Disabilities and Health Conditions

What are some examples of disabilities or health conditions at Pierce College?

  • Mental health disabilities (increasing across all US colleges)
  • Anxiety, Depression, P.T.S.D.
  • A.D.D./A.D.H.D.
  • Dyslexia and other learning disabilities
  • Processing disorders
  • Autism Spectrum
  • Physical disabilities
  • Chronic health disabilities
  • Vision and hearing disabilities
  • Temporary injuries/post-surgical rehabilitation

Accommodations

Accommodations are tools that help students with disabilities access educational opportunities. Accommodations remove barriers and are designed to assist students in learning the same material and in meeting the same expectations as their classmates who do not have a disability. Accommodations are not intended to alter or lower the standards or expectations of a course, exam, or class work. ADS will partner with students to identify reasonable accommodations. Accommodations are not considered reasonable if they pose an undue hardship, result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of the Pierce College activity, program, or service or create undue financial or administrative burdens.

Examples of Common Academic Accommodations

Academic accommodations are determined for each student on an individual basis through an interactive Intake process between ADS and the student. Accommodation requests must be supported by the functional limitations of the disability. Following are some common accommodations available through or provided by ADS. This list does not include all accommodations, and the accommodations listed will not apply to the impact of every disability.

  • Assistance in learning self-advocacy and communication skills
  • Note-taking tools and services
  • Audio recording
  • Testing accommodations
  • Accessible classroom furniture
  • Access to assistive technologies
  • Alternative textbook accommodation
  • ASL Interpreters and Real-Time Captioning (CART) services

What Are Not Accommodations in Higher Education

Access and Disability Services works to ensure access for students with disabilities by designing and implementing accommodations. Often students will have received accommodations in high school that are not appropriate in the college setting. These are some of the things that are not considered accommodations in higher education; this list includes, but is not limited to:

  • Individualized instruction/Paraeducators
  • Tutoring
  • Personal care attendant
  • Modifying curriculum/workload
  • Unlimited assignment or exam extensions
  • Retests
  • Requiring a professor to change a teaching style
  • Changing an In-Person course into a Hybrid or fully Online course

How to Use Approved Accommodations

During the Access Intake appointment, each student is shown how to log into their AIM profile and submit their quarterly Accommodation Requests. Once the requests have been submitted, ADS will then create and send out Faculty Accommodation letters to the student’s professors and to them. It is the student’s responsibility to log into AIM every quarter to submit their Accommodation requests in a timely manner. Remember, accommodations cannot be applied retroactively, so it is best practice to submit them the week before each quarter begins, or during the first week of classes.

Once instructors have been notified via the letter, it is best practice that the student requests to meet with their professors to discuss the details of how each accommodation will or can work in course. In some circumstances, requested accommodations may not be reasonable in specific courses. If this happens, ADS will work with the student and the professor to determine what is reasonable. In cases where, based on the nature of the course, a requested accommodation is not reasonable ADS may explore alternatives if an access barrier still exists.

How to Request Additional Accommodations

Accommodations are approved initially by ADS in the Access Intake appointment, and are based on the needs and access barriers the student is experiencing at that time. However, ADS knows that needs and barriers can change as students’ progress through an academic program. If a student encounters new barriers or needs, or would like to change their current accommodation plan, they can request a modification of their current accommodation plan. All the student needs to do is contact ADS and schedule an Update appointment to reengage the interactive process.

Preparing for College Accommodations after High School

The determination of a specific student’s accommodations at Pierce College will be determined through the interactive and individualized Access Intake meeting.

Accommodations Beyond the Classroom

Clinicals, Practicums, and Internships

If the program you are in requires clinical rotations, practicums, or an internship, it is never too early to begin to prepare for them! The first step is to take a copy of your Accommodation letter and have a meeting with your Pierce College Clinical advisor/supervisor. Begin the discussion as early as possible to learn what accommodations are possible during these portions of the programs. After meeting with the clinical advisor or supervisor, if you need different accommodations to reduce barriers, please contact the ADS department and schedule an update meeting to make reasonable changes to your plan. You will need to schedule these meetings at least a quarter in advance as accommodations can take multiple weeks to coordinate for non-classroom or off campus internships.

Field Courses and Field Trips

Does your program have field courses or field trips as a part of a course or the larger program? Connect with ADS as soon as you are aware of these so we can work with the department to ensure accessibility is considered and additional accommodations for access are explored. Off-campus trips and activities can take multiple weeks to coordinate, so connect with ADS as soon as possible.

Study Abroad Accommodations

If you have not thought about doing a study abroad experience now is the time to get curious! Check out the Pierce College Study Abroad site and see what possibilities await you in the numerous excursion opportunities. Remember, you can request accommodations from ADS for your study abroad program, but those must be submitted two months before you leave.

Mobility International Travel Resources