It is the mission of Community College System of NH Disabilities Services to provide equal educational 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 accomodations for disabilities must register with the Disability
Coordinator, located in the Department of Instructional Services, and provide documentation to
support the request.
How can I arrange ACCUPLACER testing accomodations?
ACCUPLACER, given by Admissions, 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 accomodations, tell your Admissions Counselor or the
Disability Coordinator. top
How do I receive accommodations for equal access?
You must request accomodations; they are not automatically provided. Contact the
Disability Coordinator and provide appropriate documentation to support your request.
If you are eligible, a Reasonable Accomodation 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. top
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. top
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
- the Wechlser Individual Achievement Test (WIAT)
- A measure of achievement (such as the Woodcock-Johnson-R)
- 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 accomodations. Students
must arrange to have their disability records sent to the College Disability Coordinator.
top
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.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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. *
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 top
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. top
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. top
What if I am in Running Start or a concurrent program?
All students attending classes at Community College System of NH
in Nashua 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 top
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. top
What will help me understand the differences between high
school and college?
Preparing for College (Page 4) top
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