Disability Rights & Responsibilities

High schools and colleges are governed by different laws pertaining to education and individuals with disabilities. High school students with disabilities have a right to an education. As such, the support and services a student receives in high school are generally more intensive and designed specifically for the needs of the student. College students with disabilities have the right to access education opportunities offered at a college and a right to confidentiality in regard to their disability.

Students have the responsibility to:

• Self-identify their disability status in a timely manner
• Submit a signed Disability Service Request and Release of Confidential Information Form [pdf]
• Provide documentation of disability that is appropriate, relevant and complete
• Maintain the academic, technical and institutional standards and qualifications of the College
• Contact the Coordinator of Disability Services regarding requests for academic services, auxiliary aids, testing accommodations, etc.
• Deliver the Academic Accommodation Verification form to their faculty in a timely manner
• Comply with the College’s Code of Conduct

Colleges have the responsibility to:

• Inform students of their rights and responsibilities as a student with a disability
• Provide reasonable accommodations to services and programs that are offered to all students
• Accept appropriate documentation of a disability from a qualified professional
• Provide reasonable accommodations as recommended by appropriate documentation

College faculty has the right to:

• Determine the curricula for their courses
• Assess student progress and assign grades
• Be informed if students in their classes need academic accommodations
• Provide input regarding the accommodations employed in their classrooms

College faculty has the responsibility to:

• Notify students that accommodations are available by including a statement on the syllabi for the course. A sample statement can be found in the following document: Tips That Facilitate Student Learning [pdf].
• Provide an atmosphere in which students have an equal opportunity to learn course material
• Order textbooks as early as possible so that an alternate format text can be secured prior to the start of each semester
• Keep students with disabilities in mind when making class arrangements, such as field trips
• Privately discuss accommodation requests with the student and report concerns or changes to the Coordinator of Disability Services
• Provide accommodations in a fair and timely manner.

Colleges are not responsible for:

• Providing assessments to determine disability or eligibility for accommodations
• Providing access or admissions to programs or activities to students who are not otherwise qualified, with or without accommodations
• Reducing or altering essential requirements of a course or program
• Providing personal aids
• Accepting an IEP or providing accommodations based solely on an IEP
• Student academic success
• Providing retroactive accommodations or accommodations to students who have not disclosed their disability and provided appropriate documentation