Accommodations & Disability Services

Reasonable accommodations in a college or university setting are defined as: adjustments made in programs or services that give qualified individuals with a disability equal and effective access needed to participate. Educational accommodations may vary and depend on approved diagnostic evaluations and the nature of the courses you plan to take.  Services and the types of accommodations approved differ greatly between college and high school; click here to learn more.

Examples of some reasonable accommodations, by disability:

• Learning disabilities
• Accommodations may include:
• Use of computer with spell check/grammar check during essay exams
• Duplication of overhead transparencies
• Note sharing
• Tape recorder in the classroom
• Testing in a distraction reduced environment
• Use of a calculator during testing of students with math calculation or math reasoning disabilities
• Extended testing time that is proctored in most appropriate setting — classroom, OSD, or Testing Center
• Extended time for in-class assignments to correct spelling, punctuation, grammar
• No penalty or spelling on assignments written in-class without dictionary/spell check
• Reader for tests for students with reading disability

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder:

Accommodations may include:

• Providing the student with a copy of overhead transparencies
• Note sharing
• Use of a tape recorder to facilitate note taking
• Priority seating in the classroom
• Proctored testing in a distraction-reduced environment
• Textbooks on tape
• Alternative testing format (i.e., extended time for tests in most appropriate setting – classroom, OSD, or Testing Center)
• Supervised breaks during exams

Visual impairment:

Accommodations may include:

• Use of low vision aids such as a magnifying glass, monocular, or CCTV
• Use of computer with programs like JAWS or ZoomText
• Duplication of overhead transparencies
• Enlarged print for testing
• Note sharing
• Priority seating in the classroom
• Readers for tests
• Scribe for exams
• Tape recorder in the classroom
• Textbooks on tape
• Written materials provided in an alternative format
• Learning assistant
• Alternative testing format (i.e., tests in Braille, extended testing time in OSD)
• Types of alternate format of printed material for student with blindness/visual impairments include:
• Large print: Standard sized materials can be enlarged on a copier using 11″ x 17″ paper
• Computer disk: Convert the text of materials to ASCII format
• Braille: Adaptive equipment will be necessary to provide alternate format in Braille. Braille is probably the least requested alternate format for students with blindness.

Hearing impairment:

Accommodations may include:

• Providing a sign language interpreter
• Ensuring that an interpreter is located where the student can see both the interpreter and the lecturer
• Note sharing
• Priority seating in the classroom
• Use of captioned videos, when available
• Extended time on oral tests that require an interpreter in most appropriate setting – classroom or OSD

Mobility Impairment:

Accommodations may include:

• Special seating in classroom (i.e., chair, larger desk, wheelchair accessible desk)
• Duplication of overhead transparencies (i.e., for students with fine-motor disabilities)
• Early registration
• Note sharing
• Scribe for exams
• Tape recorder in classroom
• Extended testing time in most appropriate setting – classroom, OSD, or Testing Center

The following guidelines are provided to assist the service provider in collaborating with each student to determine appropriate accommodations. Documentation serves as a foundation that legitimizes a student’s request for accommodations that are appropriate and reasonable.

• Appropriate diagnostic documentation of disability must be submitted to ODS in order to receive services.
• Official reports documenting your disability must originate with an appropriate professional in the field who is eligible to diagnose and treat the type of disability that applies to your case. The diagnostic report should be recent enough to reflect your current status.
• The ODS Coordinator will determine if the diagnostic information that you provide is sufficient.
• Diagnostic reports should include the names of tests administered, test results, diagnosis and prognosis. Statements regarding how the disability may impact your academic performance are helpful. Special education paperwork from high school (ARD papers) without specific diagnostic reports are not sufficient.

Student’s Responsibilities:

• Self-identify or disclose their disability to the Office for Students with Disabilities (ODS)
• Obtain documentation of assessment and test results and provide them to ODS
• Meet with ODS Counselor each semester to complete a request for services and to obtain an accommodation letter for each class.
• Act as independent adults, use appropriate self-advisory strategies
• Arrange their own weekly schedules
• Contact their instructors at start of semester to activate and adopt accommodations for each class
• Arrange for and obtain their own personal attendants, tutoring and individually fitted or designed assistive technologies
• Notify the ODS staff if ODS services are no longer needed
• Observe KC rules for student conduct
• Be on time for services. ODS sponsored sessions are cancelled if a student has not arrived 15 minutes after their appointment time
• Participate in their educational planning
• Communicate to ODS in a timely manner any question or problems arising due to their disability or assigned accommodations.

KC’s Responsibilities:

• Provide accessible facilities and related equipment
• Protect a student’s right to privacy and confidentiality
• Provide access to programs and services
• Inform students of ODS office locations and procedures for requesting accommodations
• Make reasonable accommodations for students who meet the qualifying criteria
• Provide reasonable access to program and service choices equal to those available to the general public
• Suggest reasonable adjustments in teaching methods which do not alter the essential content of a course or program
• Assure that off-campus and contracted program facilities also comply with Section 504 (Subpart E) and ADA
• Inform students of their rights and responsibilities

Office of Disabilities Responsibilities:

• Assist students regarding educational and disability accommodative issues applicable under federal and state law
• Collect and evaluate educational, psychological, medical, and vocational diagnostic information provided by the student or others assisting the student, to determine eligibility for accommodations
• Arrange for appropriate reasonable accommodations
• Assist students in accessing technology available to address their identified accommodation needs
• Monitor the effectiveness of student accommodations
• Educate students about student rights and responsibilities

Legal requirements for disability services and accommodations vary widely between the high school and college level. The chart below will help you understand the differences between high school and college services for students with disabilities.

High schools are required to:

• Identify students with disabilities
• Provide assessment of learning disabilities
• Classify disabilities according to specified diagnostic categories
• Involve parents or guardians in placement decisions
• Provide certain nonacademic services
• Place students in programs where they can benefit (in any way) by placement committee with parent participation and approval
• Structure a large part of the student’s weekly schedule
• Modify educational programs
• Prepare Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs)
• Provide a free and appropriate education
• Provide appropriate services by school nurse or health service

Colleges are required to:

• Student to self-identify disability to Office of Disability Services
• Protect a student’s right to privacy and confidentiality
• Provide access to programs and services
• Inform students of office location and procedures for requesting accommodations
• Accept and evaluate verifying documentation
• Determine (via documentation) that an impairment causes a substantial limitation on a major life activity
• Determine for students who are otherwise qualified for participation in the program or service whether a reasonable accommodation is possible
• Make reasonable accommodations for students who meet the above criteria
• Provide reasonable access to program and service choices equal to those available to general public
• Suggest reasonable adjustments in teaching methods that do not alter the essential content of a course or program
• Ensure that off-campus and contracted program facilities also comply with Section 504 (Subpart E),ADA and ADAA 2011
• Inform students of their rights and responsibilities

Kilgore College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to persons with disabilities and fulfilling obligations under State and Federal law. This policy governs the use of service animals on campus by persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities may be accompanied by working service animals on the campus of Kilgore College consistent with the provisions of this Policy.

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