Assurance of equal educational opportunity rests upon legal foundations established by federal law, specifically the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 including Section 504, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. By federal law, a person with a disability is any person who:
Any student with a documented disability is eligible to receive services from the College's Disability Support Service(DSS). The purpose of accommodations and modifications is to reduce or eliminate any disadvantages that may exist because of an individual's disability. The law does not require institutions to waive specific courses or academic requirements considered essential to a particular program or degree. Rather, they are mandated to modify existing requirements on a case-by-case basis in order to ensure that individuals are not discriminated against on the basis of their disability.Procedure for Accessing Accommodations
- Students requesting accommodations should contact DSS at the beginning of each quarter (if not sooner) so that appropriate accommodations can be provided in a timely manner.
- Students requesting accommodations are responsible for providing appropriate documentation to DSS in order to verify their need for accommodations.
- Documentation must be current, in most cases within three years of the current date, and must be submitted by a qualified professional who is not a family member of the student.
- Once appropriate documentation has been received, the DSS counselor will review the request and then meet with the student to discuss appropriate accommodations.
Reasonable accommodations depend upon the nature and degree of severity of the documented disability. While the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 requires that priority consideration be given to the specific methods requested by the student, it does not imply that a particular accommodation must be granted if it is deemed not reasonable and other suitable techniques are available.
Disability Support Services Counselors:
DSS Counselors are available to assist students with disabilities on an appointment based system. Appointments may be made by contacting any MCC Student Services location. http://www.mccneb.edu/campuslocations/ Locations of Disability Support Services
Accommodations and Services:
DSS Counselors work on an individual basis, considering each student's unique situation. Services may include but are not limited to one or more of the following: counseling, sign language interpreting, notetaking, career exploration, textbooks in an alternate format, and adaptive equipment loan.
Timelines:
It is the student's responsiblity to request accommodations before the start of each quarter. The following list indicates how long it may take to arrange a specific accommodation:
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Textbooks in alternate format-6 weeks
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Exam Reader or Scribe-10 working days
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Providing notetaking services-10 working days
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Sign language interpreter services (dependent on availability of qualified interpreters)6 weeks
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Assistive technology-4 weeks
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Modification of classroom materials-4 weeks
Technology/Adaptive Equipment:
MCC makes adaptive equipment available, if needed, to students with documented disabilities. Some items are issued to students on loan, while other items are made available for use on campus. This equipment includes but is not limited to: tape ecorders,magnifiers, JAWS (computer screen reader), Zoomtext (computer screen enlarger), and assistive listening devices.
Disclosure/Eligibility:
Students who request services or accommodations must disclose the nature of their disabling condition and provide documentation of disability to the campus Disability Support Services (DSS) Counselor. This disclosure is considered confidential, and is released to other MCC employees with the consent of the student on a "need to know" basis. There are limits to the confidentiality of student records as outlined in the College's "Procedures under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act" document. (Procedures Memorandum Index V-1)
Request for Accommodations/Adequate Notice
Since some accommodations require re time to coordinate, students are asked to request services as soon as they register for classes and to register as early as possible. Delivery timelines for specific accommodations are outlined in the "Services" section. Every effort is made to provide services, no matter when requested. Students should note that without sufficient written notice of request, timely provision of services may be delayed or denied. At the time of the request, the student and DSS Counselor will discuss the disability and services requested. Documentation will be requested and evaluated to ensure the appropriateness of the accommodations.
Documentation of Disability
Documentation may be hand-delivered to the DSS Counselor by the student or requested via a consent form by the DSS Counselor. Current (within the past 3 years) documentation is preferred, and may be required by the DSS Counselor. Documentation should describe the disability, how it may impact the student's academic performance, and suggest appropriate educational accommodations. The diagnostician must be a qualified professional with credentials that qualify her/him to diagnose the disability and suggest appropriate accommodations. MCC does not offer this service.
Students who plan to transfer to another post-secondary institution should be aware that the other institution's standards for acceptable documentation may differ from MCC's. Students are encourage to learn the requirement for documentation established by other institutions they wish to attend.
Temporary Accommodations
Temporary accommodations may be provided during the time it takes to acquire appropriate documentation of disability. These temporary accommodations may be discontinued if supporting documentation is not received within 90 days.
FACULTY, STAFF, and STUDENTS
Team Approach:
In addressing student accommodation needs as discussed previously, the basic team unit at MCC will consist of the student with the disability and the DSS Counselor. Other members of MCC staff are included as deemed appropriate and necessary for the elivery of services to the student. Faculty are often enlisted as members of the service team in order to provide timely and consistent accommodations to students and to suggest further and future accommodations. Other qualified College personnel including sign language interpreters, tutors, Disability Support Services aides, and support staff may also contribute to the team effort. Team members will maintain confidentiality regarding a student's disability, and except in extraordinary circumstances, will not discuss the student's disability with non-members of the team without the student's consent.
Student Orientation/Faculty Orientation:
Student orientation is most often done on an individual basis by the DSS Counselor. Students with disabilities are also encouraged to participate in College-wide student rientation sessions. Additional information about MCC is included in the college catalog, MCC web page, Student Planner, and various brochures available upon request at any Student Services Center.
Faculty orientation is provided via staff development programs and on an individual basis. A major part of the DSS Counselor's job is to maintain good rapport with faculty and to be a source of information and referral on matters relating to disability services.
Rights and Responsibilities:
Qualified students with a documented disability have the right to:
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Equal access to all of the resources available to MCC students
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Access to reasonable and appropriate accommodations, auxiliary aids, and ervices
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Delivery of reasonable accommodations in a timely manner, upon request
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Assurance that information regarding their disability will be handled in a confidential manner in accordance with federal and state laws and college policy.
Students with a documented disability have the responsibility to:
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Meet the qualifications and standards of enrollment
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Comply with all relevant regulations and student conduct guidelines as described in the College catalog.
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Disclose in a timely manner any disability for which they are requesting accommodations, auxiliary aids, or services Provide documentation of disability from a qualified professional which: describes the disability, explains how the disability impacts on the student's academic performance, and suggests appropriate educational accommodations.
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Notify the DSS Counselor/Student Services office immediately when they experience a delay in or absence of services
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Follow published College procedures for requesting and obtaining appropriate accommodations and services.
Metropolitan Community College has the right to:
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Maintain the College's academic and student conduct standards
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Require satisfactory documentation of disability from a qualified professional Establish the fundamental nature, the essential functions and criteria, and the required student outcomes of MCC courses, programs, and activities
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Deny a request for an accommodation (and any specifically requested accommodation) that: is inappropriate or unreasonable as supported by documentation, poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others, requires a fundamental alteration of a program, and/or imposes an undue or unnecessary financial burden on the College
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Consult with the student and team members to select an educational accommodation when more than one choice is available
Metropolitan Community College has the responsibility to: Provide information regarding policies and procedures to students with disabilities
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Ensure access to all of the resources and facilities available at the College by a qualified individual with a disability
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Provide appropriate and reasonable educational accommodations in a timely manner to qualified students with documented disabilities who request them in accordance with College policies and procedures
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Maintain confidentiality of information in accordance with federal and state laws and College policy
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Uphold the College mission of dedication to the personal and professional goals of life-long learners by helping to provide accessible education for all qualified ndividuals
EVALUATION of SERVICES
a. Feedback/Communication Regarding Services:
Students are encouraged to provide feedback to their DSS Counselor on an informal basis. Students are also given the opportunity to formally evaluate their DSS Counselor and services provided. Evaluations are confidential.
Twice during an academic year, faculty and students receive a request to complete a written evaluation of services from the Office of Disability Support Services. Agencies who work with MCC students are given this opportunity once during an academic year.
Information gleaned from these evaluations is discussed with the DSS Counselor involved so that appropriate contacts, changes, and adjustments can be made.
b. Disputes/Disagreements/Grievance Procedures:
If at any time a student is dissatisfied with the services of the Office of Disability Support Services, s/he is encouraged to bring the issues directly to his/her DSS Counselor. In the event that the situation cannot be resolved at this level, a formal grievance procedure is in place. Please speak to the DSS Counselor for written information regarding the formal grievance procedure.
