TSI Assessment
Testing
Accommodations
SOUTH PLAINS COLLEGE
Testing Center
819 Gilbert Drive, Room 823
Lubbock, Texas 79416
(806) 716-4689
Fax: (806) 716-4704
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS for TSI Assessment
South Plains College students with disabilities are granted special accommodations in
compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Students with special needs are encouraged to contact the
Coordinator of Disability Services as early as possible. Adequate notice to prepare for
and provide special accommodations and services is required.
REESE CENTER/ATC/PLAINVIEW PROCEDURES
1. Fill out and submit an Application for Special Accommodations for Testing. Pages 1-4
of the Application must be turned in.
2. Make arrangements for appropriate documentation regarding your disability to be
submitted at the Testing Center. It is the student’s responsibility to provide
adequate documentation and no accommodations will be granted without it.
Appropriate documentation must establish the student as an individual with a
disability, as defined by law, and must support the appropriateness of requested
accommodations. Contact Disability Services Office for specific guidelines for
acceptable documentation. Release of Information forms are available beginning on
page 3 of the application.
3. Your application and documentation will be reviewed. The review process may take
as long as two weeks, especially prior to the beginning of a semester, so please plan
ahead.
You will be notified if any additional information is needed or if your request cannot
be granted. You may submit additional information at any time and ask for another
review.
4. If your request is approved, you will be notified by phone or email, fax, or letter.
5. These procedures apply only to the Reese Center, Byron Martin Advanced
Technology Center, and Plainview Center. You will need to apply for
accommodations through the Levelland office if you plan to test in Levelland.
GRIEVANCES AND APPEALS
If you believe that an action or decision made by the Testing Center and/or the Disability
Services Office violates your rights, you may initiate a grievance procedure. Your first
step should be to address the problem with the Coordinator of Testing Center or
Disability Services. If you are still not satisfied, you should contact the Director of
Guidance and Counseling in Levelland by calling 806-716-2364.
General information on student appeals and the academic appeals procedure are
published in the General Catalog. Specific grievance procedures, including ADA/504
complaints, are outlined in the Student Guide.
PLEASE KEEP THESE PROCEDURES FOR YOUR RECORDS!!
South Plains College
Guidelines for Documentation of a Disability
All requests for special accommodations due to a disability must be accompanied by
acceptable documentation. It is the responsibility of the student to provide documentation
that establishes the student as an individual with a disability, as defined by law, and
supports the appropriateness of any requested accommodations. In order to help students
provide acceptable reports, South Plains College has established general guidelines
regarding the contents of satisfactory documentation, compiled from the best practices
standard from AHEAD.
ALL REPORTS MUST BE TYPED ON LETTERHEAD, DATED AND
SIGNED BY THE PROFESSIONAL.
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.
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). Documentation should be dated no later than the student's 14th
birthday.
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 reevaluation 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.
LEARNING DISABILITY DOCUMENTATION CRITERIA:
For learning disabilities, the documentation must include the diagnostician's
assessment of aptitude test scores and information processing test scores. The
assessment must state that the student qualifies as having a learning disability. The
report should include learning accommodation recommendations from a licensed
diagnostician, educational psychologist or psychiatrist.
*Please note that often lEP's or ARD paperwork from your high school may not
contain the necessary, qualifying information. Please review guidelines carefully.
*Allow at least two weeks for documentation to be reviewed for
accommodation purposes.
South Plains College
Testing Center
819 Gilbert Drive, Room 823
Lubbock, TX 79416
Phone: (806) 716.4689
Fax: (806) 897.3081
APPLICATION FOR SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR TSI ASSESSMENT
Pages 1-4 must be submitted
For
FALL SPRING SUMMER
(circle one)
YEAR _______
Campus on which you will test: Reese
ATC
Plainview
Name:
Date:
Address:
City / State / Zip:
Mailing / Local Address (if different from above):
City / State / Zip:
Phone: Home:(
Date of Birth:
)
Work:(
)
Male/Female:
Cell: (
)
Social Security #:
Email Address:
SPC Entry Date:
Major:
Is this the first time you have applied for accommodations at SPC? Yes / No
List specific accommodations you are requesting:
1
Disability Information:
Disability(s) related to testing:
Limitations related to testing:
**Please note that adequate documentation to support the requested
accommodations must be submitted to the Testing Center at least two
(2) weeks before the date you want to test.
Emergency Information:
Emergency Contact:
Name:
Relationship:
Address:
City / State / Zip:
Home number:
Cell number:
Work number:
Other Information:
Allergies that might impact testing:
Medications that might impact testing:
Additional Information that would might impact testing:
Student signature
Date
2
RELEASE OF INFORMATION
I give the Testing Center of South Plains College permission to release the
following information to South Plains College Disability Services Office,
instructors, faculty, and staff providing services to me:
Student signature
Date
I give the Disability Services Department of South Plains College permission
to release the following information to South Plains College instructors,
faculty, and staff providing services to me: diagnostic evaluations, requested
accommodations, and other information pertinent to participation at South
Plains College.
Student signature
Date
I give permission for my instructors to share information related to my
academic progress with the Disability Services staff as needed and deemed
appropriate.
Student signature
Date
3
I am a client of the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services. I
give permission to South Plains College to share information with DARS as
needed and deemed appropriate.
Student signature
Date
I understand that ethical use of special accommodations and/or support
services is expected and that improper use of the services could result in the
loss of such services. I understand that application for special
accommodations must be made each semester.
Student signature
Date
PLEASE REMEMBER TO KEEP A COPY OF THIS INFORMATION FOR
YOUR RECORDS!!
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