Accommodations

It is important to keep in mind that while an accommodation may be recommended in documentation, there is no guarantee it will be provided. Reasonable accommodations are not retroactive, so we encourage disclosure with your instructors at the beginning of the semester rather than waiting until the end.

Determinations of reasonable accommodations are made in the Office of Disability Services taking into consideration each individual student’s level of functioning, the disability documentation, and the pedagogy. Oftentimes, collaborative efforts are made with the instructors, chairpersons, and deans in determining academic adjustments and/or accommodations.

Reasonable accommodations can include:

• modification of exam procedures such as extended time for exams, distraction-reduced space for exam administration, the use of a computer with spell check/grammar check during exam
• permission for calculator usage 
• the provision of sign language interpreters
• on-campus housing accommodations
• and more

It is important for each student to know what accommodations worked for them in previous years (high school or in another college), and to be able to articulate this to the staff of FIT-ABLE. If students were exempt from courses during elementary or high school, colleges need to know and understand why the student was exempt beyond, “student will never master”.

In postsecondary education, waivers and exemptions are not typically provided (foreign languages and math courses are good examples) because if a course is an essential requirement of a major, then the student with or without accommodations may need to successfully complete these courses. Reasonable accommodations do not include fundamental changes to the curriculum.

Tutoring is a free service for all students at the college. Students with learning disabilities, may be eligible for additional tutoring.