Home » Accessibility Services
Supporting Student Success
Accessibility Services
The Accessibility Services office assists students with providing reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and its amendments.
All accommodations at GCCD are based upon appropriate documentation, the initial paperwork, the initial meeting, the student’s needs, and recommendations from a qualified health care provider. The process is a unique one and one student’s accommodations may be very different from those of another student.
Please allow plenty of time for the accommodation process. Although some accommodations may take less than a week to set up, others may take as long as three to six weeks.
Sample Accommodations
- Extended Test Time on tests/quizzes
- Breaks as needed
- Distraction-reduced Testing Environment
- Audio/digital Books
- Priority/Special Seating Arrangements
- Voice Recorders to record lectures
- Sign Language Interpreter
- Smart Pens
- Notes ahead of time (if available)
Housing Accommodations
- Emotional Support Animals
- Single Rooms
This is not a complete list
Steps to Request Accommodations
Step 1: Self-Identification
Students need to let our office know of a disability that may require accommodations and/or classroom modifications. To start the process: make an appointment to meet with Accessibility Services staff and complete the Accessibility Services Initial Intake Form.
Step 2: Provide Appropriate Documentation
Appropriate documentation must come from a qualified health care provider. This documentation should include a formal diagnosis that identifies specific functional limitations created by the diagnosed disability. It may also include recommendations for academic accommodations. Documentation should be current within three years; however there are a few exceptions to this.
Steps 3 and 4: Eligibility and Accommodations
Documentation will be reviewed (along with information received in the initial appointment) to help determine disability eligibility. Students should bring appropriate documentation to the initial appointment. Once eligibility is determined, we will sit down together and explore personal academic challenges and reasonable accommodations that can help equalize learning opportunities.