Student Disability Services - FAQ
Who can I contact for accommodations at South Texas College?
Each campus has a Counseling and Disability Student Services office contact person and you can contact them at the following phone numbers.
- Pecan Campus: 956-872-2173
- Mid-Valley Campus: 956-872-1229
- Starr County Campus: 956-488-5853
- Nursing and Allied Health Campus: 956-872-3077
- Technology Campus: 956-872-6125
Who is a qualified student with a disability?
South Texas College uses the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a guide to define disability. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, a person with a disability is one who:
- has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits a major life activity;
- has a record or history of such an impairment; or
- is regarded as having such an impairment by an appropriate expert.
Major life activities include, but are not limited to, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, caring for oneself, and performing manual tasks.
These impairments may be present among people with learning disabilities, emotional disturbances, chronic health impairments, attention deficit disorder, diabetes, asthma, physical disabilities, vision, speech, or hearing impairments, or other conditions.
What accommodations (services) are available?
The Student Disability Services provides a wide variety of accommodations for students. A list can be obtained by contacting any of the campus offices listed above. The following is an example of some of the accommodations but it is not limited to this list.
- Adjustable Chair, Desk, Table
- Alternative Test Format
- Assistive Listening Devices
- Assistive Technology: JAWS, Kurzweil, Omnipage Pro, Read and Write Gold, Zoom Text
- Audio Books
- Braille Printer
- Calculator
- CCTV Video Magnifier
- Digital Recorder
- Distraction-Reduced Testing Environment
- Extended Time for Test
- Large Print
- Lecture Notes
- Magnifier
- NCR Paper
- Note taker, Reader, Scribe
- Open and Closed Captioning
- Preferential Seating
- Sign Language Interpreter
Accommodations will be provided by the counselor depending on the needs and request of each individual student.
What is a reasonable accommodation?
A reasonable accommodation is a modification or adjustment to a course, program, service, job, activity, or facility that enables a qualified individual with a disability to have an equal opportunity to attain the same level of performance or to enjoy equal benefits and privileges as are available to an individual without a disability. Some common academic accommodations include but not limited to extended time on tests, use of peer note takers, use of computer with spell-check, and provision of sign language interpreters.
What documentation is needed before receiving accommodations?
A student is required to provide Student Disability Services with the necessary documentation from an appropriate expert that the disability exists before any classroom accommodation will be provided. This documentation must be current (within the last 3 years). In Salvador v. Bell, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) ruled that the institution was under no obligation to provide accommodation for a student with a disability who fails to provide documentation of the disability (Jarrow, 1991).
The determination of whether an individual has a disability under ADA is not based upon the name or diagnosis of the impairment, but rather upon the impact of that impairment on the life of the individual.
How does a student request accommodation services?
After completing the admissions process students may come in to see a counselor at the campus the student will attend. Students are required to submit medical or supportive documentation of their disability when they come in. Accommodations and procedures for notifying the instructors are discussed with the student.
What is the cost for these services?
There is no additional cost to the student for these services.
How are Academic Accommodations Arranged?
The Student Disability Services has a system for students who anticipate needing any type of accommodations. Students should meet with their instructor(s) in person the first day of class to discuss their need for disability accommodation. To help facilitate this dialogue, Student Disability Services provides students with accommodation memos that identify their academic accommodations and services each term. During the meeting, the student and the instructor should talk about the student's accommodation needs, establish how specified accommodations will be arranged throughout the semester, and explore any questions or concerns that either the student or the instructor have regarding the accommodation plan. Each semester, accommodations will become active as soon as students return the accommodation memo signed by each of their instructors to the Student Disability Services.
How often must a student request services?
Student Disability Services are provided based upon disability requests of the student. Since different classes may require different accommodations it is important to look at a student's needs on a semester by semester basis. Services, therefore, must be requested at least once at the beginning of each semester or at the time a need is identified within a semester. Every semester students must pick up their accommodation memo at the Student Disability Services.
Is special parking available?
Yes, special parking for students with disabilities is provided at each campus. You must have a South Texas College disability parking sticker on your vehicle in order to use these parking spaces. Proof of disability is required for you to obtain a disability parking sticker. For more information contact the South Texas College Department of Public Safety at 956-872-4444.
Does South Texas College provide Attendant Care Services?
No, South Texas College does not provide or arrange for personal attendant care but, South Texas College will provide the student with a list of agencies that provide this service.
