Student Accommodations

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The Office of Student Accommodations assists students with documented disabilities gain access to College programs, services, and activities our goal is to identify needs and implement services in accordance with the guidelines established by the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Students who wish to request accommodations should contact the Office of Student Accommodations [OSA] on the Downtown or Parham Road Campus to schedule an appointment. Service for the Western Campus is coordinated through the Parham Road Office.

Our services include
• Registration assistance
• Referral Information
• Placement Testing Accommodations
• Academic Accommodations

Contact Information:
J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Office of Student Accommodations
P.O. Box 85622
Richmond , VA 23285-5622
email: OSA@reynolds.edu

Downtown Campus – 804-523-5628
FAX- 804-523-5257
Parham Road & Western Campus – 804-523-5289
FAX- 804-371-3527

Hours of Operation
Monday – Thursday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. (EST)
Friday – 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

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Request Services [Back to top]

>>Need to request services?

>>Read our College Policy which will provide our students with the framework for requesting service.

New students should contact the OSA three weeks prior to the start of their first semester to begin the accommodation process and insure a timely delivery of the service they are requesting for that academic semester. Accommodations require planning and preparation; students need to become familiar with the process and the expectations the college academic setting will be making of them. College expectations will be different from the high school’s expectations.

Returning Students, who received accommodations in a previous semester, must submit a copy of their schedule for the upcoming semester in advance of that semester. Accommodations are provided each semester only at the written request of the student prior to the start of that semester. (A students’ submission of their schedule in person is considered a written request for a returning student)

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What are Accommodations?  [Back to top]

Accommodations are services such as: note taking, extended time, technology, specialized equipment, and academic counseling, tailored to your special needs.

If you have a documented Learning, Physical, or Psychological Disability,
you may be eligible for accommodations and should contact the Office of Student Accommodations on any of our three campuses.

It is your responsibility to schedule an appointment with the OSA if you will require accommodations at the college, wish to inquire about services, or drop off documentation.

Your appointment is used to gather information, discuss accommodations, and set up a plan for accommodating your special needs. During this appointment you will need to submit your documentation, if you need assistance requesting copies of your documentation from outside agencies, our office can assist in this process. Once your documentation has been processed and your class schedule determined, an Accommodation Notification Form (ANF) will be completed by the Disability Specialist.

It is your responsibility to take the completed ANFs to each instructor and to discuss your request for accommodations. You are not required to disclose detailed information regarding your disability unless you choose to do so. You are encouraged to be your own advocate.

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Documentation Guidelines [Back to top]

The Office of Student Accommodations (OSA) is part of Division of Student Affairs on all three campuses of JSRCC. Our services are available for academic and non-academic activities of the college. While we are happy to assist you in achieving your academic goals, the college also wants to encourage students to become strong self-advocates. To be eligible for services through the OSA a student will be required to provide documentation of their disability before receiving services.

Documentation must include:
• Information that is RECENT and based on adult norms when appropriate
• Testing that has been performed by a licensed professional
• LD diagnoses–with accurate documentation on how it impacts learning
• Medical diagnoses - with accurate documentation on how it impacts learning. This should include diagnostic test results with summary
Recommendations for accommodations to assist in providing service.
• Psychological Educational Testing
Recommendations for accommodations to assist in providing service.
• DRS Vocational Evaluations
Recommendations for accommodations to assist in providing service.
• An IEP* or 504*
*an IEP or 504 by itself is not sufficient documentation

See documentation requirements for:
>>Psychological disability
>>Specific learning disability
>>Medical disability
>>Attention deficit disorder

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Guidelines for Documentation of Psychological Disability [Back to top] J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College students seeking academic accommodations for psychological disability are required to submit documentation verifying eligibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. All documentation is confidential and is never considered a part of the academic transcript. The following guidelines are provided in the interest of identifying reports appropriate for the provision of reasonable accommodations.

• Documentation must be based on DSM-IV criteria and show clear and specific evidence of a disability, which would substantially limit access to learning.
• Documentation must have been completed within the last three years.
• Medications should be stated if their use or adjustment may have any impact on access to learning. adjustments in medication may substantially affect learning and attendance.
• Professionals conducting and rendering diagnosis of a psychological disability must be qualified to do so. Licensed psychologists, licensed neuropsychologists, licensed clinical social workers, licensed counselors and/or licensed physicians are typically involved in clinical assessment.
• Diagnostic reports must contain the names, titles, and license information of the evaluator(s), and the dates of evaluation(s).
• Reports must be submitted on professional letterhead. Prescription pads and copies of letterhead are not acceptable.
• Documentation must contain recommendations for reasonable accommodations suitable to a postsecondary academic setting. Specific suggestions to best assist the identified student are also very helpful.

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Guidelines for Documentation of Specific Learning Disability [Back to top]

J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College students seeking academic accommodations for Specific Learning Disability are required to submit documentation verifying eligibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. All documentation is confidential and is not considered a part of the academic transcript. The following guidelines are provided in the interest of identifying evaluation reports appropriate to document eligibility.

Testing must be comprehensive and contain at least the following domains:

Aptitude: Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Revised [WAIS-R] or Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery - Revised: Standard Cognitive Battery are preferred.

Achievement: Current levels of achievement in reading, mathematics and written language are required. Preferred instruments are the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational
Battery - Revised: Tests of Achievement; the Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults; the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test; or a compendium of instruments including the Test of Written Language - 2 [TOWL-2], Woodcock Reading Mastery Test - Revised, and Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test. The Wide Range Achievement Test - R2&3 should be supplemented. An evaluation of the student's current record of academic achievement and standardized testing may be applicable.

Information Processing: Specific areas of information processing such as short and long term memory, sequential memory, processing speed, auditory and visual perception must be assessed. Subtests from the WAIS-R or Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery: Standard and Supplemental Cognitive Subtests are acceptable.

Testing must be current, which typically means within the last three years for older
adolescents and young adults. Comprehensive documentation for an evaluation completed after high school graduation or the eighteenth birthday which is not more than ten years old is considered acceptable for immediate reasonable accommodation. Disabilities Services is responsible to advise students that other institutions may require more stringent and timely documentation. Assessment constitutes the basis for determining reasonable accommodations, so it is in the best interest of the student to provide recent and comprehensive documentation. Clear and specific evidence and identification of a learning disability must be stated on the basis of the following attributes:

1. Average to above average or superior intellectual ability. To best serve the adult community college population, definition of average shall be one standard deviation below and above the mean. For most assessment instruments this range is between the standard scores of 85 and 115.
2. Statistically significant intra-cognitive processing deficits, or
3. Statistically significant aptitude achievement discrepancy[ies].
4. Measured achievement in an instructional or employment setting: and
5. Statement of appropriate adaptive behaviors.

• Statements such as individual "learning styles" and "learning differences" in and of themselves do not constitute a learning disability.
• Professionals conducting and rendering diagnoses of specific learning disability must be qualified to do so. Trained and licensed psychologist, neuropsychologists, learning disabilities specialists, and educational therapists are typically involved in assessment. Experience in working with an adult population is essential.
• Evaluators should be able to demonstrate that the selection of assessment instruments is based upon suitability, as to reliability and validity, for use with an adult population.
• Reports must include the names and titles of evaluators; names of all tests administered; test scores and related data in standard score format, including subtest scores; and date of evaluation.
• Reports must contain recommendations for reasonable accommodations suitable to a postsecondary academic setting.
• Presentation of proof of accommodation from another postsecondary institution accompanied by documentation is acceptable for immediate accommodation at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College

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Guidelines for Documentation of Medical Disability [Back to top]

J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College students seeking academic accommodations for medical disability are required to submit documentation verifying eligibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. All documentation is confidential and is not considered a part of the academic transcript. The following guidelines are provided in the interest of identifying documentation appropriate to provide reasonable accommodations for a physical, medical, or perceptual disability.

• Documentation must be from a licensed physician and show clear and specific evidence of a disability, which would substantially limit access to learning.
• Documentation must have been completed within the last three years.
• Medications should be stated if their use or adjustment may have any impact on access to learning.
• Letters or other documents must be on letterhead and contain the names, titles, and license information of the physician, and the dates of assessment. Prescription pads and copies of letterhead are not acceptable.
• Documentation must contain recommendations for reasonable accommodations suitable to a postsecondary academic setting. Specific suggestions to best assist the identified student are also very helpful.

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Guidelines For Documentation Of Attention Deficit Disorder [Back to top]

J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College students seeking academic accommodations for Attention Deficit Disorder are required to submit documentation verifying eligibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. All documentation is confidential and is never considered a part of the academic transcript. The following guidelines are provided in the interest of identifying evaluation reports appropriate to document eligibility.• Documentation must be based on DSM-IV criteria for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
• The process of diagnosis should be reported using test scores and/or appropriate data.
• Data related to or used to rule out concomitant conditions should be included.
• Medication recommendations, if any, should be stated.
• Professionals conducting and rendering diagnoses of attention deficit disorder must be qualified to do so. Licensed psychologists, licensed neuropsychologists, licensed clinical social workers, licensed counselors, and/or licensed physicians are typically involved in assessment. Experience in working with an adult population is essential.
• Diagnostic reports must contain the names, titles, and license information of the evaluator(s), and the dates of evaluation(s).
• Reports must be submitted on professional letterhead. Prescription pads and copies of letterhead are not acceptable.
• Reports should contain recommendations for reasonable accommodations suitable to a postsecondary academic setting.
• Students submitting documentation for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder from a physician or psychologist in which there has been no comprehensive evaluation will be limited to accommodations for tape recording, extra time for tests, and priority seating.

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High School to College Transition [Back to top]

HIGH SCHOOL	COLLEGE
Special Education teacher acts as liaison and buffer between the student and other teachers, administrators and sometimes parents	Student is responsible for his / her own self advocacy
Instruction is more experimental	Instruction is more often provided via lecture
Fewer social distractions	More social distractions
Most classes meet everyday	Classes meet less often
Tasks are more structured, step by step instructions given	Tasks are less structured and students are held responsible for developing a method to complete tasks
Grades can be based on a variety of activities	Grades could be based on fewer tasks or larger projects
Attendance is well monitored as well as progress	Attendance and progress may not be monitored.  Time management skills and organizational skills are critical
Instructors more readily prepare students for exams	Exam questions may be more difficult to predict
Exams tend to be objective	Exams tend to require more writing
Help is readily available, students do not need to seek it out	Students must independently seek help using effective communication skills
Lesser work load and slower place, less stress	Increased work load and faster pace, more stress
Fewer responsibilities	More independent living skills (car, insurance, gas)
Career decisions are not expected	Students are expected to know what they want to do with their lives
Students are assisted with decisions or decisions are made for them	Increased number of decisions, students are expected to be able to make independent decisions
Evaluations are done by other people and student relies on external motivators	More self-evaluations and motivations must be internalized

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Helpful Links  [Back to top]
The Links provided below are resources that students may find useful in their transition to the college setting.

OCR – Blue Book “What Are Student Responsibilities”–Informative booklet available from the Office of Civil Rights.

The Department of Rehabilitative Services–State agency providing assistance to eligible students who need assistance acquiring skills to be gainfully employed.

Virginia Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired–State agency providing support services to students who are visually impaired.

Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing–State agency to provide support services to students who have hearing impairments.

Richmond Behavioral Health Association –Mental Health support services for adults in the City of Richmond.

Henrico Area Mental Health–Mental Health support services for adults in the County of Henrico

Hanover Community Service Board–Mental Health support services for adults in Hanover County

College Quest – web site providing information and resources to college students.

AHEAD in Virginia Scholarship – The Association on Higher Education and Disability, the Virginia Chapter

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Voter Registration [Back to top]

The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA), a federal law, requires that university and community college offices serving persons with disabilities offer those persons the opportunity to register to vote or to update a voter registration record at the time the applicant applies for services or assistance, applies for renewal of such services or assistance, and/or applies for a change of address. The OSA will provide persons with disabilities a preference form and if persons indicate they want to apply to vote the OSA will provide a voter registration application form. Applying or declining to register to vote does not in any way affect the amount of assistance persons will receive from the OSA. For persons with disabilities who choose not contact the OSA in-person the following links provide alternative opportunities to register to vote.

>>Get general information on Voter registration in Virginia here
>>Register to vote here

The College recognizes that compliance with the act requires the awareness of all employees and the commitment of institutional resources. Therefore, the administration will continuously evaluate compliance with the ADA and take appropriate steps to rectify institutional deficiencies.

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Frequently Asked Questions [Back to top]

1. Who is eligible to receive services from the Office of Student Accommodations (OSA)?
Anyone attending classes at J Sargeant Reynolds Community College (JSRCC) that has a documented disability is eligible to receive services. A disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity, such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working.

In order to determine if you are eligible, please contact the Office of Student Accommodations (OSA) to set up a meeting and to discuss your disability needs. You will be required to provide documentation of your disability to the OSA Counselor or Specialist.

2. I think that I may have a learning disability. What should I do?
The college does not provide diagnostic services for students. You can contact the OSA
to receive a list of service providers in your local area.

3. I have a physical disability and do not need any accommodations. Do I have to meet with the OSA?
No, however, it is recommended that in case of an emergency, you understand the college’s Emergency Evacuation Plans. For assistance you should contact the JSRCC’s Office of Security.

4. What is JSRCC’s policy on attendance for students with disabilities?
The OSA does not determine course attendance policies at JSRCC. Students are required to adhere to policies established by faculty that are outlined on the course syllabus.

5. Who will be informed about my disability?
Disability documentation is considered confidential information and does not become part of a student’s academic transcript. All disability information is housed in the OSA. Disability documentation shall be released only in accordance with the law, and JSRCC policies and procedures. Faculty and staff have no authority to see disability documentation or have any information concerning a student’s disability without a legitimate educational need to know.

6. When should I disclose that I have a disability?
Although you can disclose your disability at any time, it is highly recommended that you do so as soon as possible in order to receive appropriate accommodations and services. This will provide you with an equal opportunity to participate in all programs, services, and activities offered at JSRCC.

7. As a student with a disability, why would I benefit from academic accommodations?
Accommodations are provided for students as a means of leveling the playing field, and allowing equal access in the academic environment. Accommodations are used to assist a student with a disability in receiving accommodations related to their specific need, but do not guarantee success.

8. What is the process for receiving academic accommodation?
Once you have completed the intake process with the OSA, you will be given an Accommodation Notification Form (ANF) that will be turned into each instructor at the start of the semester you are requesting services. With the support of the OSA, students receiving accommodations are responsible to discuss with their instructors and tutors as needed to implement their accommodations.

If you are graduating from high school this year and will need accommodations, be sure
that any testing related to your disability has been revised to meet JSRCC guidelines.
Please refer to frequently asked question number 8. Then call the OSA office to schedule
an appointment.

9. What type of documentation do I need to provide to the OSA in order to receive accommodations?
Details for the list below are available on request in the OSA.
• General guidelines
• Specific Learning Disability
• Medical Disability
• Psychological Disability
• Attention Deficit Disorder

10. What electronic resources are available for a student with a disability?
Electronic Resources and Locations of these resources may be obtained in the OSA on each campus.

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Meet our Staff [Back to top]

Debby Wilkerson
Counselor for the Office of Student Accommodations
804.523.5972
dwilkerson@reynolds.edu

Susan Roach
Student Specialist OSA
Parham Road Campus 804.523.5289
sroach@reynolds.edu Student Service Specialist

Altrice Smith
Student Specialist OSA
Downtown Campus 804.523.5627
Alsmith@reynolds.edu