Confidentiality

Confidentiality: Self-Disclosure and Referrals

Determining that a student is disabled may not always be a simple process. Visible disabilities are immediately recognizable such as a physical impairment, or the use of a cane, wheelchair, or crutches. Other students may have hidden disabilities such as:

Hearing impairments; Legal blindness; Learning disabilities Chronic conditions (cardiac/diabetes/kidney disease); Psychiatric or Seizure disorders

Students with disabilities are protected under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and civil rights laws:

• Student records are confidential; and shared with others only when there is a demonstrated need.
• At no time should statements or implications be made that the student is different from the general student population. Do not identify the person or their disability information to other students.

Participation in DSPS is voluntary and students must self-identify. Timely, reasonable accommodations must be provided even if the student elects not to participate in DSPS. Should a student choose to work directly with the instructor, DSPS can assist in reviewing disability verification and in determining the reasonable and appropriate accommodation based on the individual's functional limitation(s)