Student Resources

Disability is a neutral factor in the admissions process at Ball State; it will neither help nor hurt you in getting admitted to Ball State. In fact, legally Ball State cannot inquire about disability prior to admission to the university.

However, if you think you may be "on the bubble," you (as the prospective student) may want to write a letter to be sent with the application which displays insight about the disability, describes coping skills learned, and indicates a willingness to use services at Ball State. The content of the letter should have an academic focus. Evidence of leadership experiences or other unique attributes may be included.

You are encouraged to plan a pre-admission visit to Ball State to meet with representatives from the Undergraduate Admissions and Disability Services.

Contact the admissions office for more information about admissions requirements.

All admitted students receive a Self-Disclosure for Disability Form with their admissions package.

Should you choose to disclose a disability, simply fill this form out and return it to the Disability Services office. The office will then send you a verification form to be completed by the appropriate licensed professional.

When this verification form is returned, Disability Services will meet with you to determine what accommodations are reasonable and appropriate for you. 

Students may disclose a disability at any time while they are a Ball State student.

The first step is to disclose your disability to Disability Services.

When you do, you will receive one of our verification forms. This form should be given to the appropriate licensed professional for completion.

The appropriate licensed professional is the person who diagnosed you with the disability or currently sees you relative to the disability.

Disability Services will review the documentation to determine what, if any, services or accommodations are appropriate and reasonable.

In order to receive services or accommodations relative to a disability, Disability Services must have on file thorough documentation of the disability that:

• clearly diagnosis a disability
• is age-appropriate (i.e. assesses your current level of functioning)
• lists the functional limitations of your disability in an educational setting
• lists recommendations from the appropriate licensed professional for accommodations for you

No, colleges and universities do not follow the provisions of your Individualized Education Program (IEP).

Although your IEP may help identify what accommodations were useful in high school, it may not be sufficient documentation to determine appropriate and reasonable accommodations at Ball State.

Having the appropriate licensed professional thoroughly fill out and return the verification form is the typically best way for Disability Services to determine what accommodations you will receive.

The vast majority of Ball State students receive financial assistance such as scholarships, grants, and loans. To learn more, visit the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships website. 

Also, financial assistance may be available to students with disabilities through Indiana Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VR). The agency provides training/support for persons with disabilities. VR will sometimes pay some college costs for its clients.

In addition to offering an accessible campus for wheelchair users, Ball State offers many other services and accommodations. Services such as test accommodations, access to a lift-equipped shuttle, priority class scheduling, and accessible housing are offered.

While Ball State does not provide personal care attendants, a referral list of prospective attendants and local home health care agencies can be obtained by contacting our office.

Disability Services will work with students with hearing impairments to arrange for sign language interpreters and notetakers as needed. Additionally, we can offer other potential accommodations, at your request.

Ball State's Audiology Clinic also offers a variety of services to students with hearing impairments.

Disability Services works with students with visual impairments to determine what works best.

The Adaptive Computer Technology (ACT) Lab can make print accessible in many ways, including audio or other accessible formats.

Disability Services can also provide other services for students who are visually impaired.

Yes, Disability Services provides a variety of services for students with psychological disabilities.

Ball State's Counseling Center also offers a wide range of counseling services to Ball State students.

We need to have documentation that assesses your current level of functioning, so most likely you will need to be retested.

No. It is the student's responsibility to provide verification of disability to Ball State and to pay for evaluations or reevaluations of disability.

Contact our office for suggestions on how to get tested for a disability.

No, degree requirements are the same for every student, but Ball State does offer a wide range of services for students with disabilities.

Disability Services can provide academic accommodations such as extra time on exams and/or an alternate testing location. 

The Learning Center offers free tutoring for all core classes at Ball State as well as study skills tutoring and workshops.

The Adaptive Computer Technology (ACT) lab has several software and hardware programs designed specifically for students with disabilities.

Other support services are also available to students, such as:

• Academic Advising
• career advice through the Career Center
• personal counseling through the Counseling Center

To request a single room based upon disability, you must make a written request to Disability Services.

You will need to have the appropriate licensed professional provide specific information about why your disability would prohibit you from having a roommate and what the results would be if you did not have a single room.

Disability Services will meet with housing personnel and determine if the request warrants the accommodation of a single room. The office will notify you in writing of the decision that is made.

Ball State has a limited number of residence halls with central air, or you can rent an air conditioner for your room.

This is coordinated with the Office of Housing and Residence Life.

Notify the office early of your needs.

If you choose to disclose to your professors and receive accommodations, Disability Services will provide you a letter to give to your professors.

This letter will state that the office has reviewed documentation relative to your disability and will list the appropriate accommodations.

When giving this letter to your professors, you should plan to meet with them and discuss what will need to be done to receive these accommodations. It is your responsibility to initiate this process and to give the letter to your professors.

If Disability Services has received documentation of a disability that warrants test accommodations, the office will state that whatever the student and the professor arrange is fine, as long as it is fair to both the student and the professor.

This information is included in your accommodation letter that you give the professor. Alternative test administration should be grounded in institutional standards of fairness and security.

The key is that the test should be a reflection of the student's ability rather than disability.

No explanation/interpretation of vocabulary or test questions is permitted beyond that which the entire class would receive.

Disability Services will also inform the professor that the Learning Center can facilitate the test accommodations if needed.

It is the responsibility of the student and the professor to make the arrangements with the Learning Center staff.

If you request it, Disability Services will provide you with a letter to give to professors explaining that because of your disability and medication you may miss an occasional class. This letter asks for some flexibility in attendance policy.

However, this does not mean that you can have unlimited absences. If you miss too many classes, you may need to seek a medical withdrawal from the Office of Student Affairs.

Disability Services can provide a student with a temporary medical condition a variety of services, including test accommodations and/or access to a shuttle that provides door to door transportation on campus. To learn more about how to obtain a temporary disability parking permit, visit Parking Services.

Ball State's Office of the General Counsel investigates all complaints of discrimination at the University.

Contact this office should you feel that you have been discriminated against based upon disability.

Or you may contact the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the U.S. Department of Education. OCR is responsible for enforcing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.