Academic Disability Services
Calumet College of St. Joseph seeks to provide opportunities for equal access in programs, services, and activities.
Students with documented disabilities, including students with intellectual disabilities, requiring academic support are encouraged to contact Academic Disability Services. CCSJ Services strive to meet the needs of all students, providing academic services in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines. The ADA states that a disability “must place substantial limitations on an individual’s major life activities”. There are three categories of persons with disabilities:
- Individuals who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities;
- Individuals who have a record of a physical or mental impairment that substantially limited one or more of the individual’s major life activities; and
- Individuals who are regarded as having such an impairment, whether they have the impairment or not.
It is the student’s responsibility to contact Academic Disability Services to request reasonable accommodations. When requesting accommodations, students are to provide professional documentation of their disability. Requirements for Documentation are: IEP, medical diagnosis, psychological, and/or vocational rehabilitation services. Documentation assists the office of Academic and Disability Services to:
- Establish a student’s eligibility for services
- Understand the impact of a student’s condition (s) in an academic environment
- And, Determine strategies and reasonable accommodations to facilitate equal access
Commonly requested accommodations are: extended time for completion of tests/quizzes, alternate location or distraction-reduced environment for test completion, extended time to complete assignments, and use of assistive technology.
Examples of Documented Disabilities are: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Learning Disabilities, Communication Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Psychological Disorders, Blindness or Visual Impairments, Deafness or Hearing Impairments, Chronic Medical Conditions, Neurological Impairments, Orthopedic Impairments, or Traumatic Injuries.
Students with disabilities are required to meet the same academic standards as other students. Students with disabilities are not allowed to use their disability as an excuse to complete substandard work.
“Reasonable accommodations” as stated by the ADA must be provided on a case by case basis to individuals with disabilities. The accommodations must be reasonable and effective. Students must meet with a staff member from Academic and Disability Services to complete the Intake Form to request accommodations. The Accommodation Request Form must be completed prior to enrollment for each academic term.
It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Academic and Disability Services office to request accommodations. When requesting accommodations, students are to provide professional documentation of their disability.
DOCUMENTATION
Disability related documentation should provide information on the functional impact of the disability so that effective accommodations can be identified. Documentation may include assessments, reports, and/or letters from qualified evaluators, professionals, or institutions. Common sources of documentation are health care providers, psychologists, diagnosticians, and/or information from a previous school.
- Formal medical statement from a doctor verifying the disability.
- Copy of your most recent psychological testing explaining the disability.
- Documentation from the Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) or other agency supplying testing need or verification of disability.
- 504
- IEP
EXAMPLES OF SUFFICIENT DOCUMENTATION
- Typed on letterhead, dated, and signed by a qualified professional.
- Diagnostic Statement with any related diagnostic methodology (Diagnostic criteria and/or procedures)
- Functional impact or symptoms. (Impacts inform which accommodations are appropriate.)
- Severity and/or expected progression.
- Current medication(s) and any related side effects.
- Current and/or past accommodations.
- Any recommended accommodations.
After the student’s intake form and documentation have been submitted, the documents will be reviewed. If determined eligible, Academic and Disability Services will notify the student and then notify the professors of the student’s eligibility. The student will then be required to meet with Academic and Disability Services to complete the faculty accommodations request. If the student has not been contacted by Academic and Disability Services within 2 weeks of submission of all appropriate documents, the student needs to follow up with the Academic and Disability Services office. Students must contact Academic and Disability Services to complete faculty accommodations request each semester.
- Readers, notetakers, scribes
- Coordination of classroom and testing accommodations
- Assistive Technology
- Tutoring
- Counseling
- Informational Resources
- Mentoring
Students seeking accommodations or services on the basis of a temporary disability that is a result of injuries, surgery, or short-term medical conditions must provide documentation which includes the following:
- the nature of the condition
- the expected duration of the conditions or any limitations or side effects due to medication and recommendations for accommodations
- description so the accommodation deemed necessary
Examples of temporary disabilities may include, but are not limited to: broken limbs, hand injuries, concussions, or short term impairments following surgery or medical treatments. Such verification must be provided by a professional health care provider who is qualified in the diagnosis of such conditions. The assessment or verification of disability must reflect the student’s current level of disability, and shall be no older than 60 days.
The cost of obtaining the professional verification is the responsibility of the student.
Frequently Asked Questions
K-12 and Post Secondary education are different; therefore, this documentation must be within the last three years. You may submit your IEP with your intake form; however, you may also need to provide another form of documentation of your disability.
Students first must complete an Intake Form and meet with a staff member from Academic Disability Services. Your completed intake form should be accompanied with official documentation. See Requesting Accommodations for more details.
Request for general accommodations must be made a month or more prior to enrollment for each academic term.
No. You are responsible for asking Academic and Disability Services to prepare a letter of accommodation for the classes for which you need accommodations. The Academic and Disability Services office will then distribute the letter of accommodation to your professors.
There are two options regarding where you will take your test. Option one: You may take your test with your class and be provided with your accommodations by your professor. Option two: You may take your test at the Academic Disability Services office. Instead of your professor administering your test, someone from the Academic Disability Services office will proctor the exam in our private testing room.
Yes, under limited circumstances.
- The accommodation would be an undue financial or administrative burden;
- Providing the accommodation would fundamentally alter the program;
- The accommodation is of a personal nature.
No, Academic Disability Services does not provide assessments.
Academic Disability Services
JOHN MACKOWICZ
Phone: (219) 473-4349
Office: Room 181
E-mail: jmackowicz@ccsj.edu
HOURS
- Monday through Thursday: 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
- Fridays: By Appointment
- Late Hours by Appointment
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