Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), identify a person with a disability as anyone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, working, or learning. Persons who have a history of a disability are also covered by the regulations.
It is the student’s responsibility to identify his/her disability to the Director of Higher Ed/Adult Ed or Assistant Director of Practical Nursing and Request Accommodations. Any student request or inquiry regarding program accommodations for disabilities should be made as early as possible after admission into the program, or even before a student contemplates enrollment. If a student does not seek an accommodation for a disability, the Director of Higher Ed/Adult Ed or Assistant Director of Practical Nursing and instructors will assume the student is able to complete the program requirements without the need for accommodations.
Disabling conditions may include, but are not limited to:
- Asperger’s Syndrome/Autism Disorder
- Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
- Blind/Low Vision
- Head Injury/Traumatic Brain Injury
- Hearing Impaired/Deaf
- Learning Disability
- Physical and Systemic Disorders
- Psychiatric/Psychological Disorders
All students with disabilities that seek an accommodation of the educational program shall provide documentation from his/her health care provider that substantiates the disability, explains the impairments or limitations created by the disability, the type of accommodation being requested, and an explanation why the accommodation is necessary for the student to participate in the program. The Lancaster CTC reserves the right to make inquiries of the student, his/her health care provider, and individuals with appropriate medical or disability accommodation expertise to determine what, if any, reasonable accommodations can be made to the program for a particular student. Accommodations cannot be provided for a student, if Lancaster CTC does not understand the student’s disability or possess sufficient information to entertain a disabled student’s request.
In general, all documentation should be typed on letterhead stationary or be in report format and should include the following information:
- A clearly stated diagnosis of the disability that explains the impairment or limitation created by the disability and the type of accommodation being requested.
- The documentation should explain the student’s functional limitation to successfully participate in an academic/clinical environment designed to prepare students for their chosen career.
- The printed name, title, professional credentials, and signature of the health care provider that is treating the student, substantiating the existence of the student’s disability and explaining the need for the requested accommodation, i.e. clinical psychologist, psycho-neurologist, school psychologist, or physician if it pertains to a medical condition.
- The date of the evaluation and submitted documentation shall be within one (1) calendar year of the student’s expected enrollment in the Lancaster County Career & Technology Center. The Lancaster CTC reserves the right to waive this requirement, if it reasonably believes that the school has sufficient information to consider the student’s accommodation request.
- A school plan such as an individualized education plan (IEP) does not constitute documentation of a disability but can be included as part of a more comprehensive assessment battery.
- A physician’s prescription pad note is not acceptable as documentation.
Upon receipt of the above documentation, the student will meet with the Director of Higher Ed/Adult Ed or Assistant Director of Practical Nursing to discuss the creation of an accommodation plan designed to assist the student reach his or her educational goals. The discussion may encompass whether a student has a disability, whether accommodations are necessary for the student to participate in the program and whether any requested accommodations are reasonable. The student may appeal any decision regarding the proposed accommodation plan through the regular appeals process. Accommodations provided during the instructional portion of the program cannot alter the curriculum or regular class standards.