Students with Disabilities

Appropriate Documentation

No student is required to divulge a disability unless the student wishes to get accommodations. Students with disabilities must go through the same admissions and class registration process as any student. Registering for disability services is a separate process to be initiated by the student, who then provides required documentation.  Students are responsible for supplying their own documentation at Disability Services intake in the Counseling Center to receive accommodations.  

Documentation of disability provides a basis for accommodations. The documentation must be from an appropriate professional capable of diagnosing that particular disability or disorder. Documentation should include both diagnosis and current disability-related functional limitations that apply in a classroom setting. Documentation must be on letterhead, typed, dated and signed, and may include results of functional tests. For recent high school graduates, the student may request their most recent assessment from their school district. Disability Services separately stores disability-related records as confidential school records to be used in support of students with special needs.

Once students provide documentation of disability, services are not automatic.  Students must apply directly and in person to the Counselor for Students with Disabilities for intake each semester. We do not assume that someone with a disability wishes to be treated differently than anyone else, unless the person with the disability signs to say that they prefer to have services.

While students must reapply for disability services each semester that they want accommodations, students do not need to supply new documentation each semester unless there have been changes in the student’s condition that might affect accommodations.  

Documentation is only one of the pieces in determining accommodations.  In addition the college will strongly consider not only the wishes of the student, but also what needs to be done to provide access to the type of course information that the student desires. Students with disabilities do have to meet stated learning objectives for coursework, while we may alter the way we provide instruction or test.  Accommodations for a certain limitations may not apply across the board for all coursework.  For example someone taking English may need a note taker, and the same student taking welding may not.