Eligibility of Students with Disabilities to Receive Accommodations

Purpose:

To ensure students with disabilities have equal access to educational programs, services, and activities through the delivery of reasonable accommodations and services as outlined in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADA AA). The procedures for implementation of this policy are provided below.

Procedure and/or Process Definitions:

Disability: a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, which may include, but not be limited to seeing, walking, talking, breathing, hearing, learning, etc. A substantial limitation exists if the manner, duration, or condition under which the activity is performed is significantly limited when compared to most people.

Reasonable accommodation: an adaptation to a program or service that allows a student with a disability to participate in the program or service. Accommodations may include the provision of auxiliary aids such as tape recorders, note-takers, extra time on tests, interpreters, etc.

Procedures:

1. Request for accommodation:

   In order to initiate the accommodation process, the following procedures must be followed:

   1. 1. The student must complete the online application for Students Applying for Accommodations for the First Time, found on the Office of Student Accommodations page.

         Documentation may be submitted by way of JSRCC Form 75-3002, Office of Student Accommodations Certification Form, or on letterhead with the following information:

         1. 1. a clearly stated diagnosis of the disability
            2. the student's functional limitation in an academic environment
            3. a statement that the disability is a substantial limitation to a basic life process
            4. signature, printed name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator
            5. date of the evaluation

         Specific documentation requirements can be found in any campus Office of Student Accommodations or online.

      2. Upon receipt of documentation, staff within the Office of Student Accommodations will review the documentation and contact the student to schedule an initial intake appointment. Accommodation(s) will be discussed and authorized based on the documentation presented.

      3. Once the intake has been completed and the student is registered for classes, the student must request Letters of Accommodation. The Office of Student Accommodations will email the Letters of Accommodation to the student's VCCS email account. It is the student's responsibility to provide the Letters of Accommodation to faculty members to review.

      4. If a student requests an accommodation directly from a faculty or staff member, the student should be referred to the Office of Student Accommodations.

   The Office of Student Accommodations will work with faculty and staff throughout the college in order to assist with the understanding of the nature of the student disability and how the accommodations may be implemented within the classroom or other activity.

   Guidelines for requesting and using interpreter services, using calculators, addressing personal care attendant needs, using service animals on campus, and requesting course substitutions can be found in Section V, Other Information.

2. Dispute of accommodation decisions or process:

   Students who wish to appeal a decision using the college's appeal process may do the following:

   1. Students must submit a written appeal outlining the presented issue to the counselor for student accommodations.

   2. Within five (5) business days of receipt of the appeal, the counselor for student accommodations will arrange a meeting with the student to discuss the appeal.

   3. At the meeting, the counselor for student accommodations will review all information with the student as well as any new information. If additional information is required, the counselor will present this request for follow-up by the student.

   4. Upon completion of the meeting and review of any new information, the counselor for student accommodations will provide a decision within ten (10) business days of the meeting.

   Students who are dissatisfied with the decision of the counselor for student accommodations may submit an appeal to the vice president of student affairs within ten (10) business days of receipt of the decision.

   Within five (5) days of receipt of the appeal, the vice president of student affairs will review the appeal and request a meeting with the student and the counselor for student accommodations. Upon completion of the meeting and review of any new information, the vice president of student affairs will provide a decision within ten (10) business days.

   At any point in the process, students dissatisfied with services may file a complaint with the Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights. The Office of Civil Rights may be contacted at:

   Office for Civil Rights
   District of Columbia Office
   U.S. Department of Education
   400 Maryland Avenue, SW
   Washington, DC 20202-1475

   
   Telephone: 800-453-6020
   FAX: 202-453-6021; TDD: 800-877-8339
   Email: OCR.DC@ed.gov

3. Disclosure and Confidentiality:

   Student disclosure of a disability is voluntary. Reynolds considers disability-related information as confidential material and will protect it in accordance with the Family Educational Rights to Privacy Act (FERPA) and Reynolds Policy 1-26, Student Privacy and Release of Student Information.

Other Information:

Reynolds Policy 1-26, Student Privacy and Release of Student Information

JSRCC Form 75-3002, Office of Student Accommodations Certification Form

Guidelines for Addressing Personal Care Attendant Needs

Guidelines for Course Substitutions

Guidelines for Requesting & Using Interpreter Services

Guidelines for Using Calculators

Guidelines for Using Service Animals on Campus