8.3 Assistance for Students with Disabilities

While BYU-Pathway Worldwide is not legally required to provide accommodations or assistance to students with disabilities, it endeavors to provide reasonable assistance to students who need it. Such assistance is provided voluntarily and in BYU-Pathway Worldwide’s sole discretion.

When students accept their offer of admission, they acknowledge that any voluntary assistance they receive may differ from accommodations provided by other institutions. BYU-Pathway Worldwide is not required to provide students with assistance even if it has previously provided similar forms of assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to request reasonable assistance for a disability. Such requests should be made as soon as possible since assistance is not retroactive. BYU-Pathway Worldwide cannot agree to requests for assistance that would change the essential nature of the program.

BYU-Pathway Worldwide will provide, upon request, text-to-speech software. Students interested in the software can contact BYU-Pathway Support. For other types of assistance, students should communicate directly with their online instructors, missionaries, or local leaders, as appropriate. Online instructors and missionaries will be provided with a list of appropriate forms of assistance they may consider providing for courses and/or gatherings.

When missionaries are asked questions regarding disabilities and/or disability assistance, they should note the following:

1. Missionaries should not attempt to determine if a student has a disability.
2. Missionaries should not discuss with the student or anyone else (including parents and priesthood leaders) the extent, symptoms, diagnoses, or treatments of students’ alleged disabilities.
3. Missionaries may approve reasonable assistance with regard to gatherings, based on the list of options provided to them.
4. Only a course instructor may approve assistance regarding PathwayConnect courses. If a student requests course assistance from a missionary, the missionary should advise the student to work with their instructor or contact BYU-Pathway Support.
5. For questions regarding Institute courses, missionaries should refer students to the local institute director for guidance based on the Seminaries and Institutes of Religion Policy Manual.

Additional information about available forms of assistance can be found on BYU-Pathway Worldwide’s website, within the portal, in course syllabi, and from students’ mentors.