Academic Accommodation Requests for Students
Bucks County Community College is an open-access institution. All students with a documented disability are protected under federal and state laws. All academic accommodations provided by Bucks County Community College are in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), Sections 504 and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These civil rights laws prohibit discrimination solely on the basis of disability.
Difference Between Post-Secondary Accommodations and High School Specifically Designed Instruction
The term “otherwise qualified individual with a disability” at the post-secondary level carries different connotations, places greater weight and responsibility on the part of the individual. It ultimately refers to a student’s academic proficiency and ability to demonstrate learning.
Post-secondary institutions must provide reasonable accommodations to allow students an equal opportunity (equal access) to participate in courses, programs, and activities.
Colleges and universities do not have to provide accommodations that would “fundamentally alter” or modify the educational program or academic requirements essential to the program of study.
Dual Credit High School courses (college) are only covered by Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), Sections 504 and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Participation is considered a choice on the part of the student where IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) requirements concerning FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education) do not apply.
Requirements under IDEA do not apply to the post-secondary level. The student is eligible to receive reasonable accommodations at the post-secondary level following the documentation requirements and procedures as all other post-secondary level students at Bucks County Community College. Modifications are not provided to any student at the post-secondary level. Reasonable academic accommodations do not alter the essential requirements of the class and the academic rigor and are available to any student that self-identifies and provides appropriate documentation to the Accessibility Office.
Self-Identifying and Self-Advocacy
At the post-secondary level, the student is required to disclose and self-identify to the Accessibility Office. A parent or an advocate cannot disclose on behalf of the student. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), Sections 504 and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Bucks County Community College and the Accessibility Office will not seek out students with a documented disability.
Students are welcome to bring an advocate or parent to any meeting they request. They may also have the advocate or parent to participate in a phone call. No other individual may speak for the student or disclose on their behalf of the student to ensure the privacy rights of the student under FERPA.
Documentation Requirements
Documentation of a student's disability may be required to determine if a student is eligible for services including accommodations. All diagnoses must be defined. “Other health impairment” is not a diagnosis. Appropriate documentation must have the following components:
- An Evaluation or Reevaluation Report (ER or RR), including diagnostic and testing information from the student's school district. The testing provided in these documents must be recent and be an accurate reflection of the student’s current abilities and show current needs and/or disabilities.
- An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan, including a history of accommodations provided by the school district to the student. Please note that not all existing accommodations or modifications from K-12 education settings may apply to the higher education setting. The IEP must be presented with the most current Evaluation or Reevaluation Report.
- A Neuro-psychoeducational Evaluation or Psychoeducation Evaluation Report from a licensed Psychiatrist, or Neurologist.
- A letter provided by a licensed and credentialed professional, unrelated to the student on the practitioner's letterhead describing the disability, diagnosis, and state license number. The letter provided by the licensed professional must explain the ways the disability affects the students functioning in a learning environment and include recommendations for possible accommodations that do not modify the curriculum at the higher educational level.
- A complete Bucks County Community College Verification Form completed by a licensed and credentialed professional, unrelated to the student.
Verification of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), notes from medical practitioners written on prescription pads and hospital discharge forms are not considered appropriate documentation to receive accommodations for credit and noncredit courses at Bucks County Community College. Students are encouraged to consult with Accessibility Office staff if there are any questions regarding this document.
Documentation should be presented at the time of appointment by the student. Documentation will not be accepted in advance or from a third party. The student may provide the documentation in paper or digital format at the time of the intake appointment.
Confidentiality of Diagnosis or Disability
All documentation is kept confidential in the Accessibility Office and will not be shown to anyone without the student's written permission. Students may resend their permission in writing at any time. All Faculty Memos or information regarding accommodations will not include any identifying information about the student’s disability(s).
Student Rights and Responsibilities
The student has the right to:
- Students at Bucks County Community College have the right to full and equal access to courses, programs, services, activities, and facilities offered through the college.
- Students at Bucks County Community College have the right to an equal opportunity to learn.
- Students at Bucks County Community College have the right to receive reasonable academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and/or services to ensure equal access related to their specific documented disability.
- Students at Bucks County Community College have the right to the confidentiality of all information regarding the student's documented disability, except as disclosures are required or permitted by law will not be shared outside of the Accessibility Office at Bucks County Community College.
- Students at Bucks County Community College have the right to all information in accessible formats.
- Students at Bucks County Community College have the right to file a grievance if accommodations are not provided or approved.
The student is responsible for:
- The student needs to meet qualifications and maintain essential institutional standards for courses, programs, services, jobs, activities, and facilities where they participate under the requirements set forth by Bucks County Community College.
- The student must willingly, self-identify as an individual with a disability when an academic accommodation, auxiliary aids and/or service is needed for participation in courses, programs, services, jobs, activities, and facilities at Bucks County Community College.
- The student must willingly, register with the Accessibility Office and work with a TAO staff member to obtain accommodations for participation in courses, programs, services, jobs, activities, and facilities at Bucks County Community College.
- It is the responsibility of the student to seek information and assistance as necessary in a timely manner as a delay in seeking assistance may result in a delay of accommodations being provided.
- It is the responsibility of the student to provide documentation, from an appropriate medical professional, detailing how the documented disability limits the student's participation in courses, programs, services, jobs, activities, and facilities at Bucks County Community College.
- It is the responsibility of the student to inquire about and follow the documented accessibility procedures for obtaining reasonable academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and/or services at Bucks County Community College.
- It is the responsibility of the student to meet with a Learning Specialist in the Accessibility Office to request or change accommodations.
- It is the responsibility of the student to submit a Request for Academic Accommodations or other appropriate request forms to the Accessibility Office every semester so that appropriate academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and/or services can be made in a timely manner.
- It is the responsibility of the student to notify the Accessibility Office if accommodations are not being provided after communicating with the instructor or if there are any specific problems with auxiliary aids and/or service is needed for participation in courses, programs, services, jobs, activities, and facilities at Bucks County Community College.
College Rights and Responsibilities
The college has the right to:
- Bucks County Community College has the right to enact standards for courses, programs, services, establish essential functions, abilities, skills, knowledge and activities or facilities and to evaluate individuals with disabilities on this basis.
- Bucks County Community College has the right to determine the appropriate standards in developing, constructing, remodeling and maintaining facilities.
- Bucks County Community College has the right to request and receive, through the Accessibility Office, current documentation that confirms documented disability status and supports requests for academic adjustments; auxiliary aids, and/or services requested by any individual student.
- Bucks County Community College has the right to deny a request for academic adjustments, auxiliary aids and/or services if the documentation demonstrates that the request is not warranted, or if the individual fails to provide appropriate documentation.
- Bucks County Community College has the right to select among and provide equally effective academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and/or services.
- Bucks County Community College has the right to refuse unreasonable academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and/or services that impose a fundamental alteration to a program or activity of the college.
The college is responsible for:
- Bucks County Community College is responsible for providing information to students with disabilities in accessible formats upon request.
- Bucks County Community College is responsible to ensure that courses, programs, services, jobs, activities, and facilities, when viewed in their entirety, are available and usable in the most integrated and appropriate settings.
- Bucks County Community College is responsible to provide or arrange reasonable academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and/or services for students with documented disabilities in courses.
- Bucks County Community College is responsible to respond to requests in a timely manner.
- Bucks County Community College is responsible maintain appropriate confidentiality of records and communications and discloses only when permitted by law or by appropriate written request.
Obtaining and Using Approved Accommodations
- The student must self-identify as a person with a disability. (Parents or advocates may not disclose on behalf of the student.)
- The student will schedule an appointment with the Accessibility Office for an intake appointment.
- At the time of the appointment, the student will bring documentation of their disability(s) to the intake appointment.
- The student should be prepared to discuss their disability, accommodations received in high school and how the disability affects individual learning.
- All documentation will be reviewed at the time of the intake appointment.
- Accommodations for college dual credit courses may differ from the high school accommodations and/or modifications provided by the high school or in the student’s IEP.
- Students are responsible for presenting their Faculty Memo (accommodation letter) to the instructor and discuss the accommodations. Without an accommodation letter from the Accessibility Office, accommodations will not be provided to the student.
- Letters of accommodation from the high school will not be accepted for dual credit courses.
- Students are responsible for notifying the Accessibility Office of all new class schedules and making a written request (can be e-mailed) for accommodation letters. It is important to request letters prior to the class start. Letters are prepared in the order the requests are made. It can take up to 7 days to receive the accommodation letters once requested.
- Accommodations are not retroactive. Accommodations begin when the Faculty Memo is presented and discussed with the instructor within a reasonable amount of time.
Sources Cited:
U.S. Department of Justice. (2009, July). A Guide to Disability Rights Laws. In Civil Rights Division: Disability Rights Section. Retrieved September 29, 2016, from https://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm