Northwestern Connecticut Community College

1. Northwestern Connecticut Community College INTERNAL PROCESS & PROCEDURES FOR ACCOMMODATING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

2. Compliance with Regulations • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act: • The purpose of this part is to effectuate section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which is designed to eliminate discrimination on the basis of handicap in any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

3. Compliance with Regulations • Title II of the Americans w/Disabilities Act: • The purpose of this part is to effectuate subtitle A of title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by public entities.

4. Disability Services Students have the right to choose to identify themselves as having disabilities, to participate in the decisions about their accommodations, and to have records released only with their written consent. Students have the responsibility to provide documentation of their disabilities, to request accommodations in a timely manner, and to follow through on agreed accommodations. Faculty may contact the Counselor for Students with Disabilities to discuss the identified accommodations. Students should discuss their disability with their academic advisor if necessary. Some disabilities may affect participation in particular academic programs

5. Disability Services Students with disabilities who want to request accommodations must see Roseann Dennerlein, Counselor for Students with Disabilities Green Woods Hall, Room 209, 860-738-6307.

6. Policy on Student Rights & Student Grievance Procedure 1. Definition: A grievance is an allegation by a student that, as to him or her, an agent of the college has violated board or college policies relating to students other than assignment of grades or other academic evaluation (see Section 3: Review of Academic Standing). 2. How to file a grievance: A grievance is to be submitted in writing to Patricia Bouffard, Dean of Academic and Student Affairs, within thirty days of the date the grievant knew or reasonably should have known of the alleged violation. The written grievance shall specify the right claimed to have been violated and state briefly the underlying facts.

7. Policy on Student Rights & Student Grievance Procedure 3. Procedure for grievance resolution: The Dean shall investigate the grievance and, within thirty days from the time the grievance was submitted recommend to the president a disposition of the grievance, except as provided hereinafter: a. In the course of each investigation, the Dean shall consult with the dean responsible for the area of college operations in which the grievance arose. b. In the case of a grievance alleging discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, present or past history of mental disorder, marital status, mental retardation or physical disability, prior conviction of a crime, political beliefs, veteran status, or sexual preference, the Dean shall consult with the Affirmative Action Officer. c. In the case of a grievance against a dean, the grievance shall be filed with the president.

8. Policy on Student Rights & Student Grievance Procedure The president may accept or reject the recommendation, or direct such further investigation as he or she deems appropriate. The president shall notify the student of the final disposition of the grievance within fifteen days of receiving the recommendation, …

9. Process for Providing Accommodations to Students with Disabilities Ruth Gonzalez, Director of Student Development, ADA Coordinator Roseann Dennerlein, Counselor for Students with Disabilities Patricia Bouffard, Dean of Academic and Student Affairs

10. Process for Providing Accommodations to Students with Disabilities

11. FAQs • How much time should I allow a student who needs extended time for tests/quizzes? • The general rule is time and a half. For example, if the students are given 20 minutes for a quiz, then the accommodation should be up to 10 extra minutes. If 2 hours is permitted for a final exam, then the student should be allotted up to 3 hours to take the exam • How do I make arrangements for students who need extra time? • Students are responsible to show the instructor their Accommodations Plan the first week of class.  Extended time should be personalized according to need. It is advisable that the professor and student meet to determine a mutually agreeable time and place. If you are unable to make these arrangements due to schedule conflicts, then contact me and we will work out a solution using campus resources.

12. FAQs • What can I suggest for students who have difficulty with reading comprehension? • Students that have “Books On Tape” checked off on the Accommodations Plan are qualified for audio versions of textbooks. Students should have made arrangements with me to obtain an audio version of the textbook at least three weeks before the beginning of the semester. • The Kurzweil Reader is a resource at the Academic Skills Center that allows students to scan a book which will be read back to them. • What if a student says that he/she should not be penalized for poor spelling? • Please double check the Accommodations Plan for the following wording: “IN-CLASS assignments done either on word processor (i.e. alpha-smart) or excluding spelling or handwriting in the evaluation process.” • If spelling/grammar is a critical element of an assignment/test, then the instructor can request a laptop from the Computer Center Help Desk (Founders Hall Annex) each time an in-class test/assignment is given. The Computer Center Help Desk phone number is 860-738-6367 or nw-helpdesk@nwcc.commnet.edu if you have questions about signing out a laptop.

13. FAQs • I have a Deaf student and an interpreter in my class. What are some tips for working with either? • Tips on communicating with Deaf students and other information on services offered by the Collegiate Education for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CEDHH) program can be found at the following website: http://www.nwcc.commnet.edu/cedhh/cedhh_faculty&staff_reference.htm • What if there are concerns about a note-taker or students receiving note-taking services who are missing class? • If note-takers are frequently absent, the students receiving the notes should let me know that they are not receiving notes. I will follow up with the note-taker. A new note-taker may be hired if needed. If the students receiving notes are not attending class, the note-takers should let me know, and I will follow up.

14. FAQs • How can I be sure that the student didn’t check off the accommodations form themselves? • As the Counselor for Students with Disabilities, I review all of the disability documentation to verify that there is justification for each accommodation. Students receive a copy of the accommodations report, and I keep the original. If there is an accommodation checked off in fresh ink, let me know. • Does the Accommodations Plan expire? • Since most disabilities do not fluctuate, only one Accommodations Plan is developed. For students with fluctuating conditions (such as medical or psychiatric disabilities), an expiration date is indicated at the bottom of the Accommodations Plan.

15. FAQs • What if I suspect a student has a learning disability, what should I do? • The professor and student should have a private conversation to discuss prior academic experience. As appropriate, please refer the student to me. • LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. IF I DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER, I WILL RESEARCH IT FOR YOU. • Sincerely, • Roseann Dennerlein, • Counselor for Students with Disabilities • Ph: (860) 738-6307 • Fax: (860) 738-6437 • Email: rdennerlein@nwcc.commnet.edu

16. Conclusion www.nwcc.commnet.edu This presentation, and all supporting documentation, policies, and information can be found on our website