The Disability Services Office (DSO) coordinates accommodations to enable students with disabilities to participate fully in the educational experiences available at North Lake College. Students with physical, psychological, sensory or learning disabilities may be eligible for services and/or accommodations. The DSO provides academic advisement, registration assistance, and disability-related information and referrals.
Eligibility for Services
If you are a
North Lake College student with a diagnosed disability (physical, psychological,
learning, etc.), you might be eligible for services through the Disability
Services Office (DSO). In order to
receive accommodations, you must submit documentation of your disability. This documentation should be prepared by an
appropriate qualified professional and be current, within the last five years. After verification of your disability, DSO
specialists will certify your eligibility for services and determine which
accommodations are appropriate.
Documentation Requirements
Physical Impairments:
No
documentation is typically required by the DSO for physical disabilities that
are visible (e.g. students who are visually impaired or use a wheelchair).
However, if you request accommodations that do not seem to be warranted by that
particular disability, the office may request documentation from a physician substantiating
the need for those accommodations.For physical
disabilities that are not visible (e.g. student with back problems, chronic
pain, etc.), documentation is required from a physician. This documentation
should include the following:- Disability/medical
condition
- Symptoms
and functional limitations of the disability
- Recommendations
for accommodations
If the
documentation you provide is incomplete, inadequate, or outdated, DSO may
require additional documentation in order to determine your eligibility for
certain services.
Hearing Impairments:
If you are Deaf
or hard of hearing, you are required to provide one of the following:
- Audiological evaluation from a
licensed audiologist
- Documentation from an agency/professional that
will certify degree of hearing impairment
Psychological/ADD/ADHD/Learning Disabilities:
Special Education Individual Education Plans(IEPs) and/or ARDs paperwork might not be accepted as documentation for accommodations. Psychological/Learning Disabilities/ADD/ADHD documentation must be provided by one of the following types of diagnosing professionals:
- Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Social Worker, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Educational Diagnostician, or other licensed professional or medical doctor qualified to diagnose psychological disabilities.
Documentation should include all of the following information:
- Diagnosis based on DSM-IV-TR
- Current functional limitations and symptoms
- Recommendations for academic accommodations
Resources and Supplies
DSO
provides a variety of assistive technology for students with disabilities:
- Kurzweil Reader
- ZoomText
- Dragon Naturally Speaking
- Taped or E-Textbooks
- CCTV
- TTY
- FM System
- JAWS
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
DSO maintains the confidentiality of student information as required by applicable laws. If you have any questions or concerns regarding documentation requirements, ADA compliance, or any other disability related issues, please contact our office at 972-273-3165.