Reasonable Accommodations

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (as amended) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended) prohibits discrimination against any qualified person with a disability regardless of the disability. It is the policy of Central Alabama Community College that no qualified person with a disability shall be subjected to discrimination because of the disability under any program or activity conducted or sponsored by the College. Central Alabama Community College seeks to provide accessible, affordable, quality education; promote economic growth; and enhance the quality of life in its service area and beyond. Moreover, the College strives to foster a welcoming environment to all of its students and works in good faith to meet the needs of our students.

Disclosure of a disability is voluntary. However, if a student with a disability has a need related to his/her condition and would like to request reasonable accommodations; he/she must contact the ADA Coordinator or point of contact to schedule an appointment to complete a Request for Services Application/Intake form and inform the official of his/her needs. The student must provide reasonable notice of the need for accommodations to the ADA Coordinator or point of contact. Before most accommodations can be made, the student must present documentation of his/her disability. For disabilities of physical nature, documentation must be dated within the last 12 months. For learning disabilities, documentation must be dated within the last three years. If the disability is of a physical nature, the documentation must come from the appropriate medical doctor. If the student has a learning disability, the evaluation should include test results and a statement of the disability from an appropriate mental health professional, testing agency, or medical physician. It is the student’s responsibility to provide documentation of his/her disability. The student is responsible for any cost related to obtaining the appropriate documentation to support his/her need for reasonable accommodations.

In providing reasonable accommodations, an educational institution is not required to waive or modify program requirements or lower academic standards that are reasonable and nondiscriminatory. Once the student presents the proper documentation to the ADA Coordinator or point of contact and is certified to receive reasonable accommodations, the ADA Coordinator or point of contact will complete a Disability Certification form, which lists the reasonable accommodations to be provided. Reasonable accommodations may include priority registration, testing accommodations, alternate formats of assignments, recording and/or note takers, academic classroom aids, adaptive computer technology, academic assistance, and interpreter services.

After registering for classes each semester, the student will schedule a meeting with the ADA Coordinator or point of contact. The Disability Certification form will be reviewed, and the ADA Coordinator or point of contact will complete a Reasonable Accommodation form for each class to give to the student. It will be the responsibility of the student to present these forms to his/her instructors, preferably within the first week of class, so that accommodations may be provided as early as possible. Reasonable accommodations are not retroactive; thus, it is important that students meet with the ADA Coordinator or point of contact and provide documentation of any disabilities as soon as possible. In order to receive accommodations at the College, students should follow the procedures listed below.

1. The student must schedule an appointment to meet with the ADA Coordinator or point of contact to discuss his/her need for reasonable accommodations.
2. During the appointment, the student will complete the Request for Services Application/ Intake form.
3. During (or after) the appointment, the student must provide proper documentation of his/her disability to the ADA Coordinator or point of contact. Please see the documentation criteria as listed in the section titled Criteria for Disability Documentation.
4. After being certified to receive reasonable accommodations at the College, the ADA Coordinator or point of contact will complete a Disability Certification form which lists the reasonable accommodations to be provided.
5. At the beginning of each term of enrollment, the student must schedule a meeting with the ADA Coordinator or point of contact and completethe Accommodation Referral Request.
6. The Coordinator will review the Disability Certification form and complete the Reasonable Accommodation form(s) for the student. The ADA Coordinator or point of contact will present the Accommodation Referral form to the instructor. 
7. The student should complete the Reasonable Accommodation Request during the first week of class. After the instructor signs the form, the student will receive notification as well as the ADA Coordinator.
8. Steps 5 and 6 will be repeated for each new term of enrollment with Central Alabama Community College.

If a student has a concern regarding reasonable accommodations and services received at the College, the student should contact the ADA Coordinator or point of contact at the location where the student is enrolled in classes.

*Students may contact the Office of Student Services at the campus/site where the student is enrolled or contact the designated ADA Coordinator or point of contact who will make arrangements to meet with the student.

Criteria for Disability Documentation

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (as amended) state that qualified students with disabilities who meet the technical and academic standards for colleges, universities, and institutions may be entitled to reasonable accommodations. A person with a disability is defined by the ADA as an individual who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities (such as caring for oneself, talking, seeing, hearing, reading, thinking and learning); a record of such an impairment; or is regarded as having such an impairment. Central Alabama Community College does NOT provide disability documentation for students. It is the student’s responsibility to provide appropriate documentation and to request accommodations. The name, title, and license or certification credentials of the evaluator must be stated on all reports submitted as official documentation. All reports must be on official letterhead, dated, and signed. Documentation must substantiate the need for services based on the student’s current functioning and the report must include specific recommendations for reasonable accommodations and the rationale for the stated accommodations. Appropriate documentation is defined as that which meets the following criteria:

1. Health Condition, Mobility, Hearing, Speech, or Visual Impairment: A letter or report from treating physician, orthopedic specialist, audiologist, speech pathologist, or ophthalmologist (as appropriate), including:
   1. Clearly stated diagnosis ruling out alternative explanations and diagnosis;
   2. Defined levels of functioning and any limitations;
   3. Current treatment and medication;
   4. Current letter/report (within the past twelve months), dated, and signed by the treating physician or specialist.
2. Psychological Disorder: A letter or report from mental health professional (psychologist, neuropsychologist, licensed professional counselor), which includes:
   1. Clearly stated diagnosis (DSM-V criteria) ruling out alternative explanations and diagnosis;
   2. Defined levels of functioning and any limitations;
   3. Supporting Documentation (i.e. test data, history, observations, etc.);
   4. Current treatment and medication;
   5. Current letter/report (within the past twelve months), dated, and signed by the individual who completed the assessment.
3. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A comprehensive evaluation report by rehabilitation counselor, speech-language pathologist orthopedic specialist, and/or neuropsychologist (or other specialist as appropriate), including:
   1. Assessment of cognitive abilities, including processing speed and memory; 
      Analysis of educational achievement skills and limitations (reading comprehension, written language, spelling, and mathematical abilities);
   2. Defined levels of functioning and limitations in all affected areas (communication, vision, hearing, mobility, psychological, seizures, etc.);
   3. Current treatment and medication;
   4. Current letter/report (post-rehabilitation and within the past twelve months), dated, and signed by the treating physician or specialist.
4. Learning Disability: A comprehensive evaluation report from a clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, neuropsychologist, school psychologist, learning disability specialist, or diagnostician, including:
   1. Clear statement of presenting problem; diagnostic interview;
   2. Educational history documenting the impact of the learning disabilities;
   3. Alternative explanations and diagnosis ruled out;
   4. Relevant test data with standard scores are provided to support conclusions, including at least: (a) WAIS-R; (b) Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery-Revised to substantiate any processing problems including Written Language (and Spelling), Reading, Comprehension, and Math (Calculation and Reasoning), and (c) Woodcock-Johnson Cognitive Processing Battery to substantiate any processing problems;
   5. Clearly stated diagnosis of a learning disability based upon DSM-V criteria and supported by more than one subtest score;
   6. Defined levels of functioning and any limitations, supported by evaluation data;

   7. Current report (within three years of enrollment date), dated, and signed.

      ** Note: High School IEP, 504 Plan, and/or a letter from physician or other professional will not be sufficient to document a learning disability.

5. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD): A comprehensive evaluation report from a physician, psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, neurologist, or neuropsychologist, including:
   1. Clear statement of presenting problem; diagnostic interview;
   2. Evidence of early and current impairment in at least at two different environments (comprehensive history);
   3. Alternative explanations and diagnoses ruled out;
   4. Relevant test data with standard scores are provide to support conclusions, including at least: (a) WAIS-R or WAIS III (b) Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery- Revised, including Written Language (and Spelling), Reading Comprehension, Math, (Calculation and Reasoning), and (c) Behavioral Assessment Instruments for ADHD normed on adults; (d) Tests of Variables of Attention (TOVA);
   5. Clearly stated diagnosis of ADHD based upon DSM-V criteria and supported by more than one score;
   6. Defined Levels of functioning and any limitations, supported by evaluation data;

   7. Current report (within three years of enrollment date), dated, and signed.

      ** Note: High School IEP’s, 504 Plans, and/or a letter from a physician or other professional are not sufficient to document AD/HD. Medications cannot be used to imply a diagnosis.

The Disability Services Office is the only party that will review disability verification documents. The Office will not release disability documentation to any party without the student’s consent. Strict confidentiality is maintained in all verbal communications with Central Alabama Community College faculty and staff unless a student grants written permission or Disability Services is required to release information by law or court order.