistance when necessary to implement the accommodation.
4. Although not accommodations, Disability Services supports students with issues and situations related to advocacy, accessibility, on-campus housing, transportation services, and attendant care.
5. DS is a resource for information including, but not limited to, tutoring services, study skills and time management, community resources, disability awareness, and various University services.
6. Although the University is not required to accommodate students with temporary disabilities (i.e., limbs in casts, a severe case of mononucleosis), faculty and staff may provide assistance such as recruiting volunteer note-takers or giving extensions on tests or paper deadlines.
7. With the support of the Disability Services Department in College Station and Information Technology at Texas A&M at Qatar, Disability Services has the capability to provide adaptive technology when needed. Specific accommodations will be arranged through Disability Services.

What constitutes a disability?
A disability is defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as a mental or physical impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities. Learning is an example of a major life activity. If you have a mental or physical condition, a history of such a condition, or a condition which may be considered by others as substantially limiting, you may have a legally defined disability.

What does substantially limiting mean?
According to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, substantially limiting is defined as being unable to perform a major life activity, or significantly restricted as to the condition, manner, or duration under which a major life activity can be performed, in comparison to the average person or to most people.

What is a major life activity?
According to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a major life activity is defined as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.

What are academic adjustments?
Appropriate academic adjustments create an equal access to education, as long as it doesn’t require a substantial change in an essential element of the curriculum. This is determined by the institution. Such modifications may include an adjustment in the amount of time allowed to complete a degree, substitution of degree requirements, and adaptation of the manner in which specific courses are conducted.

I suspect I have a learning disability, can Disability Services conduct the assessment to provide a diagnosis?
Colleges are not required to conduct or provide testing. The student is responsible for providing current documentation, and any additional testing, if necessary. However, we do provide referral information.

What should I know when applying to Texas A&M University at Qatar? Are there any special procedures?
Students with disabilities must apply to the University through the regular admissions procedure. There are no special admissions procedures. A student may, however, apply to Educational Testing Services, the leading provider of standardized tests, for provision of accommodations when taking standardized tests such as the SAT. Contact Educational Testing Services for further information.

What should I do if I suspect I have a disability and want to receive accommodations?
If you suspect you have a disability that is impacting your academic performance, you will need to provide documentation of that disability to Disability Services. This documentation must be supplied by a qualified professional who is licensed or certified to diagnose the disability in question. Please check out the rest of this website for additional procedural information. An appointment should be scheduled with the wellness program coordinator and counselor in office 133D to review the documentation and the need for services.