What is a disability:

• ADA defines disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities: such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating and working etc. 

Do disability laws vary between K-12 and post-secondary education for students?

• Yes, there are significant differences between K-12 and post-secondary education for students with disabilities. Post-secondary institutions do not follow secondary Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). High School vs. College

Is there a manual for students with disabilities?

• Yes, students are responsible for understanding and complying with disability procedures and policies outlined in the DSS Student Handbook.

How do students get disability support services at CTC?

• Students need to inform the DSS office about their disability and provide required medical documentation. ONLY the student can request disability services.

Does DSS provide testing/evaluations for students to identify a disability?

• No, the students are responsible for obtaining and paying for necessary evaluations and testing to substantiate their disability. See the Documentation Criteria Checklist for specific documentation requirements.

After submitting necessary documentation and completing the DSS intake, what classroom accommodations are provided for students:

• Reasonable accommodations are determined based on documented disabilities and may include extended testing time, separate testing areas, note-takers, and more. The student will receive classroom accommodations based on their specific disability and their medical documentation submitted to DSS. The DSS office makes the final decision on appropriate and reasonable accommodations. It's the student's responsibility to use their approved accommodations.

Are accommodations available for online/distance learning or SVL courses?

• Yes. Accommodations are available for online and distance learning courses, with limitations depending on the nature of the course. However, for strictly online classes, accommodations may be limited to extended testing time and/or alternative textbooks (book receipt required). For online classes that have virtual lectures, additional accommodations may be available, such as note taking accommodations or sight translation with a sign language interpreter, for students with certain qualifying disabilities

Do students have to request and renew accommodations every semester? 

• Yes, it is the student’s responsibility to request accommodations EVERY semester accommodation is needed by completing and submitting the required Online Accommodation Request Form in Etrieve. DSS strongly recommends students request their accommodations upon completion of registration or as soon as possible because accommodations are not retroactive.

Is Tutoring Services available for students?

• Free tutoring services are available to all students through the Academic Studio.

Does having a disability allow students to automatically have excused absences?

• If classroom attendance/class participation is considered a core or essential element of the class, then absences may not be deemed a reasonable accommodation. Accommodations for excused absences are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Students must provide medical documentation for disability-related absences.

Can a student receive an accommodation for extended due dates for assignments?

• Accommodations for extended due dates are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and require medical documentation. It requires medical documentation to support the need for this accommodation and is dependent upon the nature of the documented disability (i.e. having a documented disability that may be chronic in nature). Per this, in certain cases, an extension on course assignment due dates may be deemed a reasonable accommodation. If deemed a reasonable accommodation, it is the responsibility of the student to discuss this accommodation directly with the course instructor to determine a reasonable extension for each assignment.

Does DSS disclose a student’s disability to course instructors?

• DSS does not disclose a student's disability to course instructors without the student's authorization. DSS complies with all privacy and confidentiality laws such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). However, if DSS receives a court order or a subpoena to release confidential information, our office must comply.

Are students required to update medical documentation?

• Students must update medical documentation every five years or as required for specific disabilities. Some disabilities may require medical documentation to be updated yearly (i.e. depression, anxiety, ADHD, etc.).

Temporary Disability Parking Passes:

• The college does not provide temporary disability parking passes; students are directed to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles for the application process. http://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/disabled-parking-placards-plates