student disability services faculty handbook - St. Ambrose University

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THE MISSION OF STUDENT DISABILITY SERVICES The Student Disability Services office (SDS) provides qualified students with disabilities services or reasonable accommodations intended to facilitate the student's full participation at St. Ambrose University. Services do not lower course standards or alter degree requirements, but services include appropriate academic adjustments and modifications to allow for full participation by students. St. Ambrose University will not discriminate against any student based on any disability. DISABILITIES AND THE LAW Two primary pieces of legislation were enacted to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, states that no otherwise qualified individual with a disability may be discriminated against or denied access to the benefits or services of any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which became effective January 26, 1992, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008, prohibit colleges and universities from discriminating against qualified students with disabilities. St. Ambrose University is committed to complying with these laws by providing reasonable accommodations and appropriate academic adjustments and modifications to qualified individuals with disabilities. A “reasonable accommodation” includes any auxiliary aids and services, which do not fundamentally alter the nature of a program or course and do not create an undue burden upon the University. An “individual with a disability” is someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such impairment. An “otherwise qualified individual with a disability” is a person who, with or without reasonable accommodations, can meet the essential program or course requirements. The Director of the SDS office is responsible for ensuring that otherwise qualified students with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments and modifications, and have an equal opportunity to succeed. The Director of SDS is accountable for maintaining the integrity of the office by complying with Section 504 and the ADA/ADAAA, determining eligibility for services, and maintaining appropriate documentation. Back to Table of Contents 2011-2012 Student Disability Services Faculty Handbook 3
CLASSIFICATION OF DISABILITIES The SDS Office categorizes disabilities according to the following structure. ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURY (ABI) ABI occurs when a sudden, external, physical assault damages the brain. It is one of the most common causes of disability and death in adults. ABI is a broad term that describes a vast array of injuries that occur to the brain. The damage can be focal (confined to one area of the brain) or diffuse (occurs in more than one area of the brain). The severity of a brain injury can range from a mild concussion to a severe injury resulting in coma or even death. ABI is also commonly referred to as traumatic brain injury (TBI). An individual with an ABI may be affected in one or more of the following areas: speed of thinking, memory, communication, motor, sensory, physical, and psychosocial abilities. ATTENTION (ADHD) The principal characteristics of ADHD are inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. These symptoms typically appear during childhood and continue throughout adulthood but may be masked or manifested in other ways. According to the most recent version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), there are three patterns of behavior that indicate ADHD. People with ADHD may show several signs of being consistently inattentive. They may have a pattern of being hyperactive and impulsive far more than others of their age. Or they may show all three types of behavior. This means that there are three subtypes of ADHD recognized by professionals. These are the predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type (that does not show significant inattention); the predominantly inattentive type (that does not show significant hyperactive-impulsive behavior), sometimes called ADD—an outdated term for this entire disorder; and the combined type (that displays both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms). LEARNING DISABILITY (LD) LD is a general term that refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical skills. Learning disabilities affect the manner in which individuals take in information, retain it and express the knowledge they possess. These disorders are intrinsic to the individual, presumed to be due to central nervous system dysfunction, and may occur across the lifespan. Problems in self-regulatory behaviors, social perception, and social interaction may exist with learning disabilities but do not, by themselves, constitute a learning disability. 2011-2012 Student Disability Services Faculty Handbook 4
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student disability services faculty handbook - St. Ambrose University

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