What does "academic accommodations" mean?

Accommodations are those services individually determined as needed for an individual student to attain equal access to SFCC programs and services. Some examples of accommodations are: interpreter for the deaf, larger print materials, alternate testing, assistive or adaptive technology.

What academic accommodations does the school provide?

The determination of academic accommodations is based on your documentation of disability, your individual needs, and on the requirements of the courses in which you register. Academic accommodations may include volunteer note takers, sign language interpreters, alternate formatted materials, extended time for testing, scribes, use of screen-reading programs, or disability parking. Depending on the courses in which you are enrolled, these accommodations can vary from quarter to quarter.

How soon do I need to notify the Disability Support Services office that I need an academic accommodation?

It is important that you notify the DSS office of your needs as soon as possible, so there is adequate time to get the needed accommodations in place. This is particularly important if you have a visual, hearing or physical impairment that requires the ordering of special materials, the placement of assistive equipment, or the assistance of a sign language interpreter. Notification of 4 to 6 weeks is a desirable time frame.

Can courses be modified for my disability?

In providing academic accommodations, instructors are not required to lower or effect substantial modifications to the essential requirements of their courses. Students with disability are expected to fulfill the same course requirements and workload as any other student in the class.

Will you provide me with a tutor or assistant if I need one?

Services of a personal nature, such as personal attendants, tutors, readers, typists, or prescribed devices, are the responsibility of the student, and therefore are not provided by the college.

However, several departments do have labs where students can get additional assistance in particular subject areas, such as the Math Learning Center, the Accounting Resource Center, and the Business Math Center.

What if the provided academic accommodation is not working and I’m having problems in my classes?

Anytime you encounter difficulty in your classes, you are welcome to come into the DSS to review your accommodations. Sometimes it’s a case of trial and error to see what works best for a student in a particular class. Study skill habits are sometimes the culprit and will be reviewed if problems point in that direction.