Disability Resources

Students who believe they will need classroom accommodations to participate fully in the activities inherent to their academic programs at SEBTS should make those needs known as early as possible, preferably as soon as they have received notification of acceptance. Requests should be made to the Dean of Students Office and must be accompanied by documentation of the student’s disability, including suggested accommodations, completed by an appropriate professional. NOTE: The school does not provide diagnoses of learning disabilities, learning differences, or educational therapies.

Services are provided on an individual basis according to documentation provided by the student, tailored to individual needs, and may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Alternate Testing Location.
• Extended time for reading assignments.
• Extended time for examinations.
• Preferred seating in the classroom.
• Lecture outlines or lecture notes (electronic and/or printed).
• Textbooks in alternate formats: PDF or Word-formatted books, E-books
• In-class note takers or oral readers for exams.
• Auxiliary Aids. NOTE: After completing the Disability Services Accommodation Request Form, the student is responsible for identifying and giving adequate notice of the need, as well as assisting in finding appropriate and effective auxiliary aids.

In accordance with the desire to faithfully equip students, SEBTS offers the following to provide the best accommodations within SEBTS’ means:

• After acceptance, and prior to entering classes, students needing accommodations should make their requests by following these steps.
• The student self-identifies the disability diagnosis and its impact. Documentation of the disability from a doctor or licensed professional is required in order to receive accommodations as a student at SEBTS. A high school IEP will not be accepted. The student is responsible for the cost of evaluation if current documentation is unavailable. These documents will be filed and stored in the Dean of Students Office for reference in future matters regarding the student’s accommodations.
• Then, the student pursues applying to Disability Resources and making the request for accommodations. NOTE: The student will choose whether to self-identify to Disability Resources and whether to seek the use of accommodations.
• If the student is an incoming college, seminary, or doctoral student, it is the responsibility of the student to provide documentation and accommodation requests to Disability Resources in the Dean of Students Office prior to class registration. However, if a temporary or long-term diagnosis or condition occurs at any time while the student is enrolled at SEBTS, the student should contact the Dean of Students Office as soon as possible so that accommodations can be provided in order to assist the student in having a successful experience at SEBTS. It is necessary to provide documentation and accommodation requests only once to Disability Resources in the Dean of Students Office at the start of the first semester or when a student is diagnosed. It is not necessary to provide proof of documentation every semester. Once a file is made, accommodation requests will remain valid throughout the student’s duration of enrollment at SEBTS.
• Regarding physical accommodations to provide equal opportunity in the classroom, the student will need to provide official documentation from a doctor to Disability Resources for the Dean of Students Office to file.

In accordance with the desire to best serve our students, SEBTS offers the following procedure to assist qualified students with disabilities:

1. In order for documents to be filed in the Dean of Students Office and for accommodations to be authorized, the student will need to complete the Disability Resources Accommodation Request Form below. The student will fill out the required information on this form and upload the necessary documentation. The submission with all the documents will be sent to Disability Resources in the Dean of Students Office.  It is the responsibility of the student to complete the Disability Resources Accommodation Request Form and provide all necessary documents for files if the student wishes to receive accommodations. NOTE: This form should be filled out upon class registration or as soon as the student receives a disability diagnosis and recognizes the need for accommodations.
2. After an official file is made, the student will be notified of approval by means of an email from the Disability Resources Coordinator. An automatically generated email will be sent to each professor at the start of the semester notifying them of the approved student’s need for accommodations. The student will also receive an automatically generated email notifying them that their professors have received an email of their need for approved accommodations. The professor and student accommodation requests email will be sent every semester that the student’s enrollment is in effect. NOTE: This email does not mean the accommodations are automatically put into place; the next step must be followed.
3. After the student has registered for classes, the student should email the Academic Support Partner a list of the professors they will have for that given semester. A follow-up email will be sent to each professor by the Academic Support Partner on behalf of the student with a list of specific accommodations the student has been approved by the Disability Resources Coordinator to receive. The student will be copied in this follow-up email. The nature and specific diagnosis of the disability will not be disclosed to professors. It is the responsibility of the student to email their list of professors and courses for each semester to the Academic Support Partner prior to the start of classes.  NOTE: If the student’s diagnosis or accommodation needs change at any point while a student at SEBTS, please contact the Disability Resources Office immediately.
4. After the Academic Support Partner emails the student’s professors of their need for approved accommodations, it is the student’s responsibility to contact his/her professors in order to communicate how they can best work together in the provision of these accommodations for optimal success in the classroom and the student’s academics. While they are encouraged to talk directly to professors, students may seek assistance from the Academic Support Partner in communicating with professors as needed. The student should not request additional accommodations from the professor without first contacting the Disability Resources Office.
5. The professor can contact the Disability Resources Office to verify the student’s disability record and receive recommendations on how to best accommodate the student if the professor chooses to do so. NOTE: Specifics of the student’s disability and diagnosis will not be disclosed to the professor and will be kept confidential under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Only verification of documents from the student in the Dean of Students files will be given.
6. The student and professor, with the assistance of the Academic Support Partner as needed, will collaborate to determine how to implement the recommended accommodations.
7. SEBTS is unable to grant retroactive accommodations once the semester is completed. NOTE: If the student is a commuter (a student who travels to SEBTS campus for hybrid/weekend classes or doctoral classes) with a physical disability and requests specific accommodations for housing while staying on campus, please contact Disability Resources in the Dean of Students Office first so that the Dean of Students, Housing, and Facilities Offices can work in conjunction on behalf of the student.

Reasonable accommodations are reasonable modifications of the learning environment that eliminate, as much as possible, physical or instructional barriers to learning encountered by the student with a disability. A reasonable accommodation is considered appropriate and reasonable if the accommodation is feasible and reasonable in its alternative method or format and does not impose an undue burden or hardship on the school. Accommodations are individualized and dependent on the nature of the specific disability or disabilities.

Unreasonable accommodations are those that:

1. alter requirements that are essential to the program of instruction,
2. cause a fundamental alteration in the nature of a specific course or academic program,
3. impose undue financial or administrative burden, or
4. pose an appreciable threat to personal or public safety.

The school will assess on a case-by-case basis whether a particular reasonable accommodation would cause undue hardship or burden.

According to the ADA, “Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.” Students with disabilities can be accompanied by a service dog on campus where members of the public or participants in services, programs, or activities are allowed to go.

Federal law does not require someone to provide documentation that an animal has been trained as a service dog or that the dog wear any type of vest or badge indicating that it is a service animal. However, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and Judson College do require that the student requesting the use of a service dog or an emotional support assistance animal provide appropriate documentation from a physician or psychologist authorizing the need for the accommodation. Where it is not readily apparent that the animal is a service dog, SEBTS may ask if the animal is required because of a disability and what work or task the animal has been trained to perform.

The work or tasks performed by a service dog must be directly related to the individual’s disability. Examples of such tasks include but are not limited to assisting an individual with low vision with navigation, alerting individuals who are hard of hearing to the presence of people or objects, pulling a person’s wheelchair, providing assistance with stability or balance to an individual with a mobility disability, detecting the onset of a seizure, and alerting to an oncoming panic attack.

For more information on definitions, registration, documentation, and responsibilities and procedures, please see the Student Handbook Appendix D: Service and Emotional Support Assistance Animal Policies.

Service and Emotional Support Assistance Animal Accommodation Request Form

Healthcare Professional Form