Resources Related to Disability Access

Whitman College is committed to advancing accessibility. The College Accessibility Committee works to ensure that we are making progress in advancing accessibility at Whitman. To better understand what we mean by accessibility, you may want to view these webinars provided by the Northwest ADA Center:

Webinar One: ADA Foundations
Webinar Two: ADA and Service Animals
Webinar Three: ADA and Workplace Accommodations

Whitman also maintains an institutional membership with AHEAD, the Association on Higher Education and Disability. Through AHEAD, we have access to an abundance of online resources to assist in our efforts to promote and advance accessibility at the college. The Division of Inclusive Excellence has sponsored staff attendance at AHEAD’s annual Equity and Excellence conference on Access in Higher Education.

AHEAD’s Webinar Series

Members of the Whitman College community have access to the following recordings of the Spring 2025 AHEAD webinar series:

Additional Information

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires private colleges to provide equal access to postsecondary education for students with disabilities. This includes:

Physical Accessibility

Ensuring that buildings, walkways, restrooms, athletic facilities and parking spaces are accessible.

Program Accessibility

Making sure that all programs and activities, including extracurricular activities, are accessible.

Academic Accommodations

Making reasonable academic adjustments, such as extended exam time, modified attendance policies, and alternative testing arrangements.

Aids and Services

Providing necessary aids and services, such as sign language interpreters, assistive technologies, note-taking assistance, and counseling services.

Non-discrimination

Ensuring that students with disabilities are treated fairly in admissions, programs and services.

Web Content Accessibility

Making sure that digital spaces, including websites, apps and digital content, are accessible.

Service Animals

Allowing students to bring their own emotional and/or service support animals to campus. However, the ADA only covers service animals that have been trained to perform tasks, and does not cover service animals in training.

Title II & III

Title II of the ADA covers publicly-funded universities, community colleges and vocational schools. Title III of the ADA covers privately-funded schools. All public or private schools that receive federal funding are required under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to make their programs accessible to students with disabilities.

All the programs of postsecondary institutions, including extracurricular activities, must be accessible to students with disabilities. The schools can do this in several ways: by providing architectural access to buildings, including residential facilities; by providing aids and services necessary for effective communication, like sign language interpreters, Braille or electronic formats and assistive listening devices; and by modifying policies, practices and procedures, such as testing accommodations and access to school facilities for service animals. Accommodations and program modifications should be individually designed to meet the needs of the student with a disability.

Accommodations and modifications of policies and practices are not required when it would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity or give rise to an undue financial or administrative burden.

The precise requirements for physical accessibility depend on when the building was constructed or altered. Colleges and universities can also relocate programs to accessible areas or other buildings.

Source: U.S. Department of Education