Marin Community College District

Academic Adjustment Procedures for Students with Disabilities

Marin Community College District has developed the following procedures to provide guidance for disabled students requesting academic adjustments or auxiliary aids. The purpose of these guidelines is to ensure the appropriate services are provided in a timely manner to support student access to academic programs.

1. When a student requests disability-related services, the student's disability is confirmed by a Disabled Students Program and Services [DSP&S] counselor in accordance with state-mandated criteria. It is the student's responsibility to provide professional documentation of specific educational limitations before an academic adjustment will be authorized. If the student is deemed ineligible for services and wishes to appeal this decision, he/she may address their concern to the DSP&S coordinator [Currently this position is held by Mr. Chris Schultz, 415- 485-9601] who will review and seek resolution. If a satisfactory resolution is not found, the student may appeal to the college's ADA/504 Compliance Officer [Currently these duties are handled by Ms. Linda Beam, 415 485-9504]. This process should take no more than two weeks from the time the appeal is made.

2. If a student seeking a particular academic adjustment for a disability does not wish to work with the DSP&S, they can contact the ADA Compliance Officer, who will verify the disability and provide access to appropriate academic adjustments.

3. A Disabled Students Program counselor, in consultation with the student, determines functional limitations based on disability documentation and authorizes any appropriate auxiliary aids and/or academic adjustments. These may include but not be limited to:

• Counseling
• Test taking facilitation
• Interpreter services
• Reading services
• Note taking
• Transcription services
• Alternatively formatted materials
• Specialized equipment

It is the DSP&S department's responsibility to ensure that all authorized academic adjustments and auxiliary aids are provided in a timely manner.

It is the student's responsibility to contact the Program counselor well in advance of the start of the semester to ensure all services can adequately be prepared.

4. Students will provide written consent before the DSP&S counselor can inform instructors of the authorized academic adjustments and auxiliary services. The DSP&S counselor will contact the instructor directly to clarify the processes necessary for implementing the academic adjustments.

5. If a student is denied an academic adjustment or use of an auxiliary aid by an instructor, or finds that the academic adjustment provided is ineffective, the student can appeal by following these steps:

• a. Students are encouraged to initially discuss the problem with the academic adjustment with the instructor. If this has already been attempted, or the student feels uncomfortable approaching the instructor or feels it will be ineffective, the student can choose to move to the next step in the appeal process. [The student's DSP&S counselor can be invited to participate in the discussion with the instructor.]
• b. If no resolution to the complaint is found with the instructor, the student should contact the coordinator of the DSP&S who will investigate the complaint and seek an appropriate resolution. [Chris Schultz coordinator, 415-485-9601].
• c. If the issue is not resolved, the appeal should be directed to the ADA/504Compliance Officer, who will make an interim decision pending a final resolution. The interim decision will be made within five working days. An investigation will be conducted leading to a final resolution with in sixty days. [Linda Beam serves as the Director of Human Resources and is the ADA/504 Compliance Officer, 415-485-9504].
• d. If a student believes that he/she has been subject to discrimination related to a disability, they should file a written complaint with the college's ADA Compliance Officer. [Linda Beam, Director of Human Resources, Administrative Center Rm. 107].

6. When a student with a disability who is otherwise qualified for a class and has a functional limitation that precludes that student from fulfilling the course requirements, consideration may be given to granting adjustments to the academic course requirements, provided this does not fundamentally alter the nature of the class. A request for modification of the academic requirements is an interactive process involving the student, the DSP&S counselor and coordinator, the faculty member and the particular department and the college Administration. This group's common goal is to outline adjustments and define alterations to courses or academic programs. Modifications to academic courses or requirements are approved only where it is demonstrated that the adjustment will not alter program objectives and academic integrity. All requests for special consideration of academic adjustments should be initiated with the DSP&S coordinator, who will take responsibility for overseeing the review process. This will take no longer than two weeks. The process for reviewing special academic adjustments is as follows:

• a. A student will propose in writing a request for special consideration of an academic adjustment. This request should be directed to the DSP&S coordinator and should be received not less than a month prior to the start of the class unless the student does not learn of the need until the course has started. In this case the request will be reviewed on an individualized basis with every effort to resolve the matter efficiently, but a specific timeline cannot be guaranteed. The student's counselor can provide assistance in filing the request.
• b. A committee will be assembled composed of a faculty member from the relevant discipline, the department chair, the Dean from the discipline and the DSP&S counselor and program coordinator.
• c. The committee will review the request and then meet with the student to discuss his/her concerns and consult with the student in an effort to fully understand the request and to potentially explore alternative adjustments.
• d. The committee will determine if the request changes the essential requirements of the class or program, is related to a licensing requirement or fundamentally changes the class, program or activity.
• e. The student will be informed of the decision prior to the first day of the class.
• f. If the student is unsatisfied with the decision an appeal can be made to the ADA/504 Compliance Officer, who will review the decision and make a final resolution within a week of the time the appeal is made. [Linda Beam 415-485-9504]

7. The procedure for students testing with academic adjustments is as follows:

• a. All testing arrangements are initiated between the student and the DSPS counselor after a review of documentation which has been provided by the student.
• b. Testing facilitation can take three general forms; extra time in the classroom overseen by the instructor, extra time proctored in the Testing Center, and individualized facilitation with DSP&S staff. The type of test facilitation is determined on the basis of the disability and the ability of the instructor to provide additional time in the classroom.
• c. The counselor provides an Academic Adjustment Contract for Service and the student is asked to sign the contract.
• d. The student receives a copy of the "Students Guide to Testing Services," which is intended to further articulate the student's responsibility in the testing facilitation.
• e. The counselor prepares letters for each instructor notifying them of the particular academic adjustment that has been approved. It is the student's responsibility to deliver the letter to the instructor, at which time arrangements for where the testing will take place will be confirmed.
• f. If the classroom can be used for the testing, no further arrangements are necessary.
• g. If the classroom cannot be used for additional time testing, then it is the student's responsibility to arrange a test appointment at least one week in advance in either the Testing Center [415-485-9469] or, if the student has been approved to receive testing facilitation in the DSP&S office in a distraction-free environment, the appointment should be arranged with the Support Services Specialist at 415-457-8811, ext. 7706.
• h. If the student has been approved for enlarged print tests, a scribe, a reader or use of a computer for testing, the student should call the Support Specialist at 457-8811, ext 7706 to make an appointment.
• i. Students approved for testing academic adjustments must confirm with their instructor the date, time and location for each test appointment.
• j. The instructor will send the test through campus mail to the appropriate site with complete directions, as well as specifying permission for the use of notes, scratch paper, and calculator on the test.
• k. The instructor will receive the proctored test through campus mail and will be responsible for grading and returning the test to the student.
• l. Any questions regarding the test procedures from either student or the instructor should be directed to the student's counselor [415-485-9406].

8. The procedure for requesting alternately formatted materials such as enlarged text, e-text or Braille, is as follows:

• a. Eligibility for receiving alternate formatted material is determined through a review of the student's documentation of a disability and any functional limitations caused by a disability. The student and the counselor will consider the student's preference of formatted material, as well as the effectiveness of the particular material. DSP&S staff will provide appropriate orientation and training for effective use of formatted material. Alternative materials can be evaluated by the student to determine effectiveness of different types. Only one form of material will be provided on a regular basis. If the student does not agree with the counselor's determination, he/she can use the appeal process described in the Programs Policy statement.
• b. The student must request alternative formatted materials at least two weeks before the start of the semester. In the case of a request for e-text, the request should be not less then a month prior to the start of the semester. Preparation of these materials is often very time-consuming; thus advanced notice is required.
• c. Late requests for alternative formatted materials will be honored, but will be responded to on a case by case basis and will be completed as quickly as possible, but with no guarantee of specific timelines for completion.
• d. Students requesting materials in an alternative format must own a physical copy of the textbook or other materials.
• e. Materials provided to the Disabled Students Program for the purpose of conversion to alternative format may be disassembled and returned to the student in an altered condition.
• f. Students may not copy or reproduce materials provided by the College and the alternatively formatted materials must be returned at the end of the semester for use by other students.
• g. Alternatively formatted materials will only be provided for College of Marin curriculum and classes that the student is taking.
• h. Students may request training on the most effective use of technology for accessing the alternatively formatted materials. Computer labs are available on both campuses that provide specialized software. Students needed assistance should contact Shiloh Cokinos at 457-8811, ext 7705.
• i. The student's counselor will request from instructors copies of all in-class written materials such as syllabus, quizzes and handouts, so that these materials can be appropriately formatted in a timely manner. Instructors will be asked to provide all in-class materials well in advance of their anticipated use so that the student receives the alternative formatted materials at the same time as all the other students receive their materials.
• j. Students having questions about, or having difficulty with their alternatively formatted materials should contact their counselor at 485-9406.
• k. The Disabled Students Program reserves the right to discontinue services if any of the student's responsibilities listed above are not followed.

• DisPatches table of contents
• Disabled Students home page