Students must submit documentation indicating that they have a disability to the COD. The documentation is typically a letter or report prepared by a professional licensed to diagnose or treat the condition for which the student is seeking service. This information is stored confidentially and privately with the COD.  Find details on How to Register with the COD on our website.

An Accommodation Notice is prepared by the COD and provides information to instructors about a student’s accommodations. Accommodations are required academic adjustments intended to reduce the impact of disability and to provide equitable access to instruction without altering the essential requirements of a program or course.

Students meet with a COD staff member who has reviewed their documentation to develop an accommodation plan that will facilitate equitable access to instruction. The COD issues Accommodation Notices for the semester, and students and the COD review the accommodation plan as needed. To ensure that each student receives our undivided attention, the COD sees students on an appointment only basis. Wait time for appointments varies upon the time of semester.

Please note that Accommodation Notices are sent to students via email from  . They are no longer sent as attachments but will be in the body of the email. We ask that students forward Accommodation Notices to instructors and request a meeting to discuss the accommodations. Students should send individual emails to each instructor and mention their class number and section for easy identification.

Yes, the COD stresses the importance of self-advocacy to students. Self-advocacy includes forwarding Accommodation Notices to instructors, discussing the impact of disability in the classroom, expressing needs as a student, determining how to navigate accommodations (extended time for testing, receipt of electronic instructional materials, etc.), and continuing conversations with instructors during the semester as needed. We ask that instructors acknowledge receipt of the Accommodation Notice by sending a brief email to the COD. Please bear in mind, your conversation with students may be the first time they have been required to discuss their disabilities independently. Instructors are often surprised to discover that students are nervous about these conversations, and vice versa.

In determining whether a requested accommodation is reasonable, the COD engages in a deliberative process that considers the following questions:

1. Has the student submitted documentation that establishes the existence of a disability?
2. Does the documentation establish a need for accommodations?
3. Is the requested accommodation related to the stated disability?
4. Is the requested accommodation supported by the documentation submitted by the student?
5. Would the requested accommodation substantially alter the fundamental nature, essential requirements, or established learning outcomes associated with the course, program, or activity?

In conducting the deliberative process while responding to accommodation requests, the COD may need to consult with the professionals providing documentation for the student, and/or faculty who are familiar with course outcomes and requirements.  If the requested accommodation is deemed unreasonable, then the COD will work with the student and faculty to determine whether alternative reasonable accommodations exist that would afford the student equitable opportunities to achieve established learning outcomes.

Students are urged to forward their Accommodation Notices as soon as possible to their instructors. They are advised to meet with faculty during office hours to foster meaningful discussion about their accommodations. Although we encourage instructors to announce disability services and remind students that supports are available while reviewing the syllabus, it is important to be sensitive and maintain privacy of an individual student’s need for accommodations.

Yes, students can request accommodations at any point during the semester. Once notified, an instructor is obligated to provide accommodations from that point forward. There are no mandates to accommodate a student retroactively.

No, the COD should be consulted before any changes in accommodations are suggested to students. Students and instructors discuss and determine the logistics and manner in which accommodations are accomplished. It is important that both parties agree. If an instructor feels an accommodation changes essential features of the class, the instructor should contact the COD immediately rather than denying a student’s right to the accommodation. Likewise, if a student is concerned about the way an accommodation is being implemented, please refer the student to the COD immediately.

Yes, we offer the following suggested syllabus statement:

Students who believe they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact their instructors privately to discuss their accommodation notice and specific needs as soon as possible (preferably within the first week of class, if not before class begins). If you need to request accommodations, but do not have an accommodation notice, please contact the Center on Disability, room BG-39, phone number 215-751-8050.

Yes. The emailed acknowledgment serves as a record that the instructor has engaged in conversation with the student about the Accommodation Notice and both parties’ rights and responsibilities regarding the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

Instructors administer their exams and quizzes differently, and it is important that we understand your expectations for test administration of in-person assessments. To do so, we need information from instructors that outlines the parameters of their tests. We also want to uphold the integrity of the testing process, which means that this information must be provided in writing by the instructor.

For planning purposes, we need faculty to return completed Test Administration Forms to the COD at least three days before the test or quiz. Please know that the COD will not administer a test without this written information from the instructor.

Instructors can e-mail the fillable Test Administration Form to our adatest@ccp.edu account.

The COD is an appointment-based office. The COD staff members are reached best by phone or email rather than walk-ins.

Selecting an appropriate classmate to perform as a peer note taker is difficult for many students. With that in mind, we encourage students to ask instructors for suggestions of appropriate students to ask. Please do your best to guide a student through this process. You might find it helpful to speak with your colleagues about how they handle peer note takers. Some instructors have found that posting their own notes, lecture materials, etc. on Canvas benefits all students in the class and provides an inclusive learning environment for students with a disability.

The COD encourages Deaf students to reach out to instructors before the semester begins so instructors have time to consider the accessibility of their course and ask questions if necessary. At times, the COD may reach out directly to the instructor once we are aware the student is registered and the instructor is posted. The accessibility of the course is important whether the course is online or in-person. For example, if showing a video/movie as part of the course, it is necessary to make sure that the video/movie is captioned. Selecting captioned media when developing the course syllabus can be beneficial to all students, especially ELL students, students who are visual learners, students with declining hearing, and students who struggle with reading and literacy.

Sign language interpreters have a single, but very significant role in the classroom:  to facilitate communication access between Deaf students and their hearing instructors and classmates.  To accomplish this, the sign language interpreter and instructor must be visible to the student. This typically requires the sign language interpreter to stand in the front of the room so that the student can see the instructor, the interpreter, and any visual aids simultaneously.

Please inform the student that the COD is the office responsible for assisting students in establishing their eligibility for disability-related services. Our website contains information about the process for registering with the COD and the common types of accommodations students seek. Please ask the student to consult myccp.online/cod, or stop by BG-39 for more information. Additionally, you should e-mail us at cod@ccp.edu with the student’s name and student ID number to notify us that you have made a referral.

Students using service animals or training service animals are NOT required to submit documentation to the College or register with the COD.  Service animals and those in training may accompany their handler in any area open to the public or to students with few exceptions.  Students with service dogs or service dogs in training are responsible for following the College’s Service Animal policy.  We encourage the College community to consult this policy and contact the COD or the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion with any questions.

Please call the Center on Disability at 215-751-8050, e-mail us at cod@ccp.edu, or stop by BG-39. We are here to assist faculty, staff and students in resolving concerns about access to CCP’s programs and services.