Accessibility Services
Accessibility Services Statement
In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and its amendments, our Accessibility Services office provides reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities to ensure access to all programs, facilities, and activities of the college (ADA Policy and Complaint Process). Accommodations are made on an individual, case-by-case basis. Incoming students with disabilities should:
- submit their documentation to our office, and
- promptly schedule an intake interview upon acceptance so that accommodations can be arranged before the start of the term for which they plan to enroll.
How to Obtain Accommodations
- Students with disabilities who wish to receive accommodations must self-identify to the Accessibility Services Coordinator. Students who have been identified with a disability must present evidence of that disability. The student may provide medical documentation or a psycho-educational assessment to inform the determination of appropriate accommodations. An IEP or 504 Plan may also be sufficient to establish disability. All documentation is treated as confidential information under FERPA guidelines. For more specific information, click here.
- The Accessibility Services Coordinator will review the material and, if adequate for determining eligibility, an “intake interview” will be scheduled with the student. The interview may be conducted in person or by phone or Zoom. Based on documentation and the intake interview, the Coordinator will identify accommodations needed in each particular class and for campus activities and programs. Once determined, the accommodations are effective immediately for that specific term and are provided as a means of ensuring access to all programs. The Coordinator will guide the student in communicating the needs to faculty.
- Accommodations do not automatically carry over from one term to the next, but require renewal. Immediately upon registration for new courses, students should inform the Accessibility Services Office so that appropriate accommodations can be determined and so faculty can receive timely notification.
- Accommodations that are requested after the term has begun have no bearing on academic grades earned prior to the request. The student bears the consequences of failing to request accommodations in a timely manner; retroactive accommodations cannot be granted.
- Accommodations which alter a program’s purposes, necessary requisite skills, or licensing and/or accreditation standards are not considered “reasonable” under the law and cannot be granted.
Accommodations Services
Typical Accommodations
- Assistive Technology
- Audio/Accessible Textbooks
- Note-taker
- Early Access to Syllabi
- Exams/Quizzes:
- Distraction-reduced environment
- Extended time
- Scribe
- Reader
- Enlarged/enhanced print
Particular services are determined for each student according to documentation submitted ongoing conversation.
ESL Accommodations
LBC provides students of diverse backgrounds with accommodations that increase access to courses, instruction, and training . Students whose primary and native language is not English are referred as English as a Second Language (ESL) students, and specialized academic supports are available to assist you. Examples of accommodations that could be available are:
- Alternate Text books
- Permissions to utilize translator devices in class
- Note taker
- Test/Quiz scribe
Particular accommodations are determined for each student according to ongoing conversation and available documentation.
Dietary Restriction Support
Resident students who have dietary restrictions, should follow this process:
- Contact Accessibility Services at ASO@lbc.edu to initiate a discussion
- The Accessibility Coordinator will help facilitate a meeting between you and Dining Services
- Complete this online allergies form before your meeting.
Comparing Higher Education & K-12 Accessibility
The Accessibility Services Office (ASO) works with students to determine appropriate and reasonable accommodations for students with specific functional limitations due to disabilities. Because higher education works under a different legal framework from high school, our process may be different from what students have experienced in high school or other institutions. Following is a summary of some of these differences.
- A fundamental difference is between expectations for students and instructors in high schools versus colleges. In higher education, students are expected to be self-directed in their education; with regard to establishing disability-related accommodations, this means that students initiate the process and take responsibility for obtaining necessary documentation, etc. Therefore, at LBC, students with disabilities should contact our office (ASO@lbdc.edu) to initiate the interactive process.
- Because the focus is on functional limitations, it is important that documentation identify the student’s current limitations, particularly in an academic environment. While a diagnosis is often helpful, information from both medical providers AND the student, which outlines how the disability impacts the student today, will assist our office in determining reasonable accommodations.
Applicable Laws
| High School | College |
| I.E.P. (Individualized Education Plan and/or 504 Plan) | Documentation guidelines specify information needed for each category of disability |
| School provides evaluation at no cost to student | Student must get evaluation at own expense, if they lack one |
| Documentation focuses on determining whether student is eligible for services based on specific disability categories in I.D.E.A. | Documentation must provide information on specific functional limitations, and demonstrate the need for specific accommodations |
Required Documentation
| High School | College |
| I.D.E.A. (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) | A.D.A. (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) |
| Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 | Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 |
| I.D.E.A. is about insuring student success | A.D.A. is about access to programs and services; success is the student’s responsibility |
General Differences
| High School | College |
| Class schedules are arranged by school personnel | Students arrange their own schedules |
| General education classes dictated by the state and/or the district requirements | Classes are based on a field or program of study; requirements may vary |
| Class attendance is usually mandatory and monitored carefully | Attendance policies are set by individual instructor and vary |
| Textbooks are typically provided at little or no expense | Textbooks can be expensive and the student is responsible for obtaining them |
| Instructors and school personnel closely watch out for the students; guiding and correcting them if necessary | Students are expected to take responsibility for what they do and don’t do, as well as for the consequences of their decisions |
| Personal care attendants are provided by the school | The student is responsible for finding, hiring, and paying for personal care attendants. Students may request non-academic accommodations in areas such as campus housing and dining |
Self-Advocacy
| High School | College |
| Student is identified by the school and is supported by parents and teachers | Student must self-identify to the Office for Students with Disabilities |
| Primary responsibility for arranging accommodations belongs to the school | Primary responsibility for self-advocacy and arranging accommodations belongs to the student |
Parental Role
| High School | College |
| Parent has access to student records and can participate in the accommodations process | Parent does not have access to student records without student’s written consent |
| Parent advocates for the student | Student advocates for self |
Instruction
| High School | College |
| Teachers may modify curriculum and/or alter pace of assignments | Professors are not required to fundamentally alter curriculum |
| You are expected to read short assignments that are then discussed, and often re-taught, in class | You are assigned substantial amounts of reading and writing which may not be directly addressed in class |
| You seldom need to read anything more than once, and sometimes listening in class is enough | You need to review class notes and text material regularly |
Study Responsibilities
| High School | College |
| Tutoring and study support may be a service provided as part of I.E.P or 504 plans | Tutoring does not fall under Accessibility Services. Students with disabilities must seek out tutoring resources as they are available to all students |
| Student time and assignments are structured by others | Students manage their own time and complete assignments independently |
| Students may study outside of class as little as 0 to 2 hours a week, and this may be mostly last-minute test preparation | Students need to study at least 3 hours outside of class for each hour in class |