Disability Services
Fill out our New Student Application so that we can grant your accommodations sooner than later!
Students registered with Disability Services are required to contact the Coordinator at least once a semester to receive a new Accommodation Letter.
Need to submit documentation and aren't sure what to ask for? Our guidelines tell you exactly what we're looking for!
Here you can learn more about the structure and limitations of our accommodations and services, such as rules for animals on campus, what accommodations we offer, vaccine exemptions, and more.
Need to take a placement exam? Have accommodations for a test that your instructor can't accommodate? Our Testing Center is your one-stop-shop for all your testing needs!
AKA emotional support animals. Students who want an assistance animal in their residence hall or campus apartment must register the animal and submit documentation, as well as up-to-date vaccination records.
Students seeking an exemption to certain vaccine requirements should submit this form. Vaccine exemptions requests only need to be made once.
Students who desire to share their information related to Disability Services with third-party individuals or organizations should submit the release of information form.
Bookshare is free to all students. Features include a large library of audiobooks, speech-to-text, highlighted text, braille, large font, and more!
This text-to-speech program is free to all students. Features include highlighters, voice notes, audiomaker, and more!
We are located in the back of the Student Success Center (SSC). It's the new-ish gray building down the hill by the football field, across from the HPER/athletics. Once inside, look for signs for the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE). There is a parking lot across the street with visitor parking, as well as a few spots in front of the building. Our hours are Monday - Friday from 9am - 5pm, excluding holidays. View our campus map (PDF) to help find us.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a person with a disability as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This includes anyone who has a record of such an impairment, even if she or he does not currently have a disability, and people who do not have a disability but are regarded as having one.
Common disabilities may include: severe anxiety, depression, ADHD/ADD, learning disabilities such as dyslexia or dyscalculia, and hearing, vision, or mobility impairments.
Generally, students reach out to Disability Services via phone or email. They speak with the Coordinator to go over their diagnosis, history, and access needs using the students preferred communciation method, though in-person meetings are strongly encouraged. Then, the student submits a New Student Application and Documentation. Once all the required materials are in, the Coordinator issues an Accommodation Letter to relevant faculty. Students are required to obtain a new letter each semester, and may do so by simply contacting Disability Services at the beginning of each semester.
Student disclosure of a disability is voluntary. Data is collected when applying for Disability Services for the purpose of reporting demographic information, but student identity remains anonymous. Montana Tech considers disability-related information as confidential material. The information will not be released except in response to a student’s request or written authorization to assist a student with an education-related issue, or as permitted under certain circumstances per legal guidelines. Faculty are sent an Accommodation Letter every semester, which informs them that a student in their class is registered with Disability Services and is permitted accommodations, but it does not give a diagnosis, or any other private information.
For those in Butte, we recommend contacting Mountain West Psychological Services, Western Montana Mental Health Center, We Care Behavioral Health, Aware, Inc., or Psychiatric Consultants, Inc. as a starting point. If you don't have insurance to cover medical appointments, we provides student health insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Other organizations that may be helpful to you include Ability Montana, Disability Rights Montana, Montana Disability and Health Program, Rocky Mountain ADA Center, Southwest Montana Aging and Disability Services, and Vocational Rehabilitation.
Students are encouraged to see our selection of general scholarships from Montana Tech's Financial Aid office. We may also be able to nominate a student with a 3.0 or above GPA who plans to start at Tech in a fall semester for the Teresa Haven Scholarship for Students with Disabilities.
Other financial opportunities for students may include: American Indian tuition waiver, Award Montana, Helena College, Montana State University, Reach Higher Montana, Senior Citizen tuition waiver, and the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE).
Montana Tech students have access to the text-to-speech program Read&Write, as well as textbooks converted to audio format via Bookshare and Access Text.
MonTECH can provide qualified students with disabilities a variety of assistive technologies for free or at a reduced cost. Additionally, interested parties can consider a loan from Rural Dynamics to purchase assistive technology, or visit Disabiility Rights Montana for help obtaining assistive technology.
Did you know? Accroding to Forbes, people with disabilities bring unique problem-solving skills and a strong sense of loyalty to the workplace, as well as the posibility of reduced turnover and financial incentives for employers, and morale boosts for employees. Their success is due, in part, to their legal right to accommodations in the workplace.
The Pre-Employment Transition Services, or "Pre-ETS", from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services helps students make informed decisions on education and job choices, learn good habits, and get real work experience.
The Center for Academic Innovation offers frequent workshops for staff and faculty on topics ranging from Best Practices in Online Pedagogy to Accessible Course Design.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to read the latest edition of SYNK, a monthly newsletter with contributions from all over campus.
Tech staff and faculty now have access to the Online Learning Consortium (OLC). Access includes free webinars, publications and research, and deep discounts on workshops, institutes, and other learning opportunities. Create an account with your MTech email address.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights hosts a video series covering a variety of topics on digital access in education, including how people with disabilities use technology, applicable Federal regulations, and identifying and remediating barriers to access.
The mission of the American Chemistry Society is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people. They have a selection of journals on disability in the field, including how to accommodate such persons in labs.
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that Tech, as a public entity, make all programs and services available to all students. This includes both on and off campus events and in and outside of the classroom, as well as providing access to visitors with disabilities who come to Tech events that are open to the public
Faculty and Staff Rights
- You have the right to maintain the fundamental nature of your course
- You have the right to request verification of a student’s eligibility for academic accommodations
- You have the right to require students demonstrate their knowledge of crucial course content
- You have the right to negotiate an accommodation with Disability Services if the accommodations seems unreasonable
Faculty and Staff Responsibilities
- You are responsible for sharing information on how students can get accommodations. An accommodation statement should be included on every syllabus. I will be posting a sample accommodation statement on our webpage.
- You are responsible for working with students with disabilities to make reasonable accommodations in a timely manner
- You are responsible for maintaining confidentiality
We're glad you asked! Check out the following PDFs for some easy steps faculty can take to making their courses more accessible to students.
- Alternative Assessment Methods
- Classroom Seating Arrangements
- Easy Electronic Accessibility
- Instructional Materials Checklist
- Sample Syllabus Statement
As for events, the University of Montana has some helpful guidelines for creating and implementing accessible events on campus. The U.S. Department of Justice also gives an overview of ADA requirements for ticketed events.
Disability Services and Accessibility Coordinator
Phone: +1 406-496-4428
Fax: 406-496-4757