Types of Accommodations

Testing

Disabilities affecting access to testing materials and/or testing process may qualify for testing accommodations. Students are to provide historical and/or recent documentation regarding the diagnosis that substantially affects test taking and complete an Intake Interview with the director of Disability Support Services (DSS).

Please Note: Testing accommodations are not intended to alter the construct of the test being measured or invalidate the results. Reasonable testing accommodations are changes made in the administration of the test in order to remove obstacles to the test-taking process that are presented by the disability without changing the constructs being tested.

This table outlines general information about testing accommodations but is not limited to:

Activating Testing Accommodations

1. Schedule an appointment with the instructor early in the quarter to discuss extended test time and other accommodations outlined in the Letter of Accommodation (LOA).
2. 3 to 4 days prior to each EACH test, organize test accommodations with the instructors.
3. If applicable contact DSS 3 to 4 days prior to EACH test to request support services such as scribe, reader, etc. or to reserve SA 148.
4. 2 days prior to the test confirm with the instructor the date, time, and place the exam will be taken.

Please Note:

• If the instructor or DSS does not hear from a student 3 to 4 days prior to a test date, test accommodations may not be in place the day of the test.
• If a test is not at the Testing Center or if the student misses an exam, the student is responsible for contacting the instructor to reschedule the exam. Once the student and instructor determine a new test date/time, the student is to contact DSS to reserve ZWC 115 and/or to organize support services.

Note-Taking

Disabilities affecting access to lecture material may qualify for note-taking accommodations. Students are to provide historical and/or recent documentation regarding the diagnosis that hinders access to lecture material and complete an Intake Interview with the director of Disability Support Services (DSS).

How a student activates note-taking accommodations:

1. Schedule an appointment with the instructor early in the quarter to discuss note-taking and other accommodations outlined in the Letter of Accommodation (LOA).
2. Request instructors to read the DSS Note-taking Letter attached to student's LOA; this letter asks for a volunteer classmate to provide copies of lecture notes, without revealing student's name.
3. If no classmate volunteers are identified, contact DSS and a note-taker will be matched to the class; if an outside Note-taker is determined this can take up to a week to organize.
4. Students are responsible for self-advocating and for contacting DSS in a timely manner when problems or questions arise about this accommodation.

Please Note: Students who preferred anonymity can arrange to have the note-taker leave the notes with the instructor or the DSS office.

Guidelines for Student Absences

• Students absent from class will not be provided notes unless otherwise noted on the LOA.
• It is the student's responsibility to get class notes when they are absent.
• Note-takers will not stay to take notes for any student who arrives more than 15 minutes late for class or who leaves early unless otherwise noted on the LOA.
• Students should consider asking a fellow classmate, in advance, to take notes in the event their official note-taker is absent; DSS cannot guarantee coverage if a note-taker is absent.

IMPORTANT: For students who fail to provide a 24-hour notification for more than 3 consecutive school days, note-taking accommodation services may be suspended until they meet with the Director of DSS to discuss their attendance. Reinstatement of suspended accommodation services may not be immediate due to the time required to re-coordinate support staff schedules.

Alternative Format

Disabilities affecting access to printed material may qualify for text (e.g. textbooks, PowerPoint, test etc.) in an alternative format accommodations. Students are to provide historical and/or recent documentation regarding the diagnosis that substantially affects accessing printed material and complete an Intake Interview with the director of Disability Support Services (DSS).

Types of Alternative Formats

• Audio Files
• Enlarged Material
• Braille

How a student activates alternative format accommodations:

1. Turn in Letter of Accommodation Request Form once registered for classes.
2. Use bookstore list to find required textbooks for classes.
3. Tell DSS Program Coordinator which books will need to be in alternative format.
4. DSS Program Coordinator will contact student via email when alternative texts are ready.
5. Purchase textbooks; DSS must receive a copy of the purchase receipt before students can receive text in alternative format.
6. Sign Agreement on the Use of Recorded, Electronic or Other Alternatively Formatted Course Materials.

Please Note: When alternative format is needed for lecture material (e.g. PowerPoint, articles, handouts, etc.) contact the DSS Program Coordinator.

Interpreters

Disabilities affecting access to audio or visual course material such as lectures, group discussions, campus activities, and/or meetings with instructors may qualify for interpreting services. Students are to provide historical and/or recent documentation regarding the diagnosis that substantially affects audio or visual access and complete an Intake Interview with the director of Disability Support Services (DSS).

How a student activates interpreting accommodations:

1. Each quarter turn in Letter of Accommodation Request Form as soon as registration for classes is completed.
2. Once a LOA Request Form has been submitted, DSS will organize and match interpreters for the student's classes.
3. Students are responsible for self-advocating and for contacting DSS in a timely manner when problems or questions arise about this accommodation.

Please Note: To guarantee interpreters availability for classes, it is necessary for students to give advanced notice (i.e. 2 to 4 weeks) to DSS. If adequate time is not given students need to understand the limitations of timely recruitment of interpreters.

Requesting Interpreters outside of the classroom

• At times students will need to meet with instructors, work on group projects, attending campus activities, etc. When an interpreter is needed outside the classroom for any college funded activity or event, students need to make requests with DSS 3 days in advance.

Cancellation of an Interpreter

• If it becomes necessary to cancel an Interpreter for a class due to illness or other reasons a 24 hour notification is required.

IMPORTANT: For students who fail to provide a 24-hour notification for more than 3 consecutive school days, interpreting services may be suspended until they meet with the Director of DSS to discuss their attendance. Reinstatement of suspended accommodation services may not be immediate due to the time required to re-coordinate support staff schedules.

Scribe

Disabilities affecting writing may qualify for a scribe in class and/or tests. Students are to provide historical and/or recent documentation regarding the diagnosis that substantially affects writing and complete an Intake Interview with the director of Disability Support Services (DSS).

How a student activates scribing accommodations:

1. Each quarter turn in Letter of Accommodation Request Form as soon as registration for classes is completed.
2. Once a LOA Request Form has been received by DSS, a DSS scribe will be assigned to the student's classes.
3. Students are responsible for self-advocating and for contacting DSS in a timely manner when problems or questions arise about this accommodation.

Please Note: To guarantee scribes availability for classes, it is necessary for students to give advanced noticed (i.e. 1 to 2 weeks) to DSS. If adequate time is not given students need to understand the limitations of timely recruitment of scribes.

Guidelines for Student Absences

• Scribes will not stay for any student who arrives more than 15 minutes late for class.
• If DSS is given advance notice that a scribe will be absent, the student and instructor will be notified via email by DSS; however, DSS cannot guarantee coverage if a scribe is absent.
• Students and instructors should develop a plan in advance in the event the DSS scribe is absent.

IMPORTANT: For students who fail to provide a 24-hour notification for more than 3 consecutive school days, scribing accommodation services may be suspended until they meet with the Director of DSS to discuss their attendance. Reinstatement of suspended accommodation services may not be immediate due to the time required to re-coordinate support staff schedules.

Priority Registration

Priority or early registration is provided for students who access time-sensitive accommodations such as textbooks on tape, interpreter or CART services, classroom locations to be located near each other, etc. Not all students qualify for priority registration. Students are to provide historical and/or recent documentation regarding diagnosis that supports time-sensitive accommodations and complete an Intake Interview with the director of Disability Support Services (DSS). DSS will notify the student via their Green River student email with the date they may register for classes each quarter.

Supportive Chairs

Disabilities or other conditions that affect sitting in class may qualify for the use of a supportive chair. Students are to provide historical and/or recent documentation regarding the diagnosis that substantially affects sitting and complete an Intake Interview with the director of Disability Support Services (DSS).

Once a student has submitted an LOA Request Form DSS will organize Supportive Chair placement in the student's classes.

Assistive Software

Assistive Technology

Disabilities affecting learning may qualify to access Assistive Technology. Students are to provide historical and/or recent documentation supporting the use of assistive technology due to a diagnosis that substantially affects learning and complete an Intake Interview with the director of Disability Support Services (DSS). Assistive Technology can be checked out from DSS.

Equipment Loan

To check out loanable equipment, students are required to fill out the DSS Equipment and/or DSS Material Check-Out Form. The form states the rules for checking out the equipment, and the consequences should the equipment not be turned in on time or in working order.

Please Note: Students' Green River records will be blocked until items are returned to DSS in good working condition or a replacement is paid for. If transaction is not reconciled at the end of the quarter immediately following the checkout quarter, a bill for the amount of replacement will be sent to a collection agency.

Equipment or material checkout/loan service is for the CURRENT quarter only.

Temporary Requests for Accommodations

Parking

Green River has a number of designated accessible parking spaces located throughout the campus. Students using those designated spaces MUST have a disabled-parking permit, which is issued by the DMV. If those designated spaces are not available, then the student with the DMV permit may park in Staff parking or contact Campus Safety at 253-833-9111 ext. 3350.