FAQ on Requesting Reasonable Accommodations

【FAQ on Requesting Reasonable Accommodations】

1. What are reasonable accommodations?

・Reasonable accommodations are special considerations or services provided as a part of the university's responsibility to ensure equal access to opportunities against social barriers that are created in association with disabilities.
・Details will be decided based on the "Requesting Reasonable Accommodations" process listed on the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion's website. Accommodations are offered based on a mutual agreement between both student and university through constructive dialogue. Accommodations may not be provided solely as they are originally requested.
・Decisions about reasonable accommodations may need to be adapted based on the goals of specific courses, their subject matter, and the way students are evaluated and graded.

2. What should I write in my request?

・Describe what types of situations have caused you issues in the past, what your worries are, any anxieties you have, or other concerns.
・If you have a physician or someone close that you trust, it may be worthwhile to consult with them about what to include. We can talk about these situations during academic guidance sessions.
・If you do not know what to write even after thinking it over or asking others for help, you can leave the answer blank.

3. Why do I have to submit a medical certificate?

・We ask that you submit a medical certificate is necessary because it serves as a basis for which types of accommodation will be appropriate for your situation. For other forms of official documentation other than a medical certificate, you may also be asked to submit the results of a psychological examination or written records of practical accommodations that you were provided in the past.
・If you are unable to supply documentation when submitting your request due to running out of time, please indicate so on the application form.

4. Can I receive any accommodations before submitting my request?

・The starting point for offering accommodations will be after conents of the accommodation are decided and shared with the subject lecturer. These accommodations cannot be applied retroactively. For more information about the process for receiving accommodations, please refer to the "Requesting Reasonable Accommodation" portion of the website for the Office for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
It takes approximately one month to finalize accommodations after the application is submitted. Because reasonable accommodations are provided and scheduled based on the academic semester, if you are hoping to receive special considerations during your current term, we recommend submitting your application by the following dates.
Spring Semester: May 31
Fall Semester: November 30

5. What is an @ease supporter?

・@ease supporters are other students whose main purpose is to work together with disabled students to provide support. Their main activities are as follows.
・Helping students record information by taking notes by hand or on a computer
・Helping students get around campus
・@ease supporters will be wearing lanyards while working.
・The dispatch of @ease supporters is the same as any other accommodation. This means that approval is determined through documentation and an academic guidance session that demonstrates how a disability is related to barriers a student is experiencing.

6. What does "LSB" stand for in the list of support options?

・LSB is an acronym for "Learning Support Book." It is a database of information about the unique perspectives and experiences of people with developmental disabilities. It also provides useful resources for college students and others in their studies and daily lives. Keio students have access to the full version of LSB. If you want to get access to this resource, please email us at keiodiversity@info.keio.ac.jp. Be sure to include (1) your full name (2) the name of your undergraduate faculty/graduate school and (3) your student ID number. After we confirm your enrollment status, we will send you the information needed to access LSB.
For details, please refer to the following website.
"Learning Support Book" support database, Reasonable Accommodation for Developmental Disabilities (RADD), tsukuba.ac.jp.

*This is operated and managed by the Joint Usage/Education Center at the Bureau of Human Empowerment (BHE), University of Tsukuba.