911爆料

Accommodations defined:
Accommodations are modifications to policy, procedure, or practice that may include the provision of auxiliary aids and services designed to afford students with disabilities equal access to all 911爆料 programs and activities. Accommodations will be considered when they do not fundamentally alter the nature of a program, course, or service or present an undue financial or administrative burden to the College. Accessibility Services staff will seek to implement accommodations preferred by the student making the request and at times may consult with individual faculty members, academic departments, and other academic and administrative offices to evaluate whether a requested accommodation is appropriate.

Identification of accommodations:
As indicated above, identifying appropriate accommodations is best achieved through an interactive and individualized process. To this end, students are strongly encouraged to engage in an open dialogue with staff regarding their personal and academic strengths and the physical and/or learning barriers experienced as a result of a disability. In order to foster the development of a strong interpersonal relationship, staff will take the following steps subsequent to the receipt of each completed application:

1. Establish an individual student file and maintain all disability records in a secure and confidential manner.
2. Verify the existence of a disability and determine whether the student has equal access to courses, programs, services, activities, or facilities without accommodation.
3. Identify the barriers that may result from the interaction between the student and the college environment as a result of the disability.
4. Identify accommodations necessary and provide equal access to 911爆料's programs, activities, and facilities and services to support each student's academic development.
5. Identify potential questions and issues to be addressed.
6. Contact each student to schedule an in-person or telephone interview.
7. If necessary, consult with other administrative offices or academic departments to ensure that recommended or suggested accommodations will not fundamentally alter the academic standards of a course or program, or present an undue financial or administrative burden to the College.
8. Notify students of their eligibility and, if appropriate, their approved accommodations. In most cases, students will receive notice via their 911爆料 email address.

While the primary emphasis of the initial review will be to determine eligibility for and evaluate requested accommodations, staff may identify and suggest alternative or additional accommodations that may benefit the student. It is also possible that some approved adjustments may apply only to specific courses, test formats, or subjects. This process may also involve identifying valuable support services available to students from other 911爆料 student service offices or academic departments such as The Writing Center, Counseling, or Health Services. Students will be appropriately referred to these resources regardless of eligibility for accommodative services.

Learning Commons Testing Center Policy and Procedures

Location and Check-In
The Learning Commons Testing Center is located in the Annex, with check-in taking place outside of Room 129. The Testing Center provides a distraction-reduced environment for students with disabilities who are eligible for testing accommodations through Student Accessibility Services.

Eligibility and Agreement
At the start of the fall semester, or upon approval of academic accommodations, students must sign the Testing Center Agreement Form in AIM (Accessible Information Management system). By signing the agreement, students acknowledge and accept the following policies:

1. Exams must be scheduled in AIM at least two (2) business days before the exam.
2. Cell phones, smartwatches, and other communication devices must be turned off and stored away during exams.
3. Calculators, books, or notebooks may be used only with explicit permission from the course professor.
4. Students are expected to arrive on time. If a student is late (less than 20 minutes), that time will be deducted from the total exam time.
5. Students arriving more than 20 minutes late are considered 鈥渘o-shows.鈥� They must contact their professor to discuss any possibility of a make-up exam.
6. To reschedule an exam, students must first obtain professor approval and then notify the Testing Center.
7. Students should notify the Testing Center Coordinator if a scheduled exam is canceled.
8. All students using the Testing Center must abide by 911爆料鈥檚 Honor Code.

Scheduling and Student Responsibilities
After discussing their accommodations with faculty, students are responsible for scheduling their exams in AIM at least two business days in advance. When checking in to take an exam, students will confirm that they understand their approved accommodations and the time limits for their exam.

Faculty Responsibilities
At the start of each semester, faculty should complete the Alternative Testing Agreement in AIM. This agreement allows instructors to specify their exam directions and expectations, including materials students are permitted to use, test duration, and any additional guidelines for the Testing Center staff.

Faculty should upload exam materials to AIM at least 24 hours before the scheduled test time. If electronic upload is not possible, hard copies of exams may be delivered to the Testing Center in the Annex.

Regular Semester Testing

• Exams may be scheduled Monday鈥揊riday, 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
• Students are expected to test at the same time as their class whenever possible.
• Extended-time accommodations may begin before or continue after the scheduled class period.
• If a class schedule conflict prevents taking the full exam during class time, students may test outside of class hours, but must test on the same day as their class.
• Completed exams are delivered to Department Administrative Assistants the next business day.

Final Exam Period
During final exams, students should test at the same time as their class whenever possible. The Learning Commons will offer exam start times at:

• 9:00 a.m.
• 1:00 p.m.
• 4:30 p.m.
• 6:00 p.m. (exams must be completed by 9:00 p.m.)

Due to the high volume of exams during finals week, faculty are asked to pick up completed exams directly from the Annex.

The information below is designed to help students gain a better understanding of the parameters by which students with disabilities are served by 911爆料 and specifically to identify the rights and responsibilities of each party. 

911爆料 has the right to:

• request professional documentation verifying the nature of a student's disability, the academic or physical limitations the disability presents, and the need for specific accommodations;
• consult with college officials in an attempt to determine the student's qualifications for a degree program or course;
• discuss the documentation submitted by a student with the party who produced the documentation and/or professional sources or additional experts (omitting identifying information) as needed to determine eligibility for Accessibility Services under the ADA or section 504;
• deny a request for accommodation if a student's documentation does not verify the need for the request; and
• deny a request for accommodation if it is deemed unreasonable, compromises the essential elements of the course or program, or poses an undue financial or administrative burden on the college.

Students with disabilities have the right to:

• equal access to 911爆料's courses, programs, activities, and facilities;
• individual assessment of disability and skills;
• reasonable accommodations or auxiliary aids as appropriate;
• confidentiality of disability related information;
• control the release of disability related information except as otherwise required by law; and
• appeal Student Accessibility staff members decisions concerning reasonable accommodations by following the grievance procedures outlined in this document.

Students with disabilities have the responsibility to:

• meet the qualifications essential for participation in academic courses and programs;
• if seeking accommodation, identify him/herself as a student with a disability and follow the procedures for applying for academic accommodations outlined in this document;
• engage in an interactive process to establish and implement reasonable accommodations;
• provide professional documentation verifying the nature of a disability, the academic or the physical limitations a disability presents and the need for specific accommodations; and
• notify their instructors that they will be using accommodations by submitting an accommodation letter to each faculty member each semester.

Student Accessibility staff members have the responsibility to:

• ensure that, with or without accommodations, students with disabilities can obtain equal access to the college's programs, activities, service, and facilities;
• inform students with disabilities about the availability and range of accommodations and provide the policies and procedures necessary to obtain accommodations upon request;
• determine each student's eligibility for accommodation;
• provide individualized assessments and evaluate students based on their abilities;
• protect and maintain the integrity of the academic standards of individual courses or programs;
• ensure that eligible students are provided with approved accommodations in a fair and timely manner;
• establish through appropriate faculty members, the abilities, skills and knowledge fundamental to academic programs and courses and to evaluate each student's requested accommodations on this basis; and
• maintain confidentiality of documentation and communication concerning students with disabilities, except when otherwise specified by law or consent to release disability-related information is provided by the student.

911爆料 faculty members have the right to:

• establish abilities, skills, and knowledge fundamental to academic programs and courses;
• verify a student's eligibility for accommodations with the Director of Accessibility Services;
• expect students to participate actively in the process of establishing and acquiring accommodations;
• expect students to abide by all College policies and procedures related to obtaining reasonable accommodations.

911爆料 faculty members have the responsibility to:

• work in cooperation with the Director of Accessibility Services to ensure that eligible students are provided with approved accommodations in a timely manner;
• consider equal access issues for students with disabilities when establishing academic courses, course requirements, and teaching methods;
• discuss any concerns related to the provision of accommodations with the Director of Accessibility Services as necessary;
• assure the confidentiality of all disability-related information;
• refer students who identify themselves as, or those suspected as, having a disability to the Director of Accessibility Services.

Documentation Guidelines

To receive academic accommodations, 911爆料 students must identify the disability, provide adequate documentation of the disability, and work with Student Accessibility staff members to develop an appropriate plan. All information provided concerning a disability is confidential and is released only as allowed by law or by consent.

The guidelines outlined below are provided in the interest of assuring that students submit documentation that is appropriate to the purpose of determining eligibility for disability services. 911爆料 requires documentation that supports each request for reasonable accommodations on the basis that a student's disability substantially limits one or more major life activity.

More documentation may be required depending on the range and variability of functional limitation within any given disability; less documentation may be required for permanent stable and/or narrow conditions. Documentation provided by a third party must be prepared by a (non-relative) professional qualified to diagnose and treat the impairment leading to the disability. Documentation should validate the need for services based on the individual's current level of functioning in the educational setting. In all cases, the student's personal accounts concerning their functional limitations will be considered as part of the documentation review.

As appropriate to the disability, documentation should include:

• Diagnostic Statement: A diagnostic statement identifying the specific disability, including identification of how the condition substantially impairs a life function, the date of the current evaluation, and the date of the original diagnosis. Psychiatric diagnoses, including ADHD, must include the DSM diagnosis and a summary of current symptoms. Clear identification of a disability is necessary. Language indicating preferred learning styles, difficulties, or the possibility of a disability or diagnosis is not sufficient.
• Diagnostic Criteria and Tests: Testing must be comprehensive and sufficiently recent to allow determination of the current impact of the disability in the college academic setting. Psycho-educational assessment of aptitude, academic achievement and informational processing as well as neuropsychological reports should accompany a student's request for accommodation.
• Functional Impact: A description of the current functional impact on physical, perceptual, and/or cognitive functioning should be described.
• Treatments: Currently prescribed treatments, medications, assistive devices, and auxiliary aid and services should be included.
• Recommendations: Recommendations for accommodations should be supported by objective evidence of substantial limitation to learning and living in a post-secondary academic environment. Student report of the efficacy of academic adjustments, auxiliary aids or services, or accommodations will also be considered.

Faculty Notification

Students approved for accommodations will use the AIM portal to notify their instructors. Once a student submits their accommodation request through AIM, an email notification is automatically sent to each instructor, and the student鈥檚 approved accommodations are visible in the AIM Faculty Portal.

Students and faculty are encouraged to discuss how accommodations will be implemented in each course to ensure access and understanding. These conversations help clarify logistics (such as exam arrangements or notetaking procedures) and support a collaborative approach to accessibility.

If either a student or faculty member has questions or concerns about an accommodation or its implementation, they should contact the Accessibility Services Office as soon as possible for guidance and support.

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Ethical Standards and Legislative Foundations

911爆料 is a member of the Association of Higher Education and Disability and, as such, adheres to its code of ethics.

AHEAD Code of Ethics
We agree that these principles are the code of ethics for post-secondary disability service providers. As professionals, we are responsible for upholding, supporting, and advancing these ideas whenever possible. Members of AHEAD agree to monitor themselves and their peers in accordance with the spirit and provisions of this code, as delineated by the following principles:

1. Post-secondary disability service providers are committed to facilitating the highest levels of educational excellence and potential quality of life for post-secondary students with disabilities.
2. Post-secondary disability service providers strive to achieve and maintain the highest levels of competence and integrity in all areas of assistance to adult students with disabilities. This support is guided by the consistent use of objective, professional judgment in all areas, especially when addressing the confidential nature of the student's disability.
3. Post-secondary disability service providers continually participate in professional activities and educational opportunities designed to strengthen the personal, educational and vocational quality of life for students with disabilities. This includes the ongoing development of strategies, skills, research, and knowledge pertinent to the highest quality of disability service delivery whenever and wherever it occurs.
4. Post-secondary disability service providers carry out their responsibilities in accordance with AHEAD professional standards and policy guidelines for adult students with disabilities. When certified, licensed, or affiliated with other professionals or organizations, they comply with those professional guidelines as well.
5. Post-secondary service providers are actively engaged in supporting and clarifying institutional, state, provincial, and federal laws, policies and procedures applicable to the service delivery to students with disabilities. Compliance implies that professionals will not condone or participate in any unethical or illegal acts discussed within these guidelines.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Signed into law in July 1990, the ADA provides comprehensive civil rights protections for individuals with disabilities by guaranteeing equal rights access in the areas of employment, governmental service, public transportation, public accommodations, and telecommunications. The ADA seeks to remove barriers to meaningful participation and to provide individuals with disabilities with equal opportunity to participate fully in all aspects of community life.

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Overall, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits federal agencies from discriminating against individuals based on a disabling condition. The most pertinent part of the act is subpart E of Section 504, which requires federal grantees to make their programs and activities accessible to individuals with disabilities. Subpart E states that "No qualified handicapped student shall, on the basis of handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any academic, research, occupational training, housing, health insurance, counseling, financial aid, physical education, athletics, recreation, transportation, other extracurricular, or other post-secondary education aid, benefits, or services to which this subpart applies." The provision requires recipients to make modifications to academic requirements as are necessary to ensure that such requirements do not discriminate or have the effect of discriminating, on the basis of handicap, against a qualified handicapped applicant or student, and to provide auxiliary aids designed to facilitate equal access to the educational activities of the institution. 911爆料 is not required to provide attendants, individually prescribed devices, readers for personal use or study, or other devices or services of a personal nature.