Disability Resources for Students

Procedure for Obtaining Accommodations

All requests for access, accommodation, and academic adjustment should first be brought to the Disability Resource Office (DRS) using the following steps.

1. Student schedules an appointment to meet with the Disability Resources Manager (DRM) at any time during the quarter, but preferably 4-6 weeks prior to need.
2. Student completes an Intake Form and brings it to the appointment along with documentation of the student’s disability.

   Document

   Student Intake Form
3. DRS and student work collaboratively to assess the student’s needs, reasonable and appropriate accommodations and/or adjustments, and develop an accommodation plan if approved for services.
4. DRS generates a Letter of Accommodation (LOA) outlining the student’s accommodation plan and forwards it to the student’s instructors and the student’s CPTC student email address.
5. Student and instructors collaborate to implement the approved accommodations and/or adjustments.
6. Student contacts DRS immediately if an accommodation is ineffective or if the student is not receiving the accommodations outlined in the student’s LOA.

Note: Some accommodations (e.g. interpreting services, text in alternative format (Braille, tactile text, ergonomic furniture, enlarged print, etc.) may require substantial advance (15 to 30 working days or more) notice. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the prospective or enrolled student to give sufficient early notice of such accommodation to DRS each quarter the student is enrolled in order to ensure timely coordination and availability of equipment, items, and/or services.

As soon as you have registered for classes, begin planning for accommodations for an academic quarter by contacting DRS

Veterans

Welcome Veterans! Thank you for your service to our country!

Disability Resources for Students (DRS) is here to serve you as you pursue your educational goals.  If you are a wounded warrior you may qualify for individualized accommodations and support services to help you transition into college life and achieve your objectives. 

Students work with the Disability Resources Manager (DRM) in a meeting to develop a Letter of Accommodation (LOA). Please see the procedures for obtaining accommodations and documentation guidelines sections for more information. 

Note: Veteran's transcripts and records do not identify whether or not a student received accommodations from DRS.

Contact DRS

• Phone: 253.589.5767
• Email: disabilityresources@cptc.edu
• Office: Bldg. 17, Room 150

Overview of Services

Academic accommodations are determined for each student on an individual basis. Requested accommodations must be supported by the documented effects of the disability.

The following are some common accommodations available through or provided by Disability Resources for Students (DRS).  This list is not all inclusive and the accommodations listed may not appropriate for every disability/student.

Examples of Auxiliary Aids or Services provided by DRS

• Ergonomic furniture for classroom use only
• Alternative print format, e.g., audio conversion, electronic files, enlarged print, Braille
• Alternative testing services, e.g., additional time, use of computer
• Equipment, e.g., ergonomic keyboards, digital voice recorders
• Classroom relocations
• Note taking assistance
• Real-Time captioning
• Sign Language Interpreters

Services not provided by DRS

• Any diagnostic services including diagnostic testing for Learning Disabilities
• Extended time on all assignments
• Medical care
• Personal aides or attendants
• Personal devices or equipment (e.g. eyeglasses, wheelchairs, hearing aids, etc.)
• Service animals
• Tutoring/Individual instruction

Eligibility for DRS Services

To be eligible for disability related services, students must have a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and request to be accommodated. Under the ADA and Section 504, a person has a disability if s/he has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities (e.g., walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, standing, breathing, learning, and working).

Documentation Guidelines

The Disability Resources for Students (DRS) office requires students to provide documentation of the disabling condition for which they are requesting accommodation(s).   All documentation will be kept in DRS in a separate, confidential file.  Documentation is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

General Documentation Guidelines

Documentation needs to include:

• Documentation of a disability/health condition must be generated by a diagnostic professional in the related field of the disability/health condition for which the accommodation is requested
• A diagnosis of the disability/health condition
• Description of the current functional impact/limitations of the disability/health condition.
• If the disability/health condition is permanent or temporary. If temporary, information on the expected duration of the disability/health condition and timeline for re/new evaluation of the disability/health condition.
• Written on letterhead from a qualified health care provider

Documentation can be, but not limited to:

• Copies of the educational assessment performed as part of an IEP process*
• Submitted by completing the CPTC Disability Verification Form* 

  Document

  Disability Verification Form

*Depending on the disabling condition and accommodation requested IEPs and/or the CPTC Disability Verification Form may be insufficient to determine appropriate accommodations and additional documentation may be required. When meeting with students during the Accommodation Planning Meeting the Disability Resources Manager (DRM) will inform students if more documentation information is needed based on the nature of the accommodation request.

Please click on the disability below for Clover Park Technical College documentation guidelines.

To help you determine what documentation DRS is looking for, separate documentation guidelines have been created to better identify the kind of information our office needs to effectively help students.  Please feel free to print out and provide a copy of our documentation guideline to assist your health care professional in providing the information needed to best assist you in establishing services.

Type of Disability: Health Conditions
Examples include by are not limited to: AIDS/HIV, Back Conditions, Cancer, Cerebral Palsy, Chronic Fatigue, Diabetes, Epilepsy, Fibromyalgia, Lupus, Migraines, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Parkinson’s Disease

Type of Disability: Hearing Disability
Examples include by are not limited to: Deafness, Conductive, Sensorineural and Mixed Hearing Loss, Acoustic Neuroma, Autoimmune Inner Ear Disease (AIED), Ostosclerosis, Tinnitus

Type of Disability: Learning Disability
Examples include by are not limited to: Auditory Processing Disorder, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, Dysphasia/Aphasia, Dyspraxia (Sensory Integration Disorder), Visual Processing Disorder

Type of Disability: Psychological Disability / ADHD
Examples include by are not limited to: ADD, Alzheimer’s disease, Bipolar disorder, Communication disorders, Depression, Phobias, Post-traumatic stress disorder, Social anxiety disorder

Type of Disability: Vision Disability
Examples include by are not limited to: Retinal Degeneration, Cataracts, Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy, Congenital Vision Disorders, Blindness

K-12 Transition: For individuals who have recently received services from a public school system, please be aware that Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) are not directly transferable to the college settings and often do not contain the information necessary to establish appropriate accommodations.  The information requested would most likely be contained in the Psycho-Educational Evaluation report from your most recent triennial review.  IEPs, 504 Plans, or Transition Plans do contain information that can be very helpful in identifying appropriate accommodations and students are strongly encouraged to submit them in addition to their diagnostic documentation.

Documentation will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and must include a diagnosis, names and results of tests administered (if appropriate), and a statement of how the disability may impact the student in an educational setting.

Clover Park Technical College does not provide diagnostic testing for learning disabilities. The DRS office can provide you with information regarding Learning Disability evaluators and diagnosticians; however, we do not make any recommendations or referrals to any one specific person or company.

Transferring to or from another College

Please be aware that each college and university establishes documentation guidelines in response to the unique needs of its academic programs.  Documentation considered sufficient to provide accommodations in a technical setting like CPTC may not provide enough information to provide reasonable and appropriate in the two year community college or 4 year university setting. 

Students considering transferring to another institution should contact their disability support office regarding documentation guidelines to determine if additional documentation will be required to access services at that institution.  Students are advised to contact the college or university they want to transfer as far in advance of their intended start date as possible.

Similarly, the accommodations provided to students at CPTC may not be appropriate in a different educational setting. Students transferring to another institution should not automatically assume they will receive identical accommodations at their new institutions. Students considering transferring to another institution should contact that school's disability support office to discuss what accommodations you might be eligible for at their institution.

Intake Interview

Students with disabilities requesting academic accommodations are required to complete an Intake Interview with the Disability Resources Manager (DRM).  Please contact DRS at (253) 589-5548 or via email at disabilityresources@cptc.edu.  If accommodations (e.g. ASL Interpreters) are needed for the Intake Interview please contact DRS one week prior to the interview.

The Intake Form can be completed by the student prior to the Intake Interview. Please complete the highlighted areas on the Intake Form and bring the form to the Intake Interview.  If you need assistance filling out the Intake Form, please contact Disability Resources for Students or the front desk of the Advising and Counseling Office for assistance

Requesting Letters of Accommodations (LOA)

The Letter of Accommodation (LOA) Request Form must be completed by a qualified and registered student every quarter that they are requesting academic accommodations from Disability Resources for Students (DRS). Please fill out the LOA Request Form and submit it to DRS.

Click here to access the LOA Request Form

Once a student's LOA Request Form has been received by DRS, copies of their LOA will be provided to the student and the student's instructors.   The LOA specifies which accommodations the student has qualified for and are intended to begin communication between the student and his/her instructor.  The student is strongly encouraged to discuss the LOA with their instructors and coordinate with their instructors for the provision of services.

Student Responsibilities: Requesting Assistance

Students are responsible for requesting assistance for a disability from Disability Resources for Students (DRS) and providing medical documentation that diagnoses the condition and supports requested accommodations.

Each quarter a student is requesting academic accommodations a Letter of Accommodation (LOA) Request Form needs to be completed by the student and turned into DRS once the student has registered for classes. In turn, DRS will provide the LOA to the student's instructor. This letter indicates which accommodations the student has qualified for and are intended to begin communication between the student and the instructor.

To activate an LOA the student will need to:

1. Meet personally with each of their instructors and discuss their LOA.
2. Discuss and work with each instructor to determine the best method of providing accommodation(s) in specific situations/classes.
3. Coordinate with instructor and if applicable, DRS, to schedule accommodations such as testing or field trips prior to when each occurs throughout the quarter.

Student Responsibilities: Accommodations Implementation

During the Intake Interview, students will sign a Student Responsibility Form, which outlines their basic responsibilities regarding accommodations implementation.

Students are responsible for self-advocating and for contacting DRS in a timely manner when problems or questions arise about their accommodations or academic progress.

Requesting Documents from DRS

In order for DRS to send students' documentation to other colleges, programs, individuals, etc., students need to first complete a Consent to Release Information form. Consent to Release Information form are available in the Advising & Counseling Center in Building 17, Room 150 and must by signed in the presence of a member of the staff.  Please be aware that requests for the release of information can take up to ten days to process and plan accordingly.  Be prepared to provide complete contact information to the entity or individual to whom you wish your information sent.  Providing incomplete information may delay processing of the request.

Reasonable Accommodation – Disputes/Appeals

CPTC has adopted an internal grievance procedure providing for the equitable resolution, within a reasonable time, of complaints by students with disabilities alleging violations of their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

If a student believes that a faculty member, an office or a program has refused to provide an accommodation in accordance with notice from DRS, a student should first request assistance of the DRS in resolving the complaint. If the complaint cannot be resolved in this manner, or if it involves the DRS Office, a student has the right to appeal using the following procedure:

1. Complete an Accommodations Appeal Form , found on the CPTC disability support website and send to the Office of the Vice President of Student Success (VPSS).
2. The VPSS, or designee, shall investigate the grievance.  An email will be sent to the student’s CPTC email confirming receipt of the appeal form, identify who will investigate the grievance, and list next steps for the student. 
3. The VPSS, or designee, will issue a written determination, specifying resolution of the matter within ten (10) business days of the filing of the grievance.
4. The decision of the VPSS, or designee, is the final decision of the institution.

See further details about accommodations on the Disabilities Accommodations page.

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