Documentation Guidelines

For specific documentation guidelines per disability, please choose from the list on the left.

Below is a general set of guidelines for determining eligibility for the receipt of accommodations from the Office of Disability Services.

Qualified Persons With Disabilities/Services For Students With Disabilities

A qualified individual with a disability is one who, with or without reasonable modifications to rules, policies, or practices, the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers, or the provision of auxiliary aids and services, meets the essential eligibility requirements for the receipt of services or participation in programs or activities provided by a public entity. A person with a disability is defined by law as anyone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of such major life activities as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, working, or learning.

Disclosure of disabilities is voluntary. However, in order to ensure equal access to programs and services, students are encouraged to provide appropriate, professional documentation of the disability to the Office of Disability Services. The college has the right to verify the disability. Students are required to request accommodations through the Director of Disability Services in order to receive such accommodations. The Office of Disability Services will determine the following:

• Whether the student meets the legal definition of disability
• Whether there is a reasonable accommodation that can be provided.

Depending on the student's needs, the Office of Disability Services coordinates accommodations for students with disabilities, advises and assists in arranging accommodations, provides individual and/or small group study strategy consultations, and acts as a liaison between students and faculty / administration / staff on issues relating to accommodations. Each student may require a different approach in order to achieve equal access to programs and services.

Temporary Conditions

Students may experience temporary medical conditions, which briefly impact or interfere with their academic participation (i.e., a broken limb, tendonitis, short-term illness, etc.) yet do not substantially limit one or more major life activity. Students with temporary medical conditions should communicate directly with their instructors. The Office of Disability Services has no authority in the area of temporary conditions.