A Faculty Guide
for
The College Student
with a Disability
Santa Ana College
School of Continuing Education
Learning Skills Program
Mission Statement
The Learning Skills Program (LSP) at SAC’s School of
Continuing Education is committed to providing equal access
and eliminating barriers to educational opportunities for students
with verifiable disabilities by providing specialized instructional
programs, technology, and disability related services.
The LSP encourages and fosters independence while assisting
students in attaining their educational and vocational goals.
Please Contact The LSP Office If You Have Any Questions Or Concerns
LSP Office (714) 241-5768 / 5769
Fax
(714) 434-7920
Disability And The Law
The Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are the two primary
pieces of federal legislation which mandate that
reasonable accommodations be provided to qualified
students with disabilities.
Other applicable laws include Section 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act,
Title 5, and Assembly Bill 422.
What Is A Learning Disability?
According to the Title V regulations which govern the
California community colleges, the definition of a learning
disability is as follows:
~A learning disability in California community
college adults is a persistent condition of presumed
neurological dysfunction which may also exist with
other disabling conditions. This dysfunction continues
despite instruction in standard classroom situations.
Learning Disabilities Are Manifested By
Significant Difficulties In The Acquisition Of:
•Written Language Skills
•Oral Language Skills
•Reading Skills
•Social Skills
•Mathematical Skills
•Auditory Processing Skills
•Organizational and Study Skills
What Is The Learning Skills Program?
This program is designed for students with documented
learning disabilities who want to improve their basic skills for
personal development, higher college placement scores,
greater employability, or high school diploma completion.
Courses offered are flexible,
open entry/open exit and tuition free:
• Skills for Success: Learn to set goals, get organized, study better,
and succeed in life.
• Learning Skills and Strategies: Improve basic reading, writing, and
math skills. Learn to accomplish educational and career goals.
LSP Program Courses Continued:
• High School Diploma Courses: Specialized small group
instruction, tutoring, accommodations and support services
are provided to complete the High School Diploma Program.
(Recommended 6.0 reading comprehension)
LSP Program Courses Continued:
• Educational
Assessment:
Learning Disability
Awareness is
provided to
determine eligibility
for community
college services as
required.
Other Disabilities
Students with other disabilities may also
demonstrate difficulties in the classroom.
Individuals with physical disabilities may
have unique needs that can be met with
special accommodations from the DSPS
Program to promote academic success.
Our goal is to enable and empower
disabled students.
Who is responsible for determining
appropriate accommodations?
The Learning Skills Program (LSP) and LD
Specialists have the obligation and professional
expertise to determine appropriate accommodations,
and they are designated by the district to do so.
Assessments are based on documentation collected
from the student and the student’s functional
limitations.
Typical Accommodations May Include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Test taking services and accommodations
Tutoring
Adaptive Computer Technology
Alternative Text Formats
Note-taking
Registration Assistance
Priority Registration
How do students receive services?
• Student makes contact with LSP or is referred
by faculty to request accommodations.
• Student is responsible for providing professional
documentation of a qualified disability to LSP.
• If student does not have appropriate verification
of a Learning Disability, LSP will schedule a
consultation for assessment to determine and
document a learning disability.
Student Accommodation Procedure
Cont’d
• The LD Specialist, in consultation with the
student, will identify educational limitations and
determine appropriate accommodations.
• The recommended accommodations will be
documented by LSP and a copy will be provided
to the student.
• Student provides instructor with an
accommodation letter.
• LSP assists instructor in providing
accommodations.
• Student and LSP evaluate accommodations
which may include input from the instructor.
Keep in Mind
Faculty do not have the right to refuse to
provide accommodations, to question whether
the disability exists when the accommodations
have been authorized by LSP, or to request to
examine the student’s documentation.
Student’s Right to Confidentiality
Confidentiality of disability and accommodation related
information is essential. All disability information a
student chooses to share with an instructor should be
used only for arranging accommodations.
Instructors and staff must maintain a policy of strict
confidentiality about the identity of the student with a
disability, the nature of the disability, and the disabilityrelated accommodations s/he requires.
To maintain confidentiality LSP staff cannot divulge if the
student is already receiving LSP services.
Student Confidentiality Cont’d
An instructor must not disclose or discuss
information about a student’s disability or
accommodations with other persons, unless the
student has authorized the disclosure by signing
a release.
It is not legal, for example to announce by name
that a student needs a notetaker or to discuss
the student’s disability in class or in the presence
of other students.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are all student with disabilities registered with LSP or
DSPS?
No, it is likely that some students with disabilities have
chosen not to be registered, or they may not have
completed the documentation and intake process to
establish eligibility.
Do I have the right to know the nature of a student’s
disability?
The information regarding a student’s disability should be
shared only when there is a compelling reason for
disclosure.
Do I have the right to give a student needing testing
accommodations another form of the class exam?
Yes. If the exam is not scheduled in the same time frame as the
class exam, then you can reformat the exam to protect the
integrity of the exam. However, the reformatted test would still
need to cover the same information as the class exam.
I have a policy of giving no makeup exams. Must I allow a
student with a disability to makeup an exam missed due to
their disability?
Yes. If a student misses an exam for disability related reasons,
they are legally entitled to a makeup exam.
What about ESL students? They often request additional
time to complete an in-class exam due to their
unfamiliarity with the English language.
You are not required to provide extended time for in-class
exams to ESL students unless they have a documented
disability which requires it.
Are faculty expected to accommodate disruptive
behavior?
All students, disabled or not, are expected to follow the
Student Code of Conduct. It is best to follow the standard
college procedure if a student is disruptive.
Sometimes it is automatically assumed that students with
behavioral issues have a disability. LSP often receives calls
asking that we intervene.
A Final Note
Sometimes students are not comfortable about approaching their instructor
to ask for accommodations. Faculty can help ease the students concerns
by incorporating the following statement into the syllabus:
“A student with a disability, who would like to request an academic
accommodation, is responsible for identifying herself/himself to the
instructor and to the Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS). To
make arrangements for academic accommodations, contact the DSPS
Office for the School of Continuing Education at Centennial Education
Center in D-101, or call (714) 241 – 5768.”
SAC School of Continuing Education
Learning Skills Program
Learning Disability Specialist, Professor:
Learning Disability Specialist, Instructor:
Program Specialist:
Mary Stephens
Kristina De La Cerda
Linda Morrow
Please Contact The LSP Office If You Have Any Questions Or Concerns
LSP Office (714) 241-5768 / 5769
Fax
(714) 434-7920