Intake Appointment

Students with disabilities should contact the DSS office to set up an initial appointment, or intake.  At the intake the student and the DSS Coordinator will discuss the nature of the student's disability; the barriers that are impacting the student's ability to successfully participate in or complete a program or activity; and possible solutions, such as reasonable accommodations.

Definition of Disability

The DSS office uses the definition of disability as outlined in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the ADA of 1990, and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. Students should be able to discuss what the nature of the disability is, how the disability limits one or more activities of daily living, and how this impact has been addressed previously.  If the disability is new or the student has not had disability-related educational services in the past, the student and the DSS Coordinator will review areas of concern and identify potential resources.  

Documentation

Students who request accommodations through the DSS office should provide documentation that describes their disability and its likely impact on educational experiences.  Documentation varies depending on the nature of the disability, but generally includes information about what the disability is, how it was diagnosed, who made the diagnosis and when, and the history of how the disability has impacted the student's educational experience.  If no disability exists, or no documentation is available, students are encouraged to meet with the DSS Coordinator to discuss what documentation is necessary and options for obtaining it.

Students should be aware that other colleges and universities may have different documentation guidelines and that testing agencies (such as the Regional office of Education and state testing boards) may require different or additional documentation.  

The Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) has provided professional guidance regarding disability documentation in higher education.  Rock Valley College uses AHEAD's professional guidance as a framework when using documentation to establish disability and support accommodation requests.  You may review AHEAD's document entitled Supporting Accommodation Requests: Guidance on Documentation Practices at http://www.ahead.org/resources/documentation_guidance/