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Students with Disabilities

As a student or alum with a disability or with accommodations, you may have additional questions as you transition to the workplace. You may even have questions about whether or not you have a disability. If you receive accommodations through the university’s Accessibility and Disability Service (ADS), or had an IEP or a 504 plan in high school, you qualify as a person with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act.  But that’s not all!  The ADA defines disability as any impairment that substantially limits major life activities such as seeing, hearing, speaking, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, learning, caring for oneself, and working.  Most students are unaware that this includes two conditions that are prevalent on our campus: ADHD and mental health issues.

We encourage students to turn accommodations/disability into an asset.  You do this by demonstrating that you have the knowledge, know-how and resources to partner effectively with the organization to put in place the accommodations or work-arounds that you need to succeed.  Demonstrating such mastery shows an organization that you are persistent, resilient, a creative problem-solver, and a good communicator, and that the success of the company is your primary interest.  We can assist you in developing that mastery. Contact Nancy Forsythe, Senior Faculty Specialist/Disability Inclusion, nforsyt2@umd.edu, to request an appointment and learn more.

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At each stage of the recruitment and hiring process-- career preparation, job search, application, interview -- you may need to consider how your accommodations or disability will affect your performance.  Once you’re hired, what about succeeding in the job?  Will your need for accommodations or disability affect your performance on the job? Which accommodations are best for you?

Disclosing a disability is an individual decision.  You are never required to disclose a disability at any point in the employment process.  However, your disability may be visible, or you may want to disclose in order to receive accommodations, or you may feel that your disability is an important part of who you are.  Whether you need to disclose, when to disclose, and how to disclose can be complicated, and we are here to help. 

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