Administration > Student Services > Disability Services > Faculty FAQs

Why Provide Specialized Services to Students with Disabilities?

Providing Access to Education is the Law

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 was conceived with the goal of integrating people with disabilities into all aspects of American life, including education.  Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 provides equal access and reasonable accommodations for “otherwise qualified” individuals with disabilities.  In the case of NCC, “otherwise qualified” means the student has a GED or high school diploma and has applied and been accepted at the college.  Services provided by our staff are governed under the Office for Civil Rights.  Our goals in providing services are to: protect the rights of the student; protect the faculty; and protect the institution. 

Examples of Disabilities

Students at NCC have a wide range of disabilities, including: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder; blindness and visual impairment; head injury/Traumatic Brain Injury; deafness and hearing impairment; learning disability; physical and systemic disorders; and psychiatric/mental health disorders.  Disability Services’ current caseload is with 415 students; 345 attend classes at the Bethlehem Campus and 70 attend classes at the Monroe campus.  This number includes those enrolled in both credit and non-credit community education classes.

In order to receive services, an "otherwise qualified" student must identify themselves to Disability Services, provide current documentation of disability from a recognized authority (usually not more than three years old) and participate in a preservice interview with DS staff.

What are “Reasonable Accommodations”?

Reasonable accommodations are adjustments (based upon the student’s documentation of disability) that provide equal academic opportunity for students with disabilities.  The accommodations may not alter or waive academic standards or pose undue hardship on our institution. Accommodations are provided to guarantee the student’s access to education, not success.  Reasonable Accommodations may include specialized academic advisement, reduced course load, specialized parking, use of assistive technology, classroom accommodations and test accommodations.  The following are examples of commonly provided test and classroom accommodations:

 

Test Accommodations	Classroom Accommodations
Extended test time	Interpreters or ccaptionists for the deaf
Distraction limiting enviornment	Seating access for wheelchair users
Braille exams	Taped textbook/use of Kurzweil 3000
Readers	Note-taking modifications
Scribes	Carbonless paper
Enlarged visuals	Volunteer and paid note takers
	Taping lectures

 

Confidentiality

Based on the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) guidelines with regard to student rights, disability related information is shared on a limited basis within the institutional community and only released when there is a compelling reason to do so.  Such information is held separately from other regular academic information and is kept in a secure file with limited access.  All faculty and staff are bound to maintain this confidentiality. 

Everything you always wanted to know about DS, but were afraid to ask…

How should I respond to a student who self discloses?

• Discuss needs in a confidential location and not in front of other students, faculty or staff.
• Ask to see the current semester’s accommodation profile.
• If he/she does not have a current accommodation profile, refer the student to Disability Services.

Should I grade students with disabilities differently?

• No, students with disabilities need to be held to the same academic standards as other students.
• You are not required to provide specialized materials to the student, or to change your teaching method.

What if a student with a disability is disruptive in my class?

• Students with disabilities are held to the same NCC Code of Conduct as any other student.
• Faculty should follow the same procedures as they would for any student.
• Contact D.S. for additional support in dealing with the student.

Who is responsible for the student’s accommodations?

• THE STUDENT!!!  It is the student’s responsibility to request and arrange accommodations on an on-going basis, with the support of D.S. staff and the faculty.
• The student must obtain a new Accommodations Profile for each semester.  The previous semester’s profile should not be used to provide accommodations.

Should I provide accommodations to a student who does not have an Accommodation Profile?

Is a student with a disability required to attend class regularly?

• Yes
• Attendance accommodations may occasionally be requested if absence is directly related to the student’s disability.
• Faculty and DS staff will collaborate to determine “reasonableness” of request.

What is my role in providing test accommodations?

• Complete D.S. Testing Accommodations Tracking form and provide test.
• Tests are kept in a secure, locked location.

What if a student asks for a copy of my lecture notes?

• Faculty are not required to share their personal lecture notes with students.
• Copies of overheads or power point presentations can be supplied.
• Can be provided in lieu of taping lectures.

Must I always allow a student with a disability to audio tape my class?

• Student must be provided with access to the lecture material.  How access is provided can be determined on an individual basis.
• Taping a lecture is ONE way to provide access.

Disability Services Staff are available to…

• Support faculty as they work with students with disabilities.
• Answer questions or concerns you have in working with a student with a disability.
• Collaborate and facilitate discussions between faculty and students.
• Provide additional training.