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Disability Support Services Handbook
Travis Kromminga
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2011 Kromminga
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Student Rights and Responsibilities
College Rights and Responsibilities
Transition from High School to Higher Education
College Academic and Student Services
Additional
Information
Section
504 and Americans with Disabilities Act
Rochester Community and Technical College is in compliance with the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112) which mandates equal opportunity for qualified disabled persons in education programs and activities of all recipients of federal financial aid assistance. Section 504 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disabilities and offers to disabled persons the opportunity to participate fully in all educational programs and activities. RCTC is in compliance with the Americans with Disability Act. The Act ensures that each program, service or activity that RCTC provides, is accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities. If any student feels that the provisions listed here are not being met, the student should contact the Director of Disability Support Services.
Disability Support Services
Mission
To provide academic support services to assist students with disabilities in achieving their educational goals.
Location
We are located in the University Center Rochester in the Student Support Services office, SS 159 and Heintz Center A101. Our phone numbers are: (507) 280-2968 and TTY 1-800-627-3529
Student Rights and Responsibilities
Rights:
• An equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from RCTC programs/courses.
• An equal opportunity to learn and receive reasonable accommodations.
• Appropriate confidentiality of all information regarding their disability.
• Information provided in alternative formats.
Responsibilities:
• To meet program/course requirements and follow college policies and procedures.
• To self-identify as a student with a disability when accommodations are needed.
• To seek out information, advising, and assistance as necessary.
• To provide appropriate documentation about their disability.
• To follow published procedures to obtain accommodations and other services.
College Rights and Responsibilities
Rights:
• To establish required skills and knowledge for programs, courses and services.
• To require appropriate documentation to support requests for accommodations.
• To deny requests for accommodations that are not supported by documentation.
• To deny requests for accommodations where no documentation is provided.
• To choose among equally effective reasonable accommodations.
• To deny an accommodation which is unreasonable or one that places an undue hard ship or fundamental change in program or course at RCTC.
Responsibilities:
• To provide information in alternative formats.
• To make programs and courses available in the most integrated and appropriate setting.
• To evaluate students and applicants on their abilities and not on disabilities.
• To provide reasonable accommodations.
• To maintain appropriate confidentiality of all information except where required by law.
New and Current College Students
The application process is:
1. Complete the college admission application process through the RCTC admissions office, including the academic assessment testing.
2. Complete the application for accommodations available in the DSS office.
3. Provide documentation of your disability to support the request for accommodations (See the Documentation section of this handbook).
4. Meet with the Director of DSS for intake Interview.
5. Provide a copy of class schedule each semester as soon as registration is completed.
Post Secondary Enrollment Options
The application process is:
1. Complete the P.S.E.O. application form in the RCTC admissions office.
2. Have the required high school rank.
3. Complete the RCTC academic assessments with the required recommendations in reading and writing.
4. Complete the application for accommodations available in the DSS office.
5. Provide documentation of your disability.
6. Provide an authorization of payment from your school district for accommodations to be received at RCTC.
Transition from high school to higher education
Students with learning disabilities (LD) are the most recent and prevalent group with disabilities receiving services on college campuses today. Although services are available for students with learning disabilities, LD students often enter higher education unprepared for, or unaware of, the demands of college. Making the transition from high school to college is difficult for most students, but for students with learning disabilities the transition can be especially difficult.
The transition may be difficult because many college-bound students with learning disabilities do not understand their own individual disability, how it affects their learning, or how to describe it to others in plain language. After years of frustration and struggle in high school academics, LD students often view themselves as lacking learning strengths or abilities, and they often did not receive the preparation for college needed in order to succeed in college. Furthermore, students with learning disabilities frequently haven't been provided with learning strategies that will permit them to generalize their skills across settings and give them the tools to succeed. Many of these students need additional guidance to help them find college programs that can accommodate their needs, a college program with a range of LD support services that meets their individual interests, abilities, and perceived needs. Finally, once they have been admitted into college, they often need further assistance in order to stay in college.
Students are required to provide documentation that is relevant and complete enough to establish the existence of a disability, to explain the impact of the disability on one of life’s major activities, and to recommend appropriate accommodations in the college setting. The following information needs to be addressed for the documentation to be complete.
1. Proper documentation includes: letter, on official letterhead from the facility that diagnosed your disability, from a licensed physician stating and supporting your diagnosed disability and your needs at the college level for disability support and or your most recent Special Education evaluation (within last 3 years). Your IEP provides good information but will not be considered proper documentation for services at RCTC. The IEP is no longer a legal document in college.
2. The credentials of the evaluator must be documented. The training and experience of the evaluator must be matched to the disability and population being assessed.
3. The documentation must identify the disability and the assessment method used to arrive at the diagnosis. Information needs to be presented describing the limiting impact of this disability on one of life’s major activities. Should also include signs, symptoms and side effects.
4. An explanation of the student’s current level of functioning and resulting needs for accommodations in the college setting must be presented in the documentation.
5. The documentation needs to be recent as it pertains to the disability in question. Some changing or progressive conditions may need frequent updates, while some non-varying disabilities may not need frequent updates. Usually documentation that is less than three years old is satisfactory.
6. Recommendations for specific accommodations in the college setting are necessary, or a thorough enough discussion of limitations to support a rationale for the accommodation(s) being requested is required.
It is the responsibility of the student seeking accommodations to provide complete documentations before accommodations are provided. The cost of obtaining documentation is the responsibility of the student.
RCTC will select and provide reasonable accommodations from those that are warranted by the documentation. An accommodation may be refused if it imposes an undue hardship or fundamentally changes a program or course at RCTC.
All information that is provided to the DSS office is used for the benefit of the student in determining accommodations and is maintained as confidential as permitted by law. All student information provided to the DSS office will be maintained in the DSS office to ensure limited access. A student has the right to review his/her own file.
There are specific federal and state limitations to confidentiality. Release of information is required under the following situations where a student indicates harm to self or another, reports physical or sexual abuse of children or vulnerable adults, the use of illegal drugs during pregnancy, and/or reports sexual exploitation by counseling or health-care professionals.
The academic accommodation planning process includes being aware of your strengths and weaknesses. You should have knowledge of the prior accommodations you have received. It is best to plan for the RCTC academic accommodations before you need to use them and complete this accommodation process early.
Requests for accommodations are considered on a case-by-case basis given a reasonable time frame. Please refer to the following table when requesting accommodations. Although the following timelines are preferred, every attempt will be made to provide accommodations in the timeliest manner possible.
Applying for support services is a separate process form than applying for admission to Rochester Community and Technical College.
Reasonable accommodations are adjustments to a program or a course, which allow a student with a disability the opportunity to attain the same level of performance as available to a student without a disability.
Reasonable accommodations are selected on individual case-by-case circumstance as indicated by the student’s documentation. Reasonable accommodations need to be requested each and every semester, even though your received accommodations the first semester you need to request them for the subsequent semesters. The following is a list of possible accommodations available to students.
Notetaking
If you would like notetaking services, talk to your instructor and see if anyone in the class would be available to help you take notes. If you can not locate a note taker Disability Services will help you locate a volunteer notetaker for you class. The volunteer will receive a manual of notetaking techniques and information on DSS office procedures for turning notes in, etc. Your responsibilities include registering for this accommodation as soon as possible, picking up your notes on a regular and timely basis, attending class regularly, and notifying DSS if you drop or withdraw from the class.
Alternative Testing Accommodations
Accommodation includes:
• Extended time-you will be allowed extra time to complete the test. The amount of time will determine by the Director of DSS based on the type of test and the documentation provided by you.
• Writer/Scribe-you will dictate answers to DSS/SSC staff.
• Reader-DSS/SSC staff will read the test to you.
• Taped/Recorded Tests-DSS/SSC staff will record the test onto audiocassette tapes. tapes will be erased as soon as the test is completed.
• Interpreter-Sign Language Interpreters will be available to interpret test instructions, questions from the student to the instructor, and special situations (theater and Phy. Ed. classes).
• Room with fewer distractions- Student will be placed in a room in the Student Support Center. RCTC Tutor Coordinator will proctor all tests. Backpacks, books, and other items must be placed in the Tutor Coordinator’s office.
To access this accommodation you must complete the appropriate form, from the DSS Director. You and your instructor must sign the application for alternative testing before returning it to DSS. We cannot process accommodations the same day of the test; most testing dates are on your syllabus, so plan ahead. You must also give the instructor a testing accommodation form 3-5 days before the test so that test can be delivered to the Testing Accommodations/ Tutor Coordinator within 2 days before the test so the Testing Accommodations/ Tutor Coordinator can schedule your time. If you will need a reader or scribe you must fill out the testing form at least 5 days in advance. Give the white copy to the Testing/Tutor Coordinator and the blue copy to your instructor. The instructor will state the time of the test on the accommodations form, know the time. In most cases, you will be taking the test at the same time as your classmates, if you don’t have a 2 hour block of time available because of another class, we will separate the test into halves and you will complete one half of the test in the first sitting and finish the rest of the test at another time the same day. You must make arrangements with the Testing Accommodations/ Tutor Coordinator or the Director of DSS to take your test. If you have night classes and need testing accommodations, the test must be done during normal office hours, 8:00am to 4:00pm. You must be finished testing by 4:00 pm. Testing must be done on the same day as your classmates. Plan to take the test early enough that day so you can finish before 4:00pm. You must be on time to take the test. We do not extend your test time if you are late.
Cheating is not allowed. The instructor indicates what aids may be used for each test. The use of any unauthorized aids such as texts, notes “cheat sheets”, and/or calculators to gain an advantage on a test will be reported to the instructor with your test. We only proctor the test and must report to the instructor any information or aids not allowed in the testing room you will be advised to meet with the instructor after the test. Cheating on your test may affect your testing accommodations through Disability Support Services; the determination will be up to the discretion Disability Support Services Director.
Taped Textbooks
The term “taped textbooks: refers to textbooks that are taped on audiocassettes. Disabled students use these tapes to compensate for difficulties when reading. The main supplier of taped texts is Reading for the Blind and Dyslexia (RFB&D). Each student must apply for and be accepted by RFB&D (packets are in the DSS Office SS 159). Once accepted, each student receives an RFB&D identification number, which entitles him/her to life-long use of the service. These RFB&D tapes are recorded at variable speeds and they cannot be played on a standard audio tape recorder. RCTC has a limited number of four track variable speed audio tape players capable of playing RFB&D tapes that can be checked out by the semester. Also available is the Kurzweil 3000 program, which scans and reads text back to students.
Early Registration
Early registration is a service you can utilize to help with scheduling problems and course selection. When the class schedule books come out you should contact the DSS Director to discuss course choices and early registration. Then the DSS staff will register you on-line.
Adaptive Equipment
Adaptive equipment is available in Goddard Library and in the DSS office SS 159.
Computers
Computers are available in the Disability Support Center for you to use to work on papers and other assignments. We encourage you to learn word processing skills. Students without these skills may receive assistance in learning them throughout the semester.
Advising
Participants are scheduled to meet with the Disability Director on a regular basis to discuss academic progress, learning strategies, study skills, class selection and future academic plan. Other staff and faculty who are involved with your academic progress may be consulted.
Sign Language Interpreters
Sign Language Interpreters will be provided to Deaf and Hard of Hearing students who request and demonstrate a need for interpreters and ability to benefit from such accommodations. Students requesting interpreters must be registered with DSS. The type of interpreting provided will depend on the accommodation preferences of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing students in the class. Interpreters will be provided for academic programs and college sponsored activities.
Priority of Accommodations
Requests from student and staff will be covered according to the following priorities:
1. Academic
classes
2. Academic activities
3. Student/instructor
meetings
4. College sponsored activities
Procedure for Requesting Interpreters
1. Provide a copy of your class schedule 2 weeks before the start of the semester to insure that an interpreter will be available on the first day of class. After this time, we will do our best to locate an interpreter but we cannot guarantee that an interpreter will be available the first day of class.
2. Students requesting an interpreter for academic and/or college sponsored activities must make the request in writing 24 hours in advance. Oral requests made to staff will not be equated to formal requests. Last minute and emergency requests will be filled, if interpreters are available.
Interpreter No-Shows
If an interpreter does not show up for an assignment, the student should contact DSS as soon as possible. If available, a replacement will be sent.
Student No-Shows
Student should notify DSS 24 hours in advance or as soon as possible, if they will not be attending class, activity or service.
Should a student not show up for class, activity or service, the interpreter will wait five minutes for each half-hour requested time. After the allotted time has expired, the interpreter will return to DSS office.
Cancellation of Services
After a student is absent from three class sessions without notifying DSS, services for that student may be interrupted. In order to reinstate interpreter services the student must meet with the Director of DSS and draw up a contract covering the new terms of interpreting. If the student continues to be absent without notification or does not follow the terms of the contract, service may be discontinued.
The student will receive written notification from the Director of DSS that the accommodation has been discontinued. The student must petition to the Director of DSS to obtain reinstatement of interpreters.
Referral to Agencies
The Director of DSS will provide assistance in locating and/or contacting agencies like Division of Rehabilitation Services, county/state agencies or other rehabilitation agencies. RCTC counselors are also available to assist students in contacting agencies.
College Academic and Student Services
Peer Tutoring
Receive free, academic assistance in over 50 different courses provided by trained, peer tutors who have been recommended by their instructors. For information on how so sign up for tutoring assistance or how to become a peer tutor, contact the Tutor Coordinator.
Health Service
The student Health Service provides high quality, low cost, confidential health care and counseling for men and women. A registered nurse and a nurse staff the clinic. Physicians are available on campus one afternoon each week. The Health Service is actively involved with education of students in regard to health issues.
Counseling
Counseling services are available to all students at RCTC the counselors’ office is in SS 150.
Catalog and Student Handbook
Catalogs are available from Admissions. The catalog contains information on college policies and procedures for which students are held accountable. Some of the areas covered are: Admissions, tuition, fees and financial aid, student services, student’s rights and responsibilities, academic policies and academic standards. Also included are: Minnesota Transfer Curriculum, degree requirements, continuing education, programs of study, and course descriptions.
Semester Class Schedules
Semester Class Schedules are available in the Registration area of UCR prior to the time of register. This schedule will list all classes, day, time, room number, and instructor for all classes offered during the semester. Also listed are important dates drop/add withdrawal, and registration.
Assessments
New entering students are required to take the assessments before enrolling in classes. These assessments are provided without cost to the student. If you need accommodations with the assessments, you must provide the documentation of your disability at least one week in advance of taking the assessments. The assessment results in reading writing and math will assist you and your advisor in determining which classes to begin with at RCTC.
Student Grievance Procedures
All students will be provided accommodations as needed to locate the proper individuals to help start the grievance procedure. They also will be given accommodations in filling out grievance form. All services are provided through the ADA Grievance Coordinator office located on Heintz Center Campus B114 or phone (507) 285-7119 and Disability Support Services office located on University Center Rochester campus SS168 or phone (507) 280-2968. Minnesota relay service: TTY 1-800-6273529
Note: No grievance shall be considered or processed unless it is submitted within 20 school days after the occurrence.
Student can grieve under 3 categories. They are as follows:
1. Refusal of
Appropriate Accommodations by a Faculty Member
A disabled
student is refused accommodations by a faculty member as deemed
appropriate by the Director of Disability Support Services.
2. Perception of
discrimination by a Faculty and/or Staff member and/or Group on the
basis of a Disability.
A disabled student has not been
denied accommodations, but feels he/she has been singled out or
mistreated by a Faculty and/or Staff member and/or Group on the basis
of a disability.
3.Denial or
Termination of Accommodations
Disabled student is denied
and/or has services terminated after Director of DSS reviews
documentation and/or witnesses abuse of services.
Note for 1&2: Director of Disability Support Services and Americans with Disabilities Act Grievance Coordinator can help you with your grievance
Note for 3: Only Americans with Disabilities Act Grievance Coordinator can help you with your grievance
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