Navigating
McBurney

The McBurney Disability and Resource Center serves as UW Madison's resource for disability-related student accommodations. For many neurodivergent students, the McBurney Center is an indispensable resource; however, we recognize that its processes may be difficult to navigate. To ease this process, we have compiled information below on how to navigate applying for accommodations, understanding the testing center, and more. If you are in need of more intensive assistance with any McBurney or other academic processes apply for our Peer Advocacy program where you can request to meet with a NeuroPride staff member who can provide more substantial support.

Applying for Accomodations

Online Application

Navigate to the McBurney Website and fill out the McBurney Connect Online Student Application. This application requires your UW Net-ID to fill out and asks questions regarding your disability classification(s), documentation of your disability, and accommodation history (if applicable). *Students do not need to have a documentation of their disability to complete this step but it will be required in the final step to receive official accommodations

Meeting with an Access Consultant

After completing the Student Application form, you will receive an email from your Assigned Access Consultant to set up your first accomodations meeting. During this meeting your consultant will ask questions to get a more in depth understanding of how your disability affects your daily life and what accomodations you may benefit from recieving. If you do not have a diagnosis of the disability you wish to recieve accomodations for yet your Acess Consusltant will suggest resources for getting official documentation of your disability.

Submitting Documentation

Required documentation varies depending on the diagnosed disability; however, in most cases it requires a psychological evaluation within the last 3-5 years or a disability assessment form completed by a medical doctor. If you already have this documentation then you can submit it in Step 1 with the other required information. Otherwise, once documentation of your disability is collected navigate back to the McBurney website and submit your documentation in your McBurney Connect portal, which should have been set up in step 1.

Examples of Common Accomodations

For more information on the kinds of accommodations offered at the McBurney Center go to their official website or ask your Access Consultant.

Alternative Formats

document conversion, large print, audio

Alternative Testing

extra time, small group, quiet space

Closed Captioning

Interpreting

media specific and real time translation

sign language

Notetaking

peer notaking, smart pens

Preferential Seating

ideal & assigned seat in classrooms

What should you do once you receive your accommodations?

Once you complete the steps above and officially receive your accommodations you now have to actually implement them in your classes. In order to use them in your classes you have to navigate to your McBurney Connect portal, select which accommodations you would like to apply and which classes you would like to apply them to and McBurney Connect will automatically create accommodation letters that get sent our to your professors by email. The process for testing accommodations is a bit more complex. See the McBurney Testing Center below for more information on testing accommodations.

Accommodations Letter Demo

Testing Accommodations Demo

McBurney Testing Center

Some students benefit from recieving testing accommodations which may include but are not limited to smaller group testing, quiet space, and extra time. In order to accommodate these requests most professors utilize the testing center. The Testing center is a place on campus solely for students who need to make up tests or have accomodations regarding testing. In order to ultilize your testing accommodations you must first add that accomodation to your class via McBurney Connect and then register with the Testing Center using their online portal. Make sure that you do this within two weeks of your exam or it may be difficult to book the time that works best for you.

Find more information on their website!: https://exams.wisc.edu/services/accommodatedtesting.php

Location

As of Fall 2026, Accommodated Testing will take place at McBurney's Dayton Street location. The primary testing lab is located at 1210 W Dayton St on the 5th floor. This is the old computer sciences building next door to Union South (not Morgridge Hall).

Navigating McBurney