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Basis for Disability
Services
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and its subsequent amendments
along with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are the basis for
Disability Services. Section 504(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
states in part:
No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States
shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the
participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to
discrimination under any program activity receiving Federal financial
assistance.
The ADA of 1990 is a broad affirmation of Section 504.
However, its
application is not limited to agencies receiving federal funding. Both
laws are federal anti-discrimination statues that seek to provide equal
access opportunities. Neither guarantees equal results, establishes
quotas, nor requires preferences favoring individuals with disabilities
over those without disabilities.
A
qualified individual is a student who, with or without accommodation(s),
meets the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS)
college and program qualifications and essential technical, academic,
and institutional standards.
Who Has A
Disability?
A
person with a disability is defined by law as someone who has a physical
or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life
activities. The definition further indicates that you are a person with
a disability and entitled to protection from discrimination if you have
a disability, if you have a history of disability, or if you are
regarded as having a disability. Major life activities may include, but
are not necessarily limited to, caring for one's self, performing manual
tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, learning, and working.
Disabilities that could substantially limit a major life activity may
include, but are not limited to, spinal cord injuries, cancer,
psychiatric disorders, brain injuries, learning disabilities, speech
impairments, visual impairments, deafness, epilepsy, cerebral palsy,
loss of limbs, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and severe orthopedic injuries.
Disability Services Mission and Goals
Gateway is committed to
achieving equal educational opportunities and full participation for
persons with disabilities. The mission of the Department of Disability
Services is to provide and coordinate disability-related resources and
support services to all students, departments, and programs of the
college.
Goals:
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To provide access to
educational opportunity with services, technology, and advocacy which
integrate the students with disabilities into the college at large.
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To verify individual
disabilities for students of the college and maintain confidentiality
for such students.
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To determine and provide reasonable accommodations and services based
on review and evaluation of documentation of disability presented by
students.
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To empower students toward self-advocacy.
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To help create a diverse student body by assisting in the recruitment
of students with disabilities.
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To create partnerships with students, faculty, staff, and
administration to foster access to academic programs.
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To educate students, faculty, staff, and administration on issues
affecting persons with disabilities.
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To support college departments and offices in their efforts to achieve
equal access and participation.
Accessing Disability
Services
Disability Services helps ensure that students with disabilities receive
academic adjustments and auxiliary aids, which are usually called
accommodations. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact
Disability Services and present documentation of their disability even
if they do not want to use accommodations. Disability Services can be
reached at 859-442-4120 (voice), 442-4190 (TTY) or
colleen.kane@kctcs.edu.
Students who would like to receive disability services must request
those services separately from admission to Gateway. The simplified
Disability Services intake process is: complete admission to Gateway,
register for classes, provide documentation of the disability to
Disability Services, and schedule a meeting with a representative of
Disability Services to discuss accommodations based on the functional
limitations that were described in the documentation. Students do not
need to complete this process in order, but discussion of specific
accommodations is often based on the courses that students are taking.
(Complete copies of Disability Services’ policies are available by
request at 859-442-4120 [voice], 442-4190 [TTY] or
colleen.kane@kctcs.edu.
These policies are available in alternative format upon request.)
Students are encouraged to contact Disability Services as soon as they
are aware that they will need accommodations to access courses or
activities at Gateway. Disability Services is the college department
assigned to receive documentation of students’ disabilities, to review
that documentation in light of the students’ accommodation requests, and
recommend accommodations. Accommodations are decided on a case-by-case
basis and are based on the functional limitations described in the
disability documentation and through student interview. Students should not request accommodations
directly from the course instructor without first having made the
request through Disability Services. Accommodations begin when the
instructor receives notification, usually delivered by the student, from
Disability Services. Accommodations are not retroactive to before the
notification is delivered. Students must meet with Disability Services
each semester and request accommodations each semester.
Documentation of a disability is made by a practitioner qualified to
make the diagnosis and should include:
Diagnosis—a statement of the medical, physical, cognitive, or mental
health impairment by a recognizable diagnosis, preferably from the most
recent edition of the DSM or ICD;
Date first diagnosed—establish an initial date when a diagnosis was made
or when the certifying practitioner accepted a previous diagnosis and
began treatment or services;
Names of relevant tests and results—establish how the practitioner
arrived at the diagnosis and include test results and discussion if
applicable; this is especially important when the disability is a
cognitive or learning disability or a type of Attention Deficit
Disorder;
Severity of disability—discuss the extent to which the disability
substantially limits a major life activity; it is especially important
to discuss the functional limitations as they relate to learning and
participation in class and educational activities; discuss also the
expected progression or stability of the limitations;
Method(s) of current treatment—discuss the current treatment protocol
and desired outcome; include prescribed medication and side effects;
Recommendations—include observations on the student and recommendations
for academic adjustments and auxiliary aids.
Individual Education Plans/Programs or 504 Plans from secondary
education are usually insufficient to support requests for
accommodations. Disability information written on a prescription pad or
that is only one page in length are usually insufficient to support
requests for accommodations. The college is not obligated to provide
accommodations that are recommended by a practitioner or a counselor
from the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.
Students with disabilities who need assistance to evacuate the college
during an emergency should notify Disability Services prior to the
beginning of each semester even if they are not requesting
accommodations.
Examples of accommodations that Disability Services has provided in the
past include, but are not limited to, American Sign Language (ASL)
interpretation, materials in alternative format , access to notes, tests in a distraction-reduced environment, tests
read orally, extended time on written tests, relaxation of specific
course attendance policies, auxiliary aids and adaptive technology,
specialized computer software, ergonomic chairs and workstations, and
privilege to tape record lectures. |
Disability Services
Examples of accommodations
Disability services has provided in the past include, but are not
limited to,
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American Sign Language (ASL)
interpretation,
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materials in alternative format (Braille, taped,
enlarged,
digital
and electronic )
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note takers
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tests in a distraction-reduced environment,
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tests
read orally,
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extended time on written tests,
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relaxation of specific
course attendance policies,
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auxiliary aids and adaptive technology,
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specialized computer software,
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ergonomic chairs and workstations,
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privilege to tape record lectures.
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