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Services for Students with Disabilities

Disability Services

Martinsburg College is committed to achieving equal educational opportunity and full participation for persons with disabilities. The institution works to ensure that enrolled students receive reasonable accommodations for documented disabilities in compliance with provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment of 2008.

What are accommodations?

Accommodations are adaptations and changes made to elements of a student’s postsecondary program that help to compensate for the student’s impairment(s) and provide equal access to students with disabilities.

  • Any student with a documented disability may be eligible to receive accommodations & services from the institution;
  • The purpose of accommodations and modifications is to reduce or eliminate any disadvantages that may exist because of an individual’s disability;
  • Accommodations are not a guarantee for success, but rather seek to promote non-discrimination and equal access opportunities;
  • Accommodations are not student preferences; they are determined through an established review process based on documentation received regarding the student’s disability;
  • The law does not require institutions to waive specific courses or academic requirements considered essential to a particular program or degree. Rather, they are mandated to modify existing requirements on a case-by-case basis in order to ensure that individuals are not discriminated against on the basis of their disability;
  • In order to access accommodations, students must disclose and document their disability to the student services department and state their requested accommodations.

How do I Request Accommodations?

Students can follow this step-by-step procedure to apply for accommodations.

Step-by-Step Procedure
Step One
Complete request for accommodations form

Step Two
Acquire appropriate documentation regarding your disability.

Students requesting accommodations must submit documentation of their disabilities from an appropriate, licensed professional qualified in the appropriate specialty area. Some examples of such persons are physicians, psychiatrists, and psychologists.

In general, documentation should include a specific diagnosis and a rationale for each accommodation requested. In cases of LD or ADD/ADHD, raw test score data should be submitted. To ensure that the accommodations supplied are appropriate for the student’s current level of functioning, the documentation submitted must be less than three years old. Exceptions can be made for conditions that are permanent and are not developmentally related. Hearing or vision loss would be examples of such conditions.

Accommodations cannot be provided without documentation.

Step Three
Submit the request for accommodation form along with supporting documentation to the Student Services Department, C/O Disability Coordinator. Information may be submitted confidentially by fax, mail or email.

Send Accommodation Requests to:

Rita Claypole, Disability Coordinator

Email: [email protected]
Fax: 866-519-0983

Mail:
Attn: Rita Claypole, Disability Coordinator
Martinsburg College
341 Aikens Center, Martinsburg WV 25404
E-mail Attachment: [email protected]

Step Four
You will be contacted by the disability coordinator to discuss your request. A Disability Coordinator acts as a liaison between students and faculty or staff, identifying appropriate accommodations for students with documented disabilities. The goal of all concerned is to help students achieve their full academic potential. In some cases, our office will request an appointment to further discuss your request. Appointments can be made by calling the student services department at 304-263-6262 ext .2. We may also request additional documentation prior to reviewing your request.

Step Five
You will be notified in writing (either e-mail or letter) regarding the outcome of our review and how to proceed. Most of our communication is done through email. If you have any questions or concerns at any point regarding this procedure, please do not hesitate to contact us at 304-263-6262 ext. 2

Step Six
Once you are approved for accommodations, you will be provided with a letter outlining your specific accommodations. The letter will only outline accommodations; no specific information about a diagnosis will be shared. This letter will provide information for the faculty about accommodations, functional limitations and should serve as a catalyst for discussion with the student about how accommodations will be made. Note, the choice to disclose the need for an accommodation is at the student’s discretion. Students should discuss accommodations with faculty within the first week of class. Instructors will not be expected to accommodate students who do not disclose in a timely manner.