Disability Services

Hagerstown Community College provides reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and its amendments. Although the College does not have a special education program for students with disabilities, the Disability Services Office coordinates the provision of reasonable accommodations which are determined on an individual basis.

These accommodations allow students to be evaluated not on the effects of their disability, but instead on their knowledge and understanding of course material. In no case, however, will the College modify essential requirements for any course or degree program for students with disabilities.

All accommodations are based upon documentation that must be provided by a licensed or certified professional. It is the student’s responsibility to identify him/herself to the coordinator of disability services at 240-500-2273 (TTY 301-739-5813), at least two weeks prior to the start of classes to allow time for necessary arrangements.

Common accommodations include:

• Testing in a quiet, distraction-free area
• Extended testing time
• Test read to the student
• Note takers
• Use of a tape recorder
• Special seating, usually in the front of the room
• Written copies of orally presented materials
• Lecture outlines
• Use of a calculator
• Use of a word processor for assignments
• Use of interpreters

How do I obtain accommodations?

1. Contact Jaime Bachtell, Academic and Special Student Advisor at 240-500-2273 to make an appointment.
2. If you have current documentation, you will need to bring it to your appointment.
3. At your appointment, you will complete an intake and all initial paperwork. If you do not have current documentation, the Academic and Special Student Advisor will explain how you can obtain documentation.
4. Stop by the Disability Office during the first week of your classes to pick up your accommodation forms.
5. Students must take their accommodation forms to each of their professors, discuss the necessary accommodations, and have their professors sign the form.
6. Students must sign the form and return it to the Disability Office.

What constitutes appropriate documentation?

Students must provide documentation to the Disability Office from a certified professional. The documentation must be recent and generally be no more than 3 years old. This documentation must include a formal evaluation, diagnosis of a disability, and provide recommendations concerning academic accommodations. If students suspect that they have a disability and do not have appropriate documentation, please see the referral list [1] or contact the Academic and Special Student Advisor.

Documentation Guidelines

Generally documentation should be recent and include a formal evaluation, diagnosis of a disability, and provide recommendations concerning academic accommodations

• Documentation should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, examining the impact of the disability on the student and within the specific context of the request for accommodations;
• Determination of a disability should not require the use of any specific language;
• Documentation may be augmented by interview with the student and contact with the evaluator for needed clarification;
• Determination of accommodations is an interactive process and should not be dictated by any one party;
• Documentation of a specific disability does not translate directly into a specific accommodation or set of accommodations Disability documentation will be treated in a confidential manner.

If students suspect that they have a disability and do not have appropriate documentation, please see the referral list [1] or contact the Disability Support Services (DSS) Office.