Student Accessibility Services assists the college in complying with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which states that “no qualified individual with disabilities shall, on the basis of their disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of or be subject to discrimination under any post-secondary program or activity receiving federal financial assistance”.

In order to enjoy the protections of Section 504 and the ADA, the student has an obligation to self-identify that he or she has a disability and needs accommodation. The institution may require that the student provide appropriate documentation at their expense in order to establish the disability and the need for accommodation. [See Rights and Responsibilities]

According to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, “A person with a disability includes any person who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person’s major life activities; has a record of such an impairment; or is regarded as having such an impairment”. The law recognizes education as being a major life activity. Verification of a disability must be on file in order for DSP to provide services. Verification may be in letter format, on a form provided to the verifying professional, or made by qualified personnel in the SAS office.

A student with a disability is a person enrolled at a community college who has a verified impairment that limits one or more major life activities and which imposes an educational limitation.

An educational limitation means a disability-related functional limitation in the educational setting. This occurs when the limitation prevents the student from fully benefiting from classes, activities, or services offered by the college to non-disabled students, without specific additional support services or instruction as defined in Section 56005.

Support services are those specialized services available to students with disabilities, which are in addition to the regular services provided to all students. Such services enable students to participate in regular activities, programs, and classes offered by the college. (e.g., note-takers, readers for the blind, alternative testing). [See Glossary of Services and Accommodations]

In order to be eligible for support services as authorized by Title 5 and Section 504, a student with a disability must have an impairment, which is verified by one of the following means:

• Observation by SAS professional staff with review by the DSP Coordinator; or
• Assessment by appropriate DSP professional staff; or
• Certified or licensed professionals outside of SAS qualified to make a valid assessment.

After the student’s educational limitations have been identified by appropriate SAS professional staff or other qualified professionals, the DSP Counselor will meet with the student to complete a Student Educational Contract (SEC), which not only lists the educational goals of the student but identifies the appropriate services to accommodate the educational limitations.

All information is strictly confidential, and no written information is released without a student signing an informed consent. Accommodations are determined in consultation with the student and the DSP staff and must be appropriate to the student’s disability. [See Confidentiality]

No, the student’s disability is confidential. However, the SAS Counselor or Learning Disabilities Specialist (for students with learning disabilities) can provide information about the student’s educational needs in class.

Accommodations are an opportunity for the student to be evaluated on the student’s knowledge and performance in the class and not on the effects of the student’s disability. According to guidelines from the Department of Education, institutions of higher education must modify academic requirements that are discriminatory. Modification may include extending the time for completing degree requirements, allowing course substitutions, and adapting the manner in which particular courses are conducted. Institutions are not required to compromise on requirements that are essential to the program or course of instruction, or that are directly related to licensing requirements (Section 104.44a).

The request for additional time for the student to work on an assignment or test varies from student to student depending on the severity of the student’s disability.

Title 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 establish that students with disabilities must have equal opportunity. A student’s good performance in class, including finishing exams on time, does not support the argument that the student is being provided equal opportunity. The student may still require accommodations in order to have equal opportunity in the classroom.

The instructor should contact the SAS Counselor who works with the student.

Students with disabilities (as most other students) do not perform optimally when interrupted while taking a test. Moving the student is not generally desirable and is discouraged and can be a violation of their right to accommodations and equal opportunity.

Students often discuss their accommodation needs directly with the instructor; however, if you want a valid verification of disability provided by SAS, the student must be registered with the DSP office and have the necessary documentation of disability on file before a Services and Accommodations Form is issued. Student registration with SAS assures the instructor that the student has a verified disability on file.

No. Some students may not be registered with SAS (registration is voluntary); however, in order for DSP to serve the student with a verified disability, registration with SAS is necessary.

A good-faith effort should be made to provide reasonable accommodations whenever they are requested. You may contact the SAS Office to confirm that the student has a verified disability.

Under the provisions of Title 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, institutions of higher learning must not exclude a qualified student with a disability from any course of study, and must not establish rules and policies that may adversely affect students with disabilities. On a case-by-case basis, community colleges may find it necessary to modify requirements in order to accommodate the student’s disability. Modifications might include substitutions or waivers of courses or degree requirements.