ŮͬÐÔ°®

Introduction

This handbook provides information about ŮͬÐÔ°® and the wide-range of programs, facilities, services, accommodations and equipment available to students with disabilities. ŮͬÐÔ°® provides equal access to quality education and is dedicated to meeting the current and future needs of the diverse populations of St. Lucie, Indian River, Martin and Okeechobee counties. ŮͬÐÔ°® encourages prospective students with disabilities to visit, call or email Student Accessibility Services for further information.

ŮͬÐÔ°® Student Accessibility Services (SAS) provides auxiliary aid services, equipment, reasonable accommodations and academic advisement to students who self-identify as a person with a documented disability. SAS is located on the Main Campus in Fort Pierce at Crews Hall (W-bldg.) – Advising Department.

Contact Information

Non-Discrimination/Non-Harassment Policy Statement

Information regarding the Non-Discrimination/Non-Harassment Policy can be found in the ŮͬÐÔ°® Student Handbook/Planner or online at www.irsc.edu. Visit Employment then Equal Access/Opportunity.

Equal Access/Equal Opportunity Statement

ŮͬÐÔ°® is an equal opportunity/equal access institution. It is the policy of the District Board of Trustees to provide equal opportunity for employment and educational opportunities to all (including applicants for employment, employees, applicants for admission, students, and others affiliated with the College) without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, or genetic information.

Equity Coordinator and ADA-504 Compliance Officer

Confidentiality

As directed in state and federal laws and, in strict compliance with the Family and Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), all disability information is confidentially maintained. FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of students’ educational records. Students have specific, protected rights regarding the release of such records. FERPA guidelines only provide for disclosure of disability information to faculty and staff on a need-to-know basis. Guidelines can be viewed at:

Disclosure of a student’s disability is the personal preference of the student. A student may elect to share information regarding his/her disability. If so, faculty and staff must remember to maintain confidentiality. All confidential information should only be discussed with the student in private. Further, this information should only be discussed with other college faculty and staff for educational purposes on a need-to-know basis. At no time should the class be informed that a student has a disability, and, when documenting concerns, staff and faculty should focus on the specific behavior, not the disability, and should refrain from diagnosing an individual.

Student Accessibility Services requests permission to inform instructors of the accommodations needed by students with disabilities. Students may also sign a release of records, giving a third party (i.e., parents, spouse, doctor, agency, etc.) permission to contact college personnel to discuss disability, accommodations, and educational progress. It is not required of college personnel to initiate contact with a third party.

Students wanting a copy of their documentation on file in SAS will also be required to sign a release of information and provide copy of photo ID.

Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The federal laws applicable to post-secondary students with disabilities are:

• The Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA)
• The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
• The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504

ADAAA/ADA

Title II of The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits discrimination and requires that State and local governments give people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from all telecommunications, programs, services, and activities.

The Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) revised and expanded these protections and, in the process, lowered the bar for establishing a disability. The ADAAA emphasizes that the definition of disability should be construed in favor of broad coverage of individuals to the maximum extent permitted by the terms of ADA without the requirement of extensive analysis. The requirements regarding the provision of reasonable accommodations, auxiliary aids and services in postsecondary institutions described in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, are included in the general provisions for non-discrimination under Title II of the regulation.

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504

Federal Register/Vol. 45, No. 92, Pg. 30937-30944

Public Law 93-112, Section 504 states, “No otherwise qualified handicapped individual in the United States, as defined in section 7(6), shall, solely by reason of his handicap, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.” Students with disabilities must be afforded an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from all post-secondary education programs and activities.

The Americans with Disabilities Act as define a qualified person with a disability: “A person who has a physical and/or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment or, a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.”

Student Accessibility Services, Student and Faculty Responsibilities

Any institution of higher learning, SAS, the student, and faculty must all share in the responsibilities associated with the successful promotion of equal educational access for students with disabilities.

Student Accessibility Services Responsibilities

• Evaluate students based on their abilities and not their disabilities
• Determine the appropriateness of disability documentation and to assist the student in understanding how to procure that documentation
• Determine eligibility for accommodations on a case-by-case basis
• Provide or arrange reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids and services for students with disabilities in courses, programs, activities and facilities
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality of records and communication
• Collaborate with faculty, staff and students
• Provide relevant and appropriate support to all parties as needed

Student Responsibilities

• Adhere to institutional policies and procedures
• Provide Student Accessibility Services with appropriate documentation of his or her disability
• Communicate privately with faculty to discuss needed accommodations and any other concerns prior to or during the first week of class
• Initiate requests for alternate format textbooks and publisher materials. The student should understand that these could take 3 to 4 weeks to prepare and will be requested by the student in a timely manner. The student will understand that if he/she does not request alternate format textbooks and publisher materials in advance of class start, the student cannot be guaranteed provision. All alternate formats require a receipt of purchase.
• Request assistance immediately when issues and/or concerns arise and exercise due diligence to make the accommodations process work.
• Engage in a fair, objective, and respectful dialogue concerning accommodation options and not transfer or abdicate the student’s role to parents or agents/advocates.
• Arrange testing accommodations implementation with each instructor and/or Assessment Center staff in advance of testing due date.
• Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) may be necessary to address the personal needs of a student with a disability so he/she can participate in the college activities, services, and programs. The college does not assume coordination of, financial responsibility for, or legal liability for the PCA chosen by the student. The student should make arrangements to provide and pay for his/her own impartial personal care attendant prior to attending classes. PCAs are obligated to follow the same code of conduct as the campus community, and they should not interfere with the learning environment, nor should the student abdicate their roles and responsibilities as a college student to the PCA or any other entity. The PCA should not participate in class discussions, and should not ask or answer questions unless specifically directed to do so by the student who employs the PCA.

Faculty Responsibilities

• Adhere to institutional policies and procedures.
• Review student accommodations upon official notification from SAS office.
• Engage in a fair, objective, and respectful dialogue concerning accommodation options.
• When a student requests implementation of the note-taker accommodation it is important to ask for a volunteer note-taker in your class while respecting the confidentiality and the anonymity of the student needing the accommodation.
• Testing accommodations of reading/scribing or private room will coordinate with the Assessment Center for testing appointments. All tests should be dropped off prior to the date (with a testing instruction sheet). The student with private testing needs should make an appointment with the Assessment Center prior taking the test.
• If you have an adjustable desk and chair in your classroom, it may be reserved for a student who has requested it through our office due to his/her disability. Please make sure that the students who require adaptive furniture have it available. Sometimes, other students who do not need this furniture choose to sit in the space which could potentially present a conflict.
• Please take notice of any student who may need assistance in the case of emergency evacuation from your classrooms. For additional information on emergency procedures please contact: Donald Bergmann, Chief of Campus Safety, dbergmann@irsc.edu, 772-462-7860
• Please have the accessibility statement listed in your syllabus in the first class meeting.

Student Accessibility Services Syllabus Statement

ŮͬÐÔ°® provides reasonable accommodations to students with documented disabilities through the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) Office. The rights of students with disabilities which pertain to post-secondary education are provided under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Students who wish to request an accommodation for a documented disability may contact Student Accessibility Services at lhayes@irsc.edu, 772-462-7809 or shamamily@irsc.edu, 772-462-7396

Transition from High School to College for Students with Disabilities

Different Laws Apply

IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are very different, and this has led to miscommunication between college and high school staff. Under IDEA, high school special education program procedures may apply primarily to a precise list of disabilities such as “specific learning disability.” In post-secondary institutions, accommodations must be made on a case-by-case basis according to a current functional impairment. In high school, students who use wheelchairs may be considered under a subpart of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and be referred to as their “504” students. However, Section 504 does not create a requirement for IEPs in either high school or post-secondary institutions. Misunderstanding comes from the assumption that a “504 Plan” or an IEP developed at a high school will be binding on a college or university. It does not.

At the Post-Secondary Level, Student Responsibilities Change As Follows

Students have a responsibility to:

• Self-identify or disclose the disability to the designated office for disability services if they want to receive accommodations. At ŮͬÐÔ°®, this office is Student Accessibility Services.
• Obtain and Provide documentation such as psycho-educational test results, or physician’s report. The documentation should verify the disability, describe the extent of the impairment, and provide information that supports the need for specific accommodations.
• Take specific action to request those accommodations for their disabilities.
• Act as independent adults; use appropriate self-advocacy strategies.
• Contact their instructors to activate accommodations for each class.
• Arrange for and obtain their own personal attendants, individual tutoring and specifically fitted or designed assistive technologies.

Post-secondary institutions are not required to:

• Provide specialized personal equipment (i.e., wheelchair, crutches, etc.)
• Substitute or waive any of the essential requirements of a course or program.
• Conduct testing and assessment of learning, psychological, or medical disabilities.
• Provide personal attendants.
• Provide personal or private tutors (but tutoring services normally available to persons without disabilities must be accessible to persons with disabilities who are otherwise qualified for those services).
• Prepare “Individual Education Plans” (IEPs).
• Provide transportation between home and college or around campus

Other differences exist for post-secondary institutions that provide housing programs, health services, psychological counseling services and extensive international programs.

Remember

Privacy – Students in colleges and universities are considered adults, with privacy and confidentiality protections. College staff cannot talk with parents and guardians about a student’s academic activities as was typical in K-12, unless the student has given consent by signing a Release of Information form.

Eligibility – Special education services in high school are diagnosis driven (i.e., the students must be diagnosed as having one of eleven specified conditions). Eligibility for reasonable accommodations in post-secondary institutions is driven by severity of impact on a major life activity.

Preparedness – College students must structure and plan their own study time; colleges do not arrange study periods or provide for time to do homework during classes. Professors and classes may differ regarding attendance requirements, scheduling assignment due dates and exams. The student must study each professor’s syllabus for each class to determine the requirements and what will be expected.

Requesting Services at ŮͬÐÔ°®

In order to provide reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities, ŮͬÐÔ°® asks for voluntary self-identification of students with a documented disability. This information is kept confidential and is used to provide equal access to all programs, courses and facilities at ŮͬÐÔ°®. To ensure that services are available on the first day of classes, the student needs to:

1. Complete the Student Accessibility Services Application and the Voter Registration Form
2. Submit required documentation and medical professional per diagnosis (within the past 5 years) on letterhead from a licensed or certified physician, psychologist, school psychologist, psychiatrist, audiologist, or speech-language pathologist. This must include a diagnosis and reasonable assessment of the academic accommodations needed, based on the disability.
3. Make contact with Student Accessibility Services (SAS)
4. If needed, a verification letter from a state agency (i.e., Division of Vocational Rehabilitation or Division of Blind Services), indicating whether or not the student is a client and whether or not the agency will be responsible in providing the student with services and/or equipment.

The Student Accessibility Services office is a State designated voter registration agency that provides assistance to applicants with disabilities in completing voter registration application forms and accepts completed voter registration application forms for transmittal to the appropriate election official.

It is the student’s responsibility to discuss accommodations with the instructor to coordinate implementation. Accommodations are not retroactive, so it is very important to complete the process for accommodations as early as possible.

If a diagnosis worsens or symptoms become more severe students may submit additional documentation supporting the need for added accommodations. SAS personnel may request additional documentation if the documentation does not meet minimum guidelines as outlined in the SAS application.

ŮͬÐÔ°® provides reasonable accommodations to students with documented disabilities through the Student Accessibility Services office. Services available to eligible students may include note takers, testing accommodations, use of equipment and assistive technology, readers and scribes, sign language interpreters, and alternative text.

Post-secondary institutions are not required to provide specialized personal equipment (i.e., wheelchair, crutches, etc.); substitute or waive any of the essential requirements of a course or program; conduct testing and assessment of learning, psychological, or medical disabilities; provide personal attendants; provide personal or private tutors (but tutoring services normally available to persons without disabilities must be accessible to persons with disabilities who are otherwise qualified for those services); prepare “Individual Education Plans” (IEPs); or provide transportation between home and college or around campus.

For details, refer to the U.S. Department of Education

Categories of Disability Types

** Please see Student Accessibility Services Application for documentation requirements **

Specific Learning Disability

A disorder in one or more of the basic psychological or neurological processes involved in understanding or in using spoken or written language. Disorders may be manifested in listening, thinking, reading, writing, spelling, or performing arithmetic calculations. Examples include dyslexia, dysgraphia, dysphasia, dyscalculia, and other specific learning disabilities in the basic psychological or neurological processes. Such disorders do not include learning problems which are due primarily to visual, hearing, or motor handicaps, to mental retardation, to emotional disturbance, or to an environmental deprivation.

Deaf/Hard of Hearing

A hearing loss of thirty (30) decibels or greater, pure tone average of 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 (Hz), unaided, in the better ear. Examples include, but are not limited to, conductive hearing impairment or deafness, sensorineural hearing impairment or deafness, and high or low tone hearing loss or deafness, and acoustic trauma hearing loss or deafness.

Visual Impairment

Disorders in the structure and function of the eye as manifested by at least one of the following: visual acuity of 20/70 or less in the better eye after the best possible correction, a peripheral field so constricted that it affects one’s ability to function in an educational setting, or a progressive loss of vision which may affect one’s ability to function in an educational setting. Examples include, but are not limited to, cataracts, glaucoma, nystagmus, retinal detachment, retinitis pigmentosa, and strabismus.

Orthopedic Impairment

A disorder of the musculoskeletal, connective tissue disorders, and neuromuscular system. Examples include but are not limited to cerebral palsy, absence of some body member, clubfoot, nerve damage to the hand and arm, cardiovascular aneurysm (CVA), head injury and spinal cord injury, arthritis and rheumatism, epilepsy, intracranial hemorrhage, embolism, thrombosis (stroke), poliomyelitis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, congenital malformation of brain cellular tissue, and physical disorders pertaining to muscles and nerves, usually as a result of disease or birth defect, including but not limited to muscular dystrophy and congenital muscle disorders.

Speech/Language Impairment

Disorders of language, articulation, fluency, or voice which interfere with communication, pre-academic or academic learning, vocational training, or social adjustment. Examples include, but are not limited to, cleft lip and/or palate with speech impairment, stammering, stuttering, laryngectomy, and aphasia.

Emotional or Behavioral Disability

Any mental or psychological disorder including but not limited to organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, or attention deficit disorders.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Disorders characterized by an uneven developmental profile and a pattern of qualitative impairments in social interaction, communication, and the presence of restricted repetitive, and/or stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. These characteristics may manifest in a variety of combinations and range from mild to severe.

Traumatic Brain Injury

An injury to the brain, not of a degenerative or congenital nature but caused by an external force, that may produce a diminished or altered state of consciousness, which results in impairment of cognitive ability and/or physical functioning.

Intellectual Disability

A disorder significantly below average general intellectual and adaptive functioning manifested during the developmental period, with significant delays in academic skills. Developmental period refers to birth to eighteen (18) years of age.

Other Health Impairment

Any disability not identified above, except those students who have been documented as having an intellectual disability, deemed by a disability professional to make completion of the requirement impossible.

Suggestions for Supporting Students with Disabilities

** You may not know and may not ask an individual’s specific disability. The descriptions and interventions outlined below are informational resources; however, the best approach to reach all learners is Universal Design.

General Information

• People with disabilities are people first. The disability is only one part of that person that makes them unique.
• Treat students with disabilities with respect and consideration.
• Ask a student with a disability if he/she needs help before providing assistance.
• Talk directly to the student with a disability, not through the student’s personal care attendant, reader, scribe, interpreter, real-time captionist or note-taker.
• Refer to the student’s disability only if it is relevant to the conversation. When referring to a student with a disability, emphasize the person first and then the disability. “The student who is blind” is better than “the blind student”.
• Never mention the disability of a student in front of other students, draw undue attention to a student with a disability or share information about a student with disability.
• Avoid negative descriptions of a student’s disability, such as “a student who uses a wheelchair” is more appropriate than “a student confined to a wheelchair”.
• Do not segregate students with disabilities from the rest of the class, except when taking tests in the Assessment Center.
• Avoid stereotyping. Offer instruction and support based on student performance and not on assumptions of disability types.
• Making a statement on the class syllabus inviting students with disabilities to discuss accommodations needed and provide referral information regarding Student Accessibility Services.
• Use multiple modes of instruction to motivate and engage students. Make each instructional method accessible and provide the same means of participation to all students.
• Allow SAS students to record class lectures. Many students with disabilities are eligible to record course lectures and all sign a statement through SAS, stating that the material is to be used solely for their personal academic enrichment and cannot be distributed, copied or sold, without the written permission of the instructor.
• Assist in finding a note-taker in class for students with disabilities that are eligible for this accommodation.
• Arrange for testing material to be placed in the Assessment Center for students with disabilities who take their tests there. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the assessment center to make sure a reader or scribe is available for testing. SAS provides sign language interpreters.
• All classroom and online videos must have captioning.

Students with Specific Learning Disabilities

“A Specific Learning Disability is a disorder in one or