Disability Support Services

Disability Support Services provides educational access through support, resources, advocacy, collaboration, and academic accommodations.


The University provides a variety of services for students with disabilities. If you are a student with a documented physical, medical, psychological, or learning disability, you can schedule an intake interview to determine the level of accommodation needed.

To receive assistance

To receive assistance, you must have diagnostic documentation according to documentation guidelines. This documentation should explain the nature and extent of your disability, and may include professional recommendations for support services.

A student with a disability is a person who qualifies for an accommodation under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act. Disabilities may include (but are not limited to):

  • Physical disabilities, such as sensory disabilities (hearing, sight, etc.), or motor disabilities
  • Medical disabilities, such as cystic fibrosis, fibromyalgia or diabetes
  • Psychological disabilities, such as depression, bipolar or obsessive-compulsive disorder
  • Learning disabilities, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder

Two students crouch outside with a service dog.

Accommodations available

Our staff work with you to arrange needed accommodations based on your documentation and individual needs. These accommodations may or may not include (but are not limited to):

  • Accessible classrooms and housing
  • Books and other printed materials in alternative format
  • Exam accommodations (such as extra time on exams or readers for exams)
  • Sign language interpreters or FM systems
  • Use of assistive technology

While testing for disabilities is not offered by the University, referrals to community resources will be made when needed. Other special services may be arranged on an individual basis when appropriate.

We hope these web pages help students and faculty better understand disability accommodations and processes for receiving accommodations.

Questions?

Please contact us at:

Disability Support Services

Email: dss@spu.edu
Phone: 206-281-2272
Fax: 206-286-7348
Office: Lower Moyer Hall (M-F, 1-4 p.m.)  Available for walk-ins or by appointment.

Four students walk down a covered sidewalk with their backs to the camera.

DSS mission statement

Disability Support Services recognizes disability as an important part of diversity on campus and integral to our community and our society. We aim to provide educational access through support, resources, advocacy, collaboration, and academic accommodations for SPU students with disabilities and to support an inclusive and equitable environment.

Black background with SensusAccess header and below "alternate media made easy"

SensusAccess is an online text conversion tool that lets you convert your readings into more accessible formats. 

SensusAccess is free to anyone with an SPU email address.