Disability Support Services
Cynthia Branch (cbranch@luna.edu)
Location: Student Services Building Room 114
Telephone: (505) 454-5303

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ADMISSION

All students admitted to Luna Community College must meet the required academic standards for admission. A prospective student with disabilities is not required to disclose his/her disability nor may any staff/faculty inquire about the disability.

DOCUMENTATION OF DISABILITY

Declaring self to the Disability Support Services Office (DSS) is on a voluntary basis. Services are only available after a student has declared him/herself and presented current documentation of the disability from a medical health professional and/or professional agency. Once the documentation is received and accepted as complete, the student will be eligible to receive academic accommodations. All information is kept confidential.

This documentation must show the history of the disability and how it limits the student. LCC requires documentation prepared by an appropriate licensed professional that clearly diagnoses a disability and/or provides records showing history of the disability. Medical doctors psychiatrist, psychologist and school psychologist are among the professionals who routinely evaluate, diagnose, and treat disabilities.

STUDENT RESPONSIBLITIES

• Identify self to the Disability Support Services Office (DSS)
• Provide documentation
• Meet with DSS two weeks prior to each semester
• Meet with Instructors
• Attend class
• Maintain academic and instructional standards
• Don't rely on others to do it for you. Students with a disability should process their own registration, follow through and do all paper work required. It is important to keep the DSS Office informed of all changes.

*Students with disabilities are encouraged to be self-advocate.

SERVICES PROVIDED

• Maintains confidential student records regarding disabilities.
• Receives and evaluates documentation provided by the student verifying disability.
• Consults with student about appropriate individual academic accommodations based on documentation.
• Arranges academic accommodations for students.
• Serves as an advocate for students.
• Arranges for assistive technology
• Provides and conducts disability information and training to staff/faculty.

ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS

Academic Accommodations may include but are not limited to the following:

• Extended time
• Note taking
• Taped texts (if available)
• Use of tape recorder
• Uninterrupted test environment
• Calculator
• Large print for exams
• Oral exams
• Preferential seating
• Reasonable/excused absences
• Other accommodations as deemed appropriate

The ACCESS Center Disability Support Services Office will determine appropriate and reasonable academic accommodations.

ACCOMMODATIONS NOT MADE

ADA does not require colleges to provide personal assistants or personal assistive technology. Accommodations are not made which would decrease academic standards of program.

FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide atmosphere conducive to learning.
• Provide a disability statement in Syllabus.
• Inform DSS office of any student who has declared self as having disability.

*LCC is committed to complying with the American with Disabilities ACT (ADA), which prohibits discrimination based on disability by private employers, state and local governments, mass transit agencies and public accommodations. The ADA applies to qualified individuals with disabilities. To have a covered disability under the ADA, a person must have a condition that substantially limits a major life activity, a history of such a condition, or be regarded as having such a condition.

ADA-1-800-514-0301