Services to Students with Disabilities

Student Services and the College Disability Services staff provide accommodations and support to assist students with disabilities in their educational development. In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the College supports the registration of all qualified persons with a disability. The College does not exclude or deny access to the benefits of any program, service or activity sponsored by the College to any students solely on the basis of disability.

Students interested in applying for accommodations should meet with a counselor located in the Student Services office. While no specialized curriculum is offered, it is the role of the College Student Services to coordinate services and resources to qualifying students.

The first step for a student seeking services is to complete an application for accommodations.

Frequently Asked Questions from Students with Disabilities:

Q:  What does the application process require of me?
A:  Students will be asked to provide information about a disability they wish to disclose.  They will be asked to provide documentation that includes a diagnosis of a disability that is age appropriate (this tells the Counselor about your current level of functioning) and lists specifically how functions are limited and specific recommendations for accommodations. The documentation required must be conducted by a licensed professional such as a medical doctor, psychologist or other qualified diagnostician.

Q:  I have an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) that was used in high school. Will that provide what is required for documentation in my post-secondary program?
A:  No. While the IEP may help identify what services were provided in high school, and it provides a record of your disability, it is not enough to meet the requirements of your postsecondary institution. A helpful article for students preparing for post-secondary education was prepared by the Office of Civil Rights and is available on the OCR website.

Q:  What types of services might be offered to students with disabilities?
A:  A variety of services appropriate for qualifying disabilities may include, but are not limited to: 
        • Appropriate classroom adaptations or accommodations 
        • Note takers or readers 
        • Testing accommodations 
        • Taped textbooks 
        • Braille or large print materials 
        • Specialized equipment like screen reading software, screen enlargements, etc. 
        • Sign language interpreter services 
        • Study skills, test taking strategy, and learning style classes 
        • Specialized software 
        • Campus counseling and referral to community services 
        • Other services

Q:  Whom do I talk to if I think I am being discriminated against?
A:  If you feel that you are being discriminated against for any reason, and you cannot resolve your concerns immediately through self-advocacy in your training environment, you are encouraged to see a member of the College Counseling Team in Student Services. You can ask to see your program Counselor or the first Counselor available to review your concerns and talk about what to do. If your informal efforts to resolve your concerns are not working out, you can talk to your Counselor about the Student Grievance Policy. You may prefer to talk to a Director of Programs (in the Training Division) or the Director of Student Affairs (in Student Services) about your concerns.