Student Support Services (Library Room 7)

If you are a student with disabilities, you are entitled to appropriate accommodations based on your individual needs and disability documentation. The Student Support Services Program coordinates accommodations and support services for students with disabilities. Interpreters, notetakers, testing accommodations, class accessibility and scheduling, adaptive educational equipment, books on tape, and other appropriate accommodations for educational access are arranged based on your disability documentation.

Disability Documentation

In order to receive appropriate and effective services and accommodations, students registering with the Student Support Services office must provide disability documentation from his/her care provider. From this documentation, the SSS office can determine your entitlement to services and accommodations. Once this determination is made, your accommodations will be available upon request from the SSS office.

Your care provider should provide documentation that includes as many of the following criteria as possible:

Detailed Guidelines

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Students requesting accommodations on the basis of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) must provide documentation by a professional who has undergone comprehensive training and has relevant experience in differential diagnosis and the full range of psychiatric disorders (e.g., licensed clinical psychologist, neuropsychologist, psychiatrist and other relevantly trained medical doctors).
The documentation must include:
  • Evidence of early impairment. The condition must have been exhibited in childhood in more than one setting.
  • Evidence of current impairment. A history of individual's presenting attentional symptoms and evidence of current impulsive/hyperactive or inattentive behaviors that significantly impair functioning in two or more settings must be provided.
  • A diagnostic interview. The interview must contain self-report and third-party information pertaining to: developmental history, family history of ADHD or other learning or psychological difficulties, relevant medical and medication history, a thorough academic history, a review of prior psychoeducational test reports to determine whether a pattern of strengths or weaknesses is supportive of attention or learning problems.
  • Evidence of alternative diagnoses or explanations being ruled out. The documentation must investigate and discuss the possibility of dual diagnoses and alternative or coexisting mood, behavioral, neurological and/or personality disorders that may confound the ADHD diagnosis.
  • Neuropsychological or psychoeducational assessments needed to determine the current impact of the disorder on the individual's ability to function in an academic setting. Such data should include subtest and standard scores.
  • A specific psychological diagnosis as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual - IV (DSM-IV). Symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity which were present in childhood, and the current symptoms which have been present for at least the past six months and which impair functioning in two or more settings (e.g., school, work, home) must also be identified.
  • An indication of whether or not the student was evaluated while on medication, and whether or not the prescribed treatment produced a positive response.
  • A clinical summary which:
    1. Indicates the substantial limitations to major life activities posed by the disability,
    2. describes the extent to which these limitations would impact the academic context for which accommodations are being requested,
    3. suggests how the specific effects of the disability may be accommodated, and
    4. states how the effects of ADHD are mediated by the recommended accommodations.
Deafness or Hearing Loss
Students requesting accommodations on the basis of deafness or hearing loss must provide documentation consisting of:
  • An audiological evaluation and/or audiogram.
  • An interpretation of the functional implications of the diagnostic data and hearing aid evaluation, when appropriate.
  • Suggestions as to how the functionally limiting manifestations of the disabling condition(s) may be accommodated.
Low Vision or Blindness
Students requesting accommodations on the basis of low vision or blindness must provide documentation consisting of:
  • An ocular assessment or evaluation from an ophthalmologist.
  • A low-vision evaluation of residual visual function, when appropriate.
  • Suggestions as to how the functionally limiting manifestations of the disabling condition(s) may be accommodated.
Mobility, Systemic, or Disease-Related Disability
Students requesting accommodations on the basis of mobility, systemic or disease-related disabilities must provide documentation consisting of:
  • An identification of the disabling condition(s).
  • An assessment of the functionally limiting manifestations of the condition(s) for which accommodations are being requested.
  • Suggestions as to how the functionally limiting manifestations of the disabling condition(s) may be accommodated.
Psychiatric Disability
Students requesting accommodations on the basis of a psychiatric disability must provide the current documentation from a licensed psychologist, psychiatrist, or licensed clinical social worker.
The documentation must include:
  • A specific, current psychiatric diagnosis as per the DSM-IV which indicates the nature, frequency and severity of the symptoms upon which the diagnosis was predicated. A diagnosis without an explicit listing of current symptoms is not sufficient. Primary and secondary Axis I and Axis II diagnoses are required.
  • Prescribed medications, dosages and schedules which may influence the types of accommodations provided.
  • A clinical summary which:
    1. Indicates the substantial limitations to major life activities posed by the psychiatric disability,
    2. describes the extent to which these limitations would impact the academic context for which accommodations are being requested,
    3. suggests how the specific effects of the psychiatric disability may be accommodated, and
    4. states how the effects of the psychiatric disability are mediated by the recommended accommodations.
Specific Learning Disability
Students requesting accommodation on the basis of a specific learning disability must provide documentation from a professional who has undergone comprehensive training and has relevant experience in differential diagnosis of a full range of cognitive and psychiatric disabilities (e.g., licensed clinical psychologists and neuropsychologists)
The documentation must include, but is not restricted to the following:
  1. Diagnostic Interview - A diagnostic interview including a description of the presenting problem(s); developmental, medical, psycho-social and employment histories; family history (including primary language of the home and the student's current level of English fluency); and a discussion of comorbidity where indicated.
  2. Assessment - For the neurological or psychological evaluation to illustrate a substantial limitation to learning, the comprehensive assessment battery must contain the following domains:
    • Aptitude/Cognitive Ability - An assessment of global intellectual functioning as measured by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III) with all subtests and standard scores.
    • Academic Achievement
    • A comprehensive achievement battery (e.g., Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery - Revised: Tests of Achievement) with subtest and standard scores, indicating current level of functioning in the academic areas of reading, math, oral and written language.
    • Information Processing
    • A comprehensive battery (e.g. Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery - Revised: Tests of Cognitive Abilities) with subtest and standard scores which addresses the specific areas of short and long-term memory, sequential memory, auditory and visual perception, processing speed, executive functioning, and motor ability.
  3. DSM-IV - A specific diagnosis that conforms to DSM-IV criteria for a specific learning disability.
  4. A clinical summary which:
    1. Indicates the substantial limitations to major life activities posed by the specified learning disability,
    2. describes the extent to which these limitations impact the academic context for which accommodations are being requested,
    3. suggests how the specific effects of the learning disability may be accommodated, and
    4. states how the effects of the learning disability are mediated by the recommended accommodations.
  5. Testing must be current - Within the past three years for a high school student and within the past five years for an adult.

BCC is committed to meet the accommodation and support the needs of students with disabilities. Please realize, though, that if you are in need of accommodations, Student Support Services needs as much advance notice as possible.

For general information, call (607)778-5038 (voice) or (607)778-5234 (TTY).