/ADeskReferenceGuideForFaculty

A Desk Reference Guide For Faculty Office for Students with Disabilities

Office for Students with Disabilities

Mission Statement The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) is committed to the fulfillment of equal educational opportunity, academic freedom and human dignity for students with disabilities. The OSD exists to provide reasonable and appropriate accommodations for qualified students with disabilities, to assist students in self-advocacy, to educate the Valencia community about disabilities, and to ensure compliance with the ADA and Section 504.

Objectives 1.

To be committed to facilitating the highest levels of educational excellence and potential quality of life for students with disabilities.

2.

To support the institution’s academic standards.

3.

To strive to achieve 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 a student’s disability.

4. To 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 on-going development of strategies, skills, research, and knowledge pertinent to the highest quality of disability service delivery.

5. To be actively engaged in supporting and clarifying institutional, state, and federal laws, policies, and procedures applicable to the delivery of services for students with disabilities.

This handbook is available in alternative format upon request.

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The Law Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 states that. . .

“No otherwise qualified person with a disability in the United States… shall solely by reason of…disability, be denied the benefits of, be excluded from participation in, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”

A person with a disability includes. . . “any person who (1) has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities, (2) has a record of such an impairment, or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment.”

A “qualified person with a disability” is defined as one. . . “who meets the academic and technical standards requisite to admission or participation in the education program or activity.”

Section 504 protects the rights of qualified individuals who have disabilities such as, but not limited to: Blindness/visual impairment Cerebral palsy Deafness/hearing impairment Epilepsy or seizure disorder Orthopedic/mobility impairment Specific learning disability Speech and language impairments Spinal cord injury Tourette’s syndrome Traumatic brain injury

Chronic illnesses, such as: AIDS Arthritis Cancer Cardiac disease Diabetes Multiple sclerosis Muscular dystrophy Psychiatric disability

Under the provisions of Section 504 Valencia Community College may not discriminate in the recruitment, admission, educational process, or treatment of students. Students who have self-identified, provided documentation of disability, and requested reasonable accommodations are entitled to receive approved modifications of programs, appropriate academic adjustments, or auxiliary aids that enable them to participate in and benefit from all educational programs and activities.

Reasonable accommodations A reasonable accommodation is a modification or adjustment to a course, program, service, activity or facility that enables a qualified student with a documented disability to have an equal opportunity.

An equal opportunity means an opportunity to attain the same level of performance or to enjoy 3

equal benefits and privileges as are available to a similarly-situated student without a disability. The College is obligated to make a reasonable accommodation only to the known limitations of an otherwise qualified student with a disability.

To determine reasonable accommodations, the Office for Students with Disabilities may seek information from appropriate College personnel regarding essential standards for courses, programs, services, activities and facilities. Students and the practitioners directly involved in assessing the individual student’s disability may provide recommendations for accommodations. However, final determination of reasonable accommodations that will allow the student equal access will be made by the College’s Office for Students with Disabilities.

Reasonable accommodations are determined by examining: 1.

The barriers resulting from the interaction between the documented disability and the campus environment;

2.

The possible accommodations that might remove barriers;

3.

Whether or not the student has access to the course, program, service, activity or facility without accommodations;

4.

Whether or not essential elements of the course, program, service, activity, or facility are compromised by the accommodation.

Under provision of the ADA and Section 504, students are guaranteed equal opportunity with no guarantee of specific outcomes. In addition, the college reserves the right to define the essential skills for its various degree programs; to refuse services to students who do not meet the standards establishing them as a person with a disability; and to refuse services to students who do not produce acceptable documentation or who do not follow procedures for accessing services.

Responsibilities of the students Students with disabilities have the responsibility to: 1. Self-identify concerning disability status to the Office for Students with Disabilities in a timely manner.

2. Provide disability documentation that is as recent as within the last three years.

3. Request necessary accommodations.

4. Meet and maintain the College’s academic, conduct, and technical standards.

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Responsibilities of faculty/staff members If notified in writing Faculty members have the responsibility to cooperate with the Office for Students with Disabilities in providing authorized accommodations in a reasonable and timely manner.

Faculty/staff should meet with students who provide a notification letter for accommodations to establish the means of providing accommodation.

If not notified in writing If a student requests accommodation and the faculty/staff member has not been notified of the student’s need for accommodation, then the faculty/staff member should refer the student to the Office for Students with Disabilities. If the disability is visible and the accommodation appears appropriate, the faculty/staff member should provide the accommodation while awaiting official notification.

If questions arise as to the appropriateness of the requested accommodation If a faculty/staff member has questions about the appropriateness of certain accommodations, the Office for Students with Disabilities should be contacted for further clarification. The faculty/staff member should continue to provide accommodations while the issue is being resolved. When a student uses a tape recorder in the classroom, it is appropriate to ask the student to sign an agreement not to release the recording or otherwise obstruct the copyright.

Faculty and staff do not have the right to access the student’s diagnostic information. Additionally, faculty and staff do not have the right to fail to provide the authorized accommodation. Faculty and staff do have the right to ask that accommodations requested are specific and reasonable.

Recent Legal Decisions The college must provide the accommodation Students are not required to assume the responsibility for securing a necessary accommodation. The college is required to provide reasonable accommodations for a student’s known disability so that the student has an equal opportunity to participate in the courses, activities, or programs. The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) ruled that a university may not charge students for necessary accommodations.

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Expense of accommodation is not undue hardship Providing an auxiliary aid or incurring an expense to ensure access would not constitute undue hardship to the college. In determining what constitutes an undue hardship, the OCR views the entire financial resources of the college rather than any single department.

Classroom must be accessible A classroom’s location must be changed to provide accessibility for a student with a mobility impairment. The college does not need to make every classroom accessible but must provide for the participation of students with disabilities when “viewed in its entirety.”

Extended time Extended time is a reasonable accommodation for a student whose documentation specifically calls for that accommodation. The college is required to ensure that the student is provided additional time to complete tests and/or course work in order to provide an equal opportunity for that student.

Altered form of exam The form of an exam must be altered if the testing procedure puts a student with a disability at a disadvantage based on the student’s documented disability. There may be an exception when the purpose of the test is to measure a specific skill.

Accommodation must be documented The college may refuse to grant a student’s request for an accommodation which is not specifically recommended in the student’s documentation.

Handouts in alternate format If a student with a visual or learning impairment is enrolled in a class, the instructor must provide all handouts in the alternate format requested by the Office for Students with Disabilities. In addition, all handouts must be made available to students on the same day they are distributed to non-disabled students.

Material on reserve in library The instructor must make course material on reserve in the library available in alternate formats for students with visual impairments enrolled in the course.

Diagnostic information confidential Faculty/staff do not have the right to access diagnostic information regarding a student’s disability.

Faculty/staff need only know the accommodations that are necessary to guarantee an equal opportunity for the student.

Personal liability An individual faculty member who fails to provide an accommodation to a student with a documented disability may be held personally liable.

Academic freedom Academic freedom does not permit instructors to decide if they will provide special aids and services for students with documented disabilities in the classroom.

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Testing accommodations Accommodations for testing such as readers, scribes, or use of adaptive equipment must be provided for a student with a documented disability.

Personal services and aids The college is not required to provide personal services such as attendant care, or personal aids such as wheelchairs or eyeglasses.

Assistive Technology Technology that may be used as an accommodation in the classroom setting includes (not an inclusive list):

Mimio & Smart Boards – allows the user to share, store or print (via a computer) any whiteboard notes.

CCTV – hardware device that uses a video camera connected to a monitor to enlarge documents.

Sticky Keys – a free software application that allows for pressing two or more keys simultaneously.

Track Ball – an alternative computer input device.

C-Print – a computer-aided speech-to-text transcription system facilitated by a trained captionist.

JAWS – software that provides visual information in audio format.

Zoomtext - software that enlarges text and graphics on the computer screen.

Common Accommodations

*This list is not meant to be exhaustive but rather an overview of common adjustments* Orthopedic/Mobility Impairments • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Accessible location for the classroom and place for faculty to meet with student Extra time to get from one class to another Special seating in classrooms Note takers, use of tape recorders, laptop computers, or photocopying of peer notes Test accommodations: extended time, separate place, scribes, access to word processors Special computer equipment/software: voice activated word processing, keyboard modification Extra time for assignments due to slow writing speed Adjustable lab tables or drafting tables for classes taught in lab settings Lab assistance Accessible parking in close proximity to the building Customized physical education class activities Course waiver or substitution for some students Taped texts Advance planning for field trips to ensure accessibility

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Blindness/Visual Impairments • • • • • • • • • • •

Reading lists or syllabi in advance to permit time for transferring to alternate format Textbooks ordered in the preferred medium of the student Seating in front of the class away from glare from windows Tape recording of lectures and class discussions Notetaking devices such as pocket Braille computers Handouts in the medium to which the student is most accustomed Clear black print on white or pale yellow paper for students with visual impairments Enlarged print handouts or enlarged print of visual aids used in class Testing accommodations: taped tests, reading of tests, scribe, extended time, separate place, enlarged print, computer word processing software with speech access Materials presented on the board or on transparencies read out loud Lab assistance

Learning Disabilities • • • • • •

Registration: reduced course load, priority registration General: extended time to complete assignments, course substitution for non-essential course requirements in the major Note taking: tape recorders, note takers Testing: extended time, separate area, alternative type of exam, scribe Reading: taped texts, reader Writing: extended time for in-class assignments to correct spelling; word processor with spell check

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD) •

Accommodations may include the same as those for students with learning disabilities

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) •

Accommodations may include the same as those for students with learning disabilities

Deafness/Hearing Impairments • • • • • • • • •

Seating in front of the classroom Written supplement to oral instructions, assignments, and directions Visual aids as often as possible Speaker facing the class during the lecture Speaker repeating the questions that other students ask Note taker for class lectures Test accommodations: extended time, separate place, access to word processor, interpreted directions Unfamiliar vocabulary written on the board or handout ALD

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Speech and Language Disorders • •

Modifications of assignments such as one-to-one presentation or use of computer with voice synthesizer Substitutions for oral class report

Psychological Disorders • • •

Extended time for exams, separate area Notetakers, readers, or tape recorders in class Flexibility in attendance requirements when possible Critical Ways Faculty Can Support All Students with Disabilities

Syllabus Statement It is important that faculty include in each syllabus the following statement asking students to inform them of any special needs to ensure that those needs are met in a timely manner: "Students with disabilities who qualify for academic accommodations must provide a letter from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and discuss specific needs with the professor, preferably during the first two weeks of class. The Office for Students with Disabilities determines accommodations based on appropriate documentation of disabilities." A further recommendation is that the statement be read aloud by the faculty member during the first week of class. This approach demonstrates to students that you are someone who is sensitive to and concerned about meeting the needs of all students you teach. Furthermore, it affords students the opportunity to make their accommodation needs known to you early in the semester.

Confidentiality It is essential that disability information be kept confidential. At no time should the class be informed that a student has a disability, except at the student’s request. All information that a student gives to the faculty member is to be used specifically for arranging reasonable accommodations for the course of study. We recommend that students bring letters verifying their disabilities to faculty during office hours or by special appointment. At that time, arrangement of accommodations can be discussed in private.

Textbooks, Coursepacks, and Syllabi Please make your book selections, compiled coursepacks, and syllabi available in a timely manner.

Students, who are blind, have visual impairments, or have learning disabilities affecting their reading rates and comprehension, require printed materials that are transformed into alternate formats.

Conversion of text into a spoken format or Braille can be a time consuming process, taking as much as six months to complete. Your syllabus is required to determine the extent to which each text will be used and the order in which reading assignments will be completed.

Some students will rely on having printed material scanned and saved in computer format that can be listened to using voice output software. If you are collating various journal articles and portions of books into coursepacks for distribution, please use original copies or a copy that is as clean as 9

possible. Creating coursepacks using second, third, and forth generation copies of material (copies made from copies, made from copies, etc.) may cause images of text that are fuzzy. Such blurring often makes it impossible for character recognition software to decipher images as readable text. If material included in coursepacks is not all of top quality, OSD would appreciate being able to briefly borrow your originals for scanning.

Videos New Materials 1.

2.

When ordering new instructional videos, faculty should make every effort to select videos that are close-captioned. This may be as simple as remembering to ask for a close-captioned version of the video. If a DVD player is available in the classroom, ordering DVD’s is also an option because they will be close-captioned.

If the desired materials are not available in close-captioned format from the publisher, faculty should then: a.

Check with the Captioned Media Program (CMP). This is a program funded through the U.S. Department of Education that has a collection of 4,000+ open captioned videotapes available for free loan. Information about this program has been distributed to departments college-wide and can be found online at: http://www.cfv.org. b.

Check with the Office for Students with Disabilities to see if the video can be made accessible in some other way. c.

Work through the department chair regarding the selection of a captioning vendor.

OSD can provide an approved vendor list. Consideration must be given to the fact that copyright permissions must be received from the publisher before proceeding with post-production captioning (this may delay or even prevent captioning of some materials).

Current In-House Materials OSD will work with faculty college-wide to develop a priority list of videos to be captioned. When possible, it would be helpful for faculty to see if newer closed-caption versions of materials are now available.

Receiving a Request for Accommodations Procedurally, formal requests for accommodations will come to you in a Notification to Instructors.

The form will be in triplicate. Please sign, date and keep the white copy for your records. The student receives the pink copy and the yellow copy is returned to the Office for Students with Disabilities. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the authorizing staff person whose name appears on the form. You are not required to provide accommodations for a student who does not produce a Notification to Instructors signed by an OSD staff member. Students requesting accommodation without this form should be referred to OSD. Special Testing Accommodations Time-and-one-half for testing is the usual accommodation given to students who, for disability 10

related reasons, work slowly and require additional time to complete tests. A few students may also need to take tests in a room with limited distractions or with no other students present. For example, a student may need to read test questions aloud, and this would be disturbing to other test-takers.

Still other students may request the use of a laptop computer or adaptive computer technology for taking essay exams.

Note Taker Requests When a note taker is requested: At the next class meeting , please make a general announcement to your class asking for someone to take notes or ask a specific student that you feel might be a good note taker. It is requested that every effort be made to protect the confidentiality of the student throughout the process to secure someone to assist with notes. Note takers who complete the required OSD paperwork will be allowed to participate in priority registration. If you fail to get a response from your class after at least two announcements, please call the OSD so other arrangements can be made.

Making a Referral to the Office for Students with Disabilities Faculty members sometimes contact OSD regarding students they feel might need to avail themselves of services offered by our office. Although teachers in high school are active participants in the process of identifying and referring students to special services, there is no comparable requirement in higher education. If a student is requesting accommodations but has not presented you with a Notification to Instructors form, you may ask the student to contact OSD. Furthermore, the College does not provide testing for specific learning disabilities. Students who are concerned about the possibility of learning disability can meet with an OSD counselor for a diagnostic interview and information about pursuing testing in the community.

Tips for Disability Awareness Appropriate Language

People with disabilities are people first. The Americans with Disabilities Act officially changed the way people with disabilities are referred to and provided the model. The person first and then the disability. This emphasizes the person and not the disability.

Do use the word disability when referring to someone who has a physical, mental, emotional, sensory, or learning impairment.

Do not use the word handicapped. A handicap is what a person with a disability cannot do.

Avoid labeling individuals as victims, or the disabled, or names of conditions.

Instead, refer to people with disabilities as “someone who has epilepsy.”

Avoid terms such as “wheelchair bound.” Wheelchairs provide access and enable individuals to get around. Instead, refer to a “person who uses a wheelchair” or “someone with a mobility impairment.”

When it is appropriate to refer to an individual’s disability, choose the correct terminology for the specific disability. Use terms such as quadriplegia, speech impairment, or specific learning disability.

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Appropriate Interaction

When introduced, offer to shake hands. People with limited hand use or artificial limbs can usually shake hands. It is an acceptable greeting to use the left hand for shaking.

Treat adults as adults. Avoid patronizing people who use wheelchairs by patting them on the shoulder or touching their head. Never place your hands on a person’s wheelchair as the chair is a part of the body of the user.

If possible, sit down when talking to a person who uses a wheelchair so that you are at the person’s eye level.

Speak directly to the person with a disability. Do not communicate through another person. If the person uses an interpreter, look at the person and speak to the person, not the interpreter.

Offer assistance with sensitivity and respect. Ask if there is something you might do to help. If the offer is declined, do not insist.

If you are a sighted guide for a person with a visual impairment, allow the person to take your arm at or above the elbow so that you guide rather than propel.

When talking to a person with a speech impairment, listen attentively, ask short questions that require short answers, avoid correcting, and repeat what you understand if you are uncertain.

When speaking to a person with a hearing impairment, look directly at the person and speak slowly. Avoid placing your hand over your mouth when speaking. Written notes may be helpful for short conversations.

Contact Information

East Campus

Osceola Campus

Location: Building 5, Room 212 Phone Number: (407) 582-2229 TDD Number: (407) 277-0238 Fax Number: (407) 582-8909

Location: Building 1, Room 152 Phone Number: (407) 582-4167 TDD Number (321) 697-4295 Fax Number: (407) 582-4804

West Campus

Winter Park Campus

Location: Student Services Building (SSB) Room 102 Phone Number: (407) 582-1523 TDD Number: (407) 298-7032 Fax Number: (407) 582-1326

Location: Building 1, Room 203 Phone Number: (407) 582-6887 TDD Number: (407) 628-0697 Fax Number: (407) 582-6915

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The Office for Students with Disabilities can also be found online at: http://valenciacc.edu/osd.asp

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