Disability Services for Future Students
Students who are interested in receiving accommodation through the Disability Services department can apply for services. Students will provide appropriate documentation of the disability and related functional limitations for which they are requesting accommodation. This may require a referral for testing by qualified professionals that conduct assessments, and render diagnoses of:
- ADHD/ADD
- Physical Disability
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Low Vision/Blind Disability
- Deaf/Hard of Hearing Disability
- Learning Disability
- Mental Health Disability
The student will initiate contact with the Disability Services Office to provide appropriate documentation of the disability and related functional limitations for which they are requesting accommodation.
Students may make accommodation requests and submit supporting documentation at any time prior to and during the semester that accommodations are needed. Student accommodation requests and supporting documentation will be reviewed on an individual, case-by-case basis in the order that it is received.
It is the students responsibility to to make their needs known and to provide the appropriate documentation to support the need for the requested accommodations.
This process follows the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the ADA Amendment Act of 2008, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and is designed to ensure that reasonable, appropriate accommodations are provided to all qualified students promptly. A diagnosis of a disorder/condition/syndrome in and of itself does not automatically qualify an individual for accommodation. To meet the criteria of a person with a disability under federal law, a person must demonstrate how their impairment limits one or more daily life activities.
If there is no written report for the diagnosis a form provided may be completed by an unbiased Medical Professional, Psychologist and/or School Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Licensed Professional Counselor, etc. to support a diagnosed disability.
Visit: www.blinn.edu/disability/pdf/documentation-verification-form.pdf
The following documentation guidelines are used to verify the student's disabling condition(s):
- A clear diagnostic statement that describes how the condition was diagnosed, information about the functional impact, and suggestions of appropriate accommodations provided by a licensed or otherwise properly credentialed professional who has undergone appropriate and comprehensive training, has relevant experience and has no personal relationship with the individual being evaluated.
- All documentation must be on letterhead, typed, and signed by the professional (504 paperwork, doctor or therapist letter, after-action reports with digital signatures, etc.). Diagnosis written on prescription pads, handwritten, or stamped with a signature will be reviewed but may not be approved.
- Common sense and discretion will be used in accepting older documentation of conditions that are permanent or non-varying.
- Documentation must show the current functioning of the student. Requests for all accommodation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis with approval being based on two factors:
- Is the accommodation requested appropriate?
- Is it reasonable? Accommodations are designed to allow the student to meet the same essential elements of their selected program that are required of all students, with or without a disability.
The ODS review process can take one to two weeks to complete. However, during specific time periods when workload is high or staffing is limited (first few weeks of the semester, during holiday breaks and finals week) the review process may take longer.
Students will be notified by email once the application and documentation have been reviewed. Please check your student Blinn email for a response. If a student has not heard back from the ODS within three weeks of submitting an intake packet, please contact your respective campus.
STEP 1
Submit documentation to the Office of Disability Services (ODS) clearly stating your diagnosis. Refer to the Blinn College District’s documentation guidelines at blinn.edu/disability for specific criteria. Documentation may be emailed, faxed, submitted in person or uploaded to the intake (STEP TWO) to your respective campus.
STEP 2
Complete the online intake packet (for new students). Once the intake is completed, the ODS will reach out via phone and the student BUC email.
www.blinn.edu/disability/forms.html
STEP 3
Letters of accommodations (LOAs) will be emailed to the student’s BUC email account. Follow the directions included with the letter of accommodations. The student's Blinn email may be accessed through the myBLINN portal.
STEP 4
To renew services, students must submit an online letter of accommodation (LOA) request for each semester they are enrolled.
If you have additional questions, please contact your respective campus for assistance. We are excited to have you be part of the Blinn College District community.
