Office of Accessibility Faculty Handbook 2025

2025

Office of Accessibility

Faculty Handbook

Greetings!

This handbook is to help you to understand the process for students with disabilities. Should you ever have any questions regarding working with students with disabilities, please don’t hesitate to contact our office.

We are here to help!

Faculty are asked not to provide individual accommodations to students unless an official accommodation letter has been issued. Exceptions may include supports or flexibility you routinely offer to all student.

Americans with Disabilities Act/Section 504 There are two legal mandates that protect students with disabilities from discrimination and ensure that they have equal access to all aspects of the College. These laws include Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act states, “No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States…shall, solely by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Title II of the ADA states, “A public entity shall make reasonable modifications in policies or procedures when the modifications are necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability, unless the public entity can demonstrate that making the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity.”

In our efforts to provide equal access, the Office of Accessibility works with students, instructors and the campus community to ensure students with disabilities are afforded an equal opportunity and that services provided are in adherence to the law.

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Registration with the Office of Accessibility Eligibility for protection under the ADA and Section 504 requires the student to meet one of the following three criteria: • Have a physical or mental condition that substantially limits one or more major life activity.

• Have a record of such a physical or mental condition.

• Be regarded as having such an impairment, whether actually having the impairment or not.

Students can register with the Office of Accessibility through our online portal. Students must submit documentation of their disability. After barriers that result from the disability are established, students and the OA Coordinator meet to discuss appropriate accommodations that would remove that barrier.

Confidentiality Confidentiality is extremely important regarding students with disabilities.

Students have the right to choose whether to disclose information specific to their disability to their instructors. As a result, faculty are not informed on the accommodation letter as to what the students disability is; instead, they are only made aware of the accommodations that have been approved as a result of a documented disability. It is entirely up to the student to share disability information, and the Office of Accessibility cannot disclose the nature of the disability without the student’s written consent.

Under no circumstances should a student’s disability be discussed in front of a class or in the presence of other students. All information that a student shares with a faculty member is to be used specifically for arranging reasonable accommodations for the course of study. Casual conversations with colleagues about a student’s disability status are prohibited. Confidential disability information, to which you have access, should be released to other faculty and staff based only on their need to know for assistance in determining course or assignment objectives or the reasonableness of an accommodation request. Sharing such information with other faculty or staff to only make aware is not justified. If the direct faculty, OA Coordinator and student are unable to come to a decision surrounding accommodation options, we will involve other faculty or program chairs.

If you are unsure of what questions are appropriate to ask a student with a disability, please contact the Office of Accessibility for assistance.

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Syllabus All syllabi should include a statement regarding the Office of Accessibility. It is also helpful to announce and read aloud this statement of the beginning of the semester. Many students are attending Rowan-Cabarrus Community College immediately after high school and may not be aware that these services are available to them.

The statement should read as follows: Accessibility Services Statement Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is committed to ensuring equal access for students with disabilities, in accordance with Section 504 and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.

Students who require instructional or testing accommodations must request them through the Office of Accessibility (OA) as early as possible preferably before the start of the semester by visiting rccc-accommodate.symplicity. com/public_accommodation.

An OA Coordinator will review the request and meet with the student to discuss appropriate accommodations. Once approved, an official accommodation letter will be sent electronically to both the student and their instructors. Students are responsible for meeting with their instructors to discuss how accommodations will be implemented.

For support, contact the Office of Accessibility: • North Campus: Building N101, Student Services • South Campus: Building S201, Student Services • Email: oa@rccc.edu

Faculty Rights and Responsibilities Faculty have the right to:

• Maintain academic standards set forth by Rowan-Cabarrus Community College.

• Request Accommodation Notification letter from student prior to providing accommodations.

• Speak with students regarding the logistics of accommodations indicated in the Accommodation Notification.

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• Consult with OA Coordinator regarding questions about the accommodations indicated.

• Expect all students, regardless of disability, to adhere to the Student Code of Conduct • Deny requests for accommodations when student does not have an Accommodation Notification. Refer students requesting accommodations without a notification to the Office of Accessibility.

Faculty have the responsibility to: • Refer students who request accommodations to a OA Coordinator.

• Work with the Office of Accessibility in recruiting volunteer notetakers and setting up accommodated testing for students with disabilities.

• Provide notes, class handouts and tests in accessible formats for students with disabilities.

• Ensure that online content is accessible for all students.

• Allow the use of a digital recorder during lecture with accommodation approval.

Student Rights and Responsibilities Students have the right to:

• Equal access to all services provided by the College • Confidentiality with all information regarding their disability Students have the responsibility to: • Identify themselves as a student with a disability to receive accommodations.

• Provide documentation describing a diagnosis, limitations and appropriate accommodations.

• Keep instructors and the Office of Accessibility informed as to the effectiveness of accommodations.

• Adhere to the Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Student Code of Conduct regardless of ability or disability.

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Accommodations Appropriate accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the student and the nature of the disability. Accommodations are designed to provide students with equal access to fully participate in the College’s programs, services and activities.

Accommodations are not to: • Fundamentally alter the nature of College’s programs, services and activities.

• Cause an undue burden to the College.

• Pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others.

If you ever have questions about how to provide accommodations, or you feel like the accommodations would fall into the three categories listed above, contact the Office of Accessibility immediately.

Flexible Attendance Accommodation Policy In limited cases, a student’s disability may justify consideration for flexibility with attendance. This accommodation is typically applicable to students with disabilities that are episodic in nature, involve unpredictable symptom flare-ups, or require frequent medical treatment or hospitalization.

If this accommodation is deemed reasonable, the Office of Accessibility will consult with the course instructor to ensure it does not fundamentally alter essential course requirements or impose an undue burden. When approved, a Flexible Attendance Agreement will be completed by the student and shared with the instructor, along with the official accommodation letter.

Student Responsibilities: • Students that are approved for flexibility with attendance must contact the instructor and the Office of Accessibility as soon as possible before/ after a disability-related absence.

• The student is responsible for all class content and materials covered during absences.

• The student is still responsible for completing all course objectives, assignments, hours, etc. required by the course.

• Assignment deadlines are not automatically extended under this accommodation.

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Extended Time on Assignments Accommodation Policy In limited cases, a student’s disability may justify consideration for extended time on assignments. This accommodation is typically applicable to students with disabilities that are episodic in nature, involve unpredictable symptom flare-ups, or require frequent medical treatment or hospitalization.

When approved, an Extended Time on Assignments Agreement will be completed by the student and shared with the instructor along with the official accommodation letter. Most assignments have established due dates which are provided via the syllabus or LMS in advance. Generally, approval for extended time for assignments provides the student up to two additional days to complete an assignment but does not automatically apply to all assignments. In addition, the accommodation is not invoked retroactively.

Extended time for assignments does not permit unlimited extensions and students remain accountable for all academic activities (assignments, assessments, required readings, etc.) and course standards specified on the syllabus.

Student Responsibilities: • Proactively work on assignments and manage their time with consideration given to potential challenges related to the impact of their disability and other class assignments/coursework requirements.

• In a timely manner, make a request for an extension to the instructor and the Office of Accessibility each time an extension is needed due to a disability-related issue.

• Submit work completed by the due date.

Temporary Impairments Students are recommended to first meet and discuss with appropriate personnel (instructor, supervisor) the impact, duration and functional limitations of the temporary impairment within the classroom/learning environment before meeting with the Office of Accessibility. Many arrangements can be made between the appropriate personnel (instructor, supervisor) and individual without the use of the OA for conditions lasting less than six weeks. For common sickness-related issues (flu, cold, etc.), faculty should follow standard absence/makeup policies outlined in their syllabus.

Students who wish to formally receive accommodations through the OA must complete the Temporary Impairment Intake form and submit documentation of the impairment. Accommodations will be determined based on the needs outlined in the documentation provided.

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Seizure or Emergency Plan Your only responsibilities, should a seizure or emergency occur in class, are: • Call 911.

• Call extension 3900 (or 704-216-3900), which is the emergency line for Campus Health, Safety and Security.

Other suggested actions you may take: • Clear the space around the student.

• If student has fallen to floor, roll them to their side and place something soft under their head.

• Dismiss the rest of the class.

• If a student is wearing any type of medical alert bracelet with contacts, you may choose to notify those contacts ONLY AFTER 911 has been called.

Please note: None of the suggested actions above are required of you.

Contact Information for the Office of Accessibility Candra Stallings | North Campus, NCRC and ATC candra.stallings@rccc.edu | 704-216-3851 Andre Bennett | South Campus, College Station and CBTC andra.bennett@rccc.edu | 704-216-3670

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