Disability Services

It is the mission of Community College System of New Hampshire's Disability Services to provide equal education access opportunities and experiences to all qualified students with documented disabilities who register with the college's Disabilities Services office. Reasonable accommodations are provided to students to allow them to achieve at a level limited only by their abilities and not by their disabilities. Assistance is provided in a collaborative way to help students develop strong and effective independent learning and self-advocacy skills, as they assume responsibility for reaching their academic goals.

Students requesting accommodations for disabilities must register with the Disabilities Support Coordinator, located in the Academic Support Center (Room 100), and provide documentation to support the request.

For more information contact Melissa Olson at (603) 578-8900 ext. 1451 or via e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Frequently Asked Questions

1.  How can I arrange ACCUPLACER testing accommodations?

ACCUPLACER is an un-timed computerized evaluation used to determine initial English and mathematics course placement. A calculator is "built-in" to use when appropriate. If you need other accommodations, tell your Accuplacer proctor or the Disability Coordinator.

2.  How do I receive accommodations for equal access?

You must request accommodations; they are not automatically provided. Contact the Disabilities Support Coordinator and provide appropriate documentation to support your request. If you are eligible, a Reasonable Accommodation Plan (RAP) for college will be developed which must be renewed each semester and is not retroactive. The Disability Coordinator will give you copies and suggest ways for you to deliver them.

3.  What kind of documentation must I provide to receive academic adjustments
...If I have a physical, psychological, or other disability?

Documentation must be current and must include a clear diagnosis of the disability, description of functional limitations in a college setting, and side effects of any medications (if any) and their specific impact on learning. See the Disabiltiy Coordinator for a short Educationally focused form you may use.

4.  What kind of documentation must I provide to receive academic adjustments
...If I have a learning disablity?

In addition to preceding information, you need a current psycho-educational evaluation (dated within 3 years if completed before you were 18; within 5 years if completed after you were 18), administered by someone licensed to do so, containing the following.

• A measure of aptitude, such as:
  • the Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale - (WAIS) or
  • the Weschler Intelligence Scale for Cildren (WISC) or
• A measure of achievement such as:
  • the Woodcock-Johnson-R  
  • the Wechlser Individual Achievement Test (WIAT) 
• Other relevant standardized measures of achievement to support specific areas
• Actual test scores and interpretation of results
• Clear, specific evidence and indentification of the specific learning disability

High School IEP's or 504 Plans are not sufficient to support college accommodations. Students must arrange to have their disability records sent to the College Disability Coordinator.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, individuals with disabilities are protected from discrimination and may be entitled to reasonable accommodations and rights to equal access to programs and services. To establish that an individual is covered under the ADA, documentation must indicate that a specific disability exists and that the identified disability substantially limits one or more major life activity. The documentation must also support the request for accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids. A diagnosis of a disorder/condition/syndrome in and of itself does not automatically qualify an individual for accommodations under the ADA.

Documentation Guidelines

The following guidelines from the Association on Higher Education and Disability provide the components of documentation necessary to establish eligibility for services and receiving appropriate accommodations.

1. The credentials of the evaluator(s).
   The best quality documentation is provided by a licensed or otherwise properly credentialed professional who has undergone appropriate and comprehensive training, has relevant experience, and has no personal relationship with the individual being evaluated. A good match between the credentials of the individual making the diagnosis and the condition being reported is expected (e.g., an orthopedic limitation might be documented by a physician, but not a licensed psychologist).
2. A diagnostic statement identifying the disability
   Quality documentation includes a clear diagnostic statement that describes how the condition was diagnosed, provides information on the functional impact, and details the typical progression or prognosis of the condition. While diagnostic codes from the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM) or the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) of the World Health Organization are helpful in providing this information, a full clinical description will also convey the necessary information.
3. A description of the diagnostic methodology used.
   Quality documentation includes a description of the diagnostic criteria, evaluation methods, procedures, tests and dates of administration, as well as a clinical narrative, observation, and specific results. Where appropriate to the nature of the disability, having both summary data and specific test scores (with the norming population identified) within the report is recommended.
   
   Diagnostic methods that are congruent with the particular disability and current professional practices in the field are recommended. Methods may include formal instruments, medical examinations, structured interview protocols, performance observations and unstructured interviews. If results from informal, non-standardized or less common methods of evaluation are reported, an explanation of their role and significance in the diagnostic process will strengthen their value in providing useful information.
4. A description of the current functional limitations
   Information on how the disabling condition(s) currently impacts the individual provides useful information for both establishing a disability and identifying possible accommodations. A combination of the results of formal evaluation procedures, clinical narrative, and the individual's self report is the most comprehensive approach to fully documenting impact. The best quality documentation is thorough enough to demonstrate whether and how a major life activity is substantially limited by providing a clear sense of the severity, frequency and pervasiveness of the condition(s).
   
   While relatively recent documentation is recommended in most circumstances, common sense and discretion in accepting older documentation of conditions that are permanent or non-varying is recommended. Likewise, changing conditions and/or changes in how the condition impacts the individual brought on by growth and development may warrant more frequent updates in order to provide an accurate picture. It is important to remember that documentation is not time-bound; the need for recent documentation depends on the facts and circumstances of the individual's condition. *
5. A description of the expected progression or stability of the disability
   It is helpful when documentation provides information on expected changes in the functional impact of the disability over time and context. Information on the cyclical or episodic nature of the disability and known or suspected environmental triggers to episodes provides opportunities to anticipate and plan for varying functional impacts. If the condition is not stable, information on interventions (including the individual's own strategies) for exacerbations and recommended timelines for re-evaluation are most helpful.
6. A description of current and past accommodations, services and/or medications
   The most comprehensive documentation will include a description of both current and past medications, auxiliary aids, assistive devices, support services, and accommodations, including their effectiveness in ameliorating functional impacts of the disability. A discussion of any significant side effects from current medications or services that may impact physical, perceptual, behavioral or cognitive performance is helpful when included in the report. While accommodations provided in another setting are not binding on the current institution, they may provide insight in making current decisions.
7. Recommendations for accommodations, adaptive devices, assistive services, compensatory strategies, and/or collateral support services. Recommendations from professionals with a history of working with the individual provide valuable information for review and the planning process. It is most helpful when recommended accommodations and strategies are logically related to functional limitations; if connections are not obvious, a clear explanation of their relationship can be useful in decision-making. While the post-secondary institution has no obligation to provide or adopt recommendations made by outside entities, those that are congruent with the programs, services, and benefits offered by the college or program may be appropriate. When recommendations go beyond equitable and inclusive services and benefits, they may still be useful in suggesting alternative accommodations and/or services.

* The Community College System of NH recognizes that in some cases an updated letter from a qualified professional may simply address why prior documentation that has been submitted continues to be relevant. Re-testing that is not medically necessary will be waived.

The Community College System of NH has a responsibility to maintain confidentiality of the evaluation and may not release any part of the documentation without the student's informed consent or under compulsion of legal process. Established 11-15-06

5.  Are instructional aides, personal care attendants, or specialized tutoring provided?

No. Students are responsible for arranging and providing these services, when deemed appropriate. This includes, but is not limited to, medical equipment, personal care attendants, specialized tutors, or educational aides. There is no medical facility on campus. Prior permission must be obtained before any non-student can attend a course and faculty will be notified of the non-student's defined role.

6.  Will requirements of a program or the content of a course be modified?

No. All students must meet the essential academic and technical requirements (be otherwise qualified) to enter a program and maintain them to remain in that program. Course content and requirements can not be changed. Students must display mastery of course material to earn college credit. Classroom protocol must be followed and behavioral standards must be met.

7.  What if I am in Running Start or a concurrent program?

All students attending classes at Nashua Community College can receive college accommodations when they have disclosed their diagnosed condition to the Disability Coordinator and produced the appropriate documentation to validate said condition. However, high school IEPs/504s are not incorporated at the college level. To ensure equal access, reasonable college accommodations are determined by the college Disability Coordinator after reviewing appropriate documents

Course curriculum in college level classes is not modified to meet the needs of students. Students requesting accommodations are expected to demonstrate the same level of understanding of course material as all other students in the class.

Students requesting accommodations are urged to meet with the college Disability Coordinator before beginning a college course in order to determine what reasonable accommodations will apply and what resources are available.

8.  What will help me understand the differences between high school and college?

Please click here for a Comparison of High School and College disability services.