The student who requires an accommodation in your class will present to you an IVC Accommodations Form listing the accommodation(s) they are eligible for. These accommodation(s) have been requested by a student and approved by a DSPS counselor. Be sure that your student is presenting to you a form that has the current academic year on top. If your student does not present a current form, please send them to DSPS to receive an updated form.
If a student requests an accommodation, but states that they do not want to apply for DSPS services, you are still required to provide the requested accommodation(s). The student must present appropriate documentation stating a disability, signed by an appropriate professional to the ADA/504 Officer. Please contact the Office of the Vice President, ADA/504 Officer, to assist you with verifying the documentation and the appropriate accommodation(s) the student is eligible to receive.
If the student presents an IVC Accommodations Form prepared by DSPS, you can be assured that student has provided the college with proof of a disability under the legal definition of the word. The specific accommodation requested on the form will be one which has legitimacy in relation to the verified disability.
If you notice a student struggling in your class who could benefit from DSPS, it may be appropriate for you to make a referral. Address your concerns with the student directly and in private. Mention that you have noticed the student has been having difficulty in an academic area, despite their effort and encourage the student to seek out support services on campus such as DSPS. Our office can then assist your student by determining program eligibility, referring them for an assessment and/or providing support services. Listing some of our services to your student such as, providing extra time on exams, note taking services and priority registration may sound helpful to them. It is a best practice to walk the student to DSPS office in SSC 171 when possible.
The most successful way to ensure academic access is to discuss the student's needs with the student. No two students with disabilities are alike. Only a personal conference with the student in which you discuss both the course demands and the student's accommodation needs is likely to provide both parties with a satisfactory outcome.
Definitely not. If the existence of the disability has been verified, the approved accommodation will provide an equal educational opportunity to the student. To compromise standards or "water down" the requirements would not assist the student to acquire a competitive degree. The student with a disability should fulfill all the essential course-related requirements; however, altering the font, substituting an equivalent requirement, or modifying the teaching method provides the student a more equitable opportunity to succeed.
The Office of Disability Support Programs for Students (DSPS) is located in SSC 171, and can provide information and assistance with the concerns you may have about accommodating students. Do not hesitate to contact us with any of your questions or concerns at: 949-451-5630 (voice), 949-333-0595 (video phone), or at ivcdsps@ivc.edu. We are here to assist you!