STUDENT’S RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

A student with a disability is entitled to reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 if

• he or she has disclosed that disability to the OSS
• provided appropriate documentation to the OSS
• requested accommodations in a timely manner
• is "otherwise qualified" to participate in the college’s programs and activities

A "student with a disability" is defined as one "who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person’s major life activities, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such impairment". A "qualified" student is one who meets the requisite academic and technical standards required for admission to the college.

Reasonable accommodations may include:

• physical accessibility arrangements
• sign language interpretation for deaf students
• assistive technology devices
• audio taped lectures
• peer notetakers/readers/scribes
• alternatives to print materials, e.g. books on tape, electronic text
• reduced course load/full time status
• course substitutions or waivers
• test accommodations such as extra test time, distraction-reduced environment, alternative formats

Columbia-Greene Community College is not required to provide requested or preferred accommodations, but rather reasonable, appropriate and effective accommodations for disabilities that are adequately documented and for which a request is made. While an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan may help identify services that were effective for a student in high school, the college is under no obligation to duplicate such services if it is determined that they are not appropriate to the current classroom environment and academic standards.

Columbia-Greene Community College is not required to provide personal assistants, individual personal tutors or personal assistive technology. Whenever possible, the OSS will refer students to agencies that may provide personal assistance of that nature. Columbia-Greene Community College is not required to provide accommodations that are unduly expensive or substantially disruptive, pose a hazard to others or would fundamentally alter the nature of a program.

Students who participated in special education programs while in elementary, middle, or high school may have received modifications to the school's behavior code. This option is not available at the college level. All students, regardless of disability, are responsible for adhering to the Code of Conduct and other college policies as published annually in the Columbia-Greene Community College Catalog and Student Handbook. Before registering for classes at Columbia-Greene Community College, therefore, the student should review the Code of Conduct and other college policies and consider whether she or he will be able to adhere to these policies while attending the college.

The request for accommodations should be initiated by speaking with the Director of the OSS. The Director can also assist if students are uncertain about the appropriateness of an accommodation or if guidance is needed in determining if additional accommodations might be needed.