Advising Services

Disability Accommodations

Disability Services

The BAC is committed to providing an accessible and supportive learning environment for students with disabilities. The Advising Coordinator, Disability Services works with students, faculty and staff to determine appropriate accommodations that will ensure students receive an equal opportunity for academic success. To request an accommodation, contact the Advising Coordinator, Disability Services at 617-585-0159 or email rory.stein@the-bac.edu.

The ADA Definition of a Person with a Disability
A person with a disability is anyone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more life activities, such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working. In addition to those people who have visible disabilities -- persons who are blind, deaf, or use a wheelchair -- the definition includes people with a whole range of invisible disabilities. These include psychological problems, learning disabilities, or some chronic health impairment such as epilepsy, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, cardiac problems, HIV/AIDS, and others.

The Law: The Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is the civil rights guarantee for persons with disabilities in the United States. It provides protection from discrimination for individuals on the basis of disability. The ADA extends civil rights protections for people with disabilities to employment in the public and private sectors, transportation, public accommodations, services provided by state and local government, and telecommunications relay services.

Disability Accommodations:
All students seeking accommodations must complete a Learning and Physical Disability Notification Form prior to receiving any accommodations. The form can be found on the BAC website under Advising Services/Forms and Publications or by contacting Rory Stein, Advising Coordinator, Disability Services at rory.stein@the-bac.edu.

The information that is provided on this form is confidential and will be used to determine appropriate student accommodations. Recent documentation of a student disability (within three years) must be submitted upon request. In order to make sure requests are received and acted upon in a timely manner, the student should contact the Director of Advising as soon as possible upon admission to the BAC. Waiting until the first days or weeks of classes may unnecessarily delay any accommodations the student might expect.

Once admitted to the BAC, all academic services are available to students with disabilities. The student must understand, however, that academic standards at the BAC are rigorous. By taking advantage of appropriate services and by means of individual effort, it is assumed that academic progress will be made. In addition, the student must understand that these conditions sometimes meet with a lack of understanding. The student and the Director of Advising should maintain open communication with the appropriate faculty and/or Program Directors to ensure academic integrity as well as reasonable expectations.

Accommodations that are determined to have a negative impact on the academic integrity of the educational program (e.g. those that would fundamentally alter the program of study) will not be honored.

The BAC Process:

  1. All students seeking accommodation must contact the Advising Coordinator, Disability Services and complete a Learning and Physical Disability Notification Form prior to receiving any accommodations. The form can be found on the BAC website under Advising Services/Forms and Publications or by contacting Rory Stein, Advising Coordinator, Disability Services at rory.stein@the-bac.edu.
  2. Students must submit recent documentation (within three years) of their disability.
  3. Students will meet with the Advising Coordinator, Disability Services to review the information provided on the Learning and Physical Disability Notification Form.
  4. Reasonable accommodations will be provided based on the information and documentation made available to the BAC.

Accommodations Provided by the BAC

  • Possible Testing Accommodations
    • extended time
    • low distraction environment
    • oral testing
    • calculator for math
    • test rescheduling
  • Possible Academic Accommodations
    • tape recording lectures
    • preferential seating
    • clear view for lip reading
    • help in finding note takers
    • disability related absences
    • disability related extensions
  • General Accommodations
    • wheelchair access
    • classroom changes
    • referral for counseling