Disability Services
Frequently Asked Questions

 

Who is eligible for Disability Services?

Any student who has a disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities is eligible to receive services. At Gateway, the life activities most likely limited would be those involved with learning.

 

What is documentation of a disability?

Documentation is the paperwork that proves that a person has a disability.

 

A person’s disability is diagnosed by a professional qualified to make the diagnosis. For example, a family physician is qualified to diagnose a person’s back injury, but most likely is not qualified to diagnose a learning disability.

 

Gateway’s general guidelines for disability documentation include:

§      The disability name or diagnosis in professionally recognized terms,

§      The name and qualifications of the practitioner making the diagnosis,

§      When the disability was diagnosed or how long the person has had the disability,

§      How the practitioner arrived at the diagnosis, including names of psychological tests and the complete results and discussion (if applicable),

§      The substantial limitations caused by the disability, especially as they relate to learning and participating at college,

§      Any medications used to treat the disability including name, dosage, and side effects that could also cause a substantial limitation, and

§      Recommendations for academic adjustments for the student to participate in college courses.

 

Documentation should be recent for the disability. For example, if a person has been deaf since birth, the college does not need for him/her to visit an audiologist to prove that he/she is still deaf. However, if a person has bi-polar disorder, experiences frequent medication changes, and has been hospitalized in the last year, up-to-date documentation of the impact of his/her disability is needed.

 

Why can’t the IEP from high school be used as documentation?

A student’s high school IEP can be used as part of the disability documentation.

However, most IEPs do not list the disability or the substantial limitations it causes.

 

The IEP was designed to meet public school laws and regulations that require qualified students with disabilities to receive a specially designed, free and appropriate public education. Laws that apply to postsecondary education state that colleges cannot discriminate on the basis of a disability – equal access only. Accommodations are how colleges avoid discrimination based on a disability. Hence, the IEP might state how a student received instruction, but might not yield useable information on how to access a college course that is not specially designed for that student.

 

Why can’t the 504 Plan from high school be used as documentation?

A student’s high school 504 Plan can be used as part of the disability documentation. However, most 504 Plans do not list the disability or the substantial limitations it causes.

 

The 504 Plan was designed to meet public school laws and regulations that require qualified students with disabilities to receive a specially designed, free and appropriate public education. Laws that apply to postsecondary education state that colleges cannot discriminate on the basis of a disability – equal access only.

 

While colleges are covered by Section 504, they are covered by Subpart D, not Subpart C as high schools are. Accommodations are how colleges avoid discrimination based on a disability. Hence, the 504 Plan might state how a student received instruction, but might not yield useable information on how to access a college course that is not specially designed for that student.

 

What are accommodations?

Accommodations are the name typically used for academic adjustments and auxiliary aids. Accommodations are the actions that the college takes or the equipment the college purchases to give students with disabilities the ability to participate in courses or college activities.

 

Accommodations are decided on a case-by-case basis based on the functional limitations caused by a student’s disability and the essential requirements of the course or activity. Examples of accommodations that students with disabilities have used in the past are ASL interpreting, access to notes, extended time on written tests, extended time to complete some assignments, testing in a distraction-reduced environment, and preferential seating in classes.

 

How does a student receive accommodations?

Students who want to arrange accommodations can make an appointment with Disability Services by calling (859) 442-4120 or e-mailing colleen.kane@kctcs.edu. The phone number for TTY users is (859) 442-4190.

 

The student brings his/her disability documentation to the appointment if the documentation has not already been sent. The Disability Service Provider reviews the documentation and interviews the student about how she/he understands her/his disability and the limitations it causes her/him. The Disability Service Provider and the student look at the student’s schedule, discuss possible access problems, and decide on accommodations to help resolve the access problems. The Disability Service Provider creates access memos for the student to distribute to his/her professors telling the professor of the accommodations that the student needs to access that professor’s class.

 

Accommodations are not retroactive. That is, accommodations start from the date when the student gives his/her instructor(s) the accommodation memo. If a student does not meet with a Disability Service Provider until mid-semester, all actions and grades that the student has taken up to the time that accommodations are requested and recommended will not change.

 

Why can’t a student just ask his/her professors for accommodations?

Most colleges have policies and procedures in place to provide access for students with disabilities and a department or person who is charged with these tasks. This protects the rights of the students, faculty, and college.

 

Gateway’s procedure of having accommodations recommended by Disability Services helps assure that the student truly does have a disability and the accommodations are needed for that student to gain access to college courses or activities. Additionally, these policies and procedures help ensure that the college is providing consistent access. They also create proof that accommodations were requested and recommended or denied and the reason. Finally, they help ensure confidentiality of the student’s disability documentation.

 

What does a student do if the professor won’t cooperate with accommodations?

Contact Disability Services immediately!

 

Complying with anti-discrimination laws is an institutional responsibility, and all employees of the college are required to comply. The Disability Service Provider will talk with the professor. The case may be as simple as the professor forgetting about the accommodation. Also, if the professor believes an accommodation provides an unfair advantage, talking with the Disability Service Provider and student may reveal other accommodations that might work as well. Providing accommodations while maintaining the academic integrity of courses is a team effort.

 

Be aware that the Disability Service Providers will not challenge a professor’s syllabus unless the information in the syllabus is discriminatory against a student with a disability. For example, if a student with a disability does not like a professor’s test-makeup policy because the test has to be made up at 7 a.m., and does not have a disability-related reason not to make up tests in this manner, the Disability Service Provider will not get involved in that disagreement. However, if the student takes anti-rejection medication for an organ transplant and is sick many days until 9 a.m., the Disability Service Provider will intervene on his/her behalf.

 

What does a student do if the accommodation is not working or she/he does not believe that her/his ASL interpreter is effective?

Contact Disability Services immediately!  It is up to the student to let the Disability Service Provider know when an accommodation is not effective as soon as the student is aware that the accommodation is not working as planned.

 

Remember, however, that accommodations do not guarantee success is in a course, just access. For example:

• A student has requested extended time to complete written tests, but finds that others moving about the test room are distracting and are preventing her/him from concentrating. Solution: See the Disability Service Provider to change the accommodation request to take tests in a distraction-reduced environment.
• An assigned notetaker stops attending class. Solution: Inform the Disability Service Provider right away.
• An interpreter is more SE, and the student needs more ASL. Again, let the Disability Service Provider know so that another interpreter can be arranged.

 

What is the difference between Disability Services and Vocational Rehabilitation?

Disability Services and any state Vocational Rehabilitation Services have different missions. The primary mission of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities access to college courses and programs. The primary mission of Vocational Rehabilitation is to get persons with disabilities employed.

 

One way that Vocational Rehabilitation achieves its mission is to suggest training at college for their consumers. Disability Services and Vocational Rehabilitation cooperate and often share information, but are separate entities. Vocational Rehabilitation cannot dictate what services as college will provide.