Disability Support (ADA)

Our Mission

The Office of Disability Services provides equal access to programs and services and promotes equal opportunities for students with disabilities, through the provision of reasonable accommodations, resources and services. Disability Services is in compliance with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Section 504 / The Americans with Disabilities Act

No otherwise qualified person with a disability shall, solely by reason of such a disability, be excluded from participation in, or benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination by any public or private entity. The Americans with Disabilities Act defines a disability as “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities such as walking, talking, seeing, hearing, learning, breathing, working; or having a record of such an impairment, or being regarded as having one.”

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Requesting Services

Surry Community College is committed to making the educational opportunities it offers reasonable and accessible to qualified students with a disability. Students seeking assistance or accommodations are responsible for self-disclosure and providing the proper disability documentation in order to receive services. Students seeking disability services need to make their needs known in a timely manner, since it may take some time to acquire the necessary aids and notify the students’ instructors. Reasonable accommodations are not retroactive and must be requested each semester. If the student hasn’t made a request for services or reasonable accommodations in a timely manner prior to enrollment, SCC cannot assure that all appropriate accommodations can be accomplished prior to the first class.

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Examples of Reasonable Accommodations

• Sign Language Interpreters
• Note Takers
• Adjustable Desks/Chairs
• Extended Test Time
• Oral Testing
• Alternate Test Location
• Books-on-Tape (as available)
• Enlarged Print Books (as available)
• Scribes
• Readers
• Testing Accommodations
• Priority Registration
• Assistive Technology
• Tape Recorders
• Counseling and referral regarding specific disability related personal, educational and career concerns

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Self Advocacy

Students have the opportunity to voluntarily self-disclose with the college as having a disability. Students can self-disclose to the Office of Disability Services located in the "A" Reeves building room 204.

Note: Identifying yourself as having a disability, to an individual professor, school, friend or department other than the Student Development Office is not considered an official notification to the College.

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Documentation

Services of a disability or special need are provided based on documentation provided by the student. The student must provide information about a substantial limitation to one or more major life activities, specifically as it applies to meeting the demands of the college life, in and/or out of the classroom. Acceptable documentation of a disability or special need may include: Medical report, physician’s statement, psychological evaluation, psychoeducational evaluation or other professional evaluations which verify the need for reasonable accommodations or modifications. The documentation should be current (within the last three years). IEP’s and 504 Plans, although providing historical evidence of services and accommodations, are generally not considered sufficient to make a student eligible for services. Please note that students will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If no current documentation is available it is the responsibility of the student to have new documentation prepared.

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Service Animal Policy

Surry Community College seeks to accommodate persons with disabilities who demonstrate the necessity of a service animal. The College is also mindful of the health and safety interests of its general community. The SCC Service Animal Guidelines are aimed at meeting these concerns. The College's Office of Disability Services is responsible for implementing this policy. Success requires the cooperation of all students, staff and faculty. No animals are allowed in SCC buildings except those defined as Service Animals.

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Resources

When possible, SCC will rely on the resources available from community agencies such as the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Services for the Blind and Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and others which provide educational auxiliary aids. The college is not required to, and cannot provide personal attendants, individually prescribed devices, readers for personal use or study, or other devices or services of a personal nature.

Disability Services Office is located in the "A" Reeves Building Room 204, right above the Student Development Services Office. Students with hearing difficulties may call 1-800-735-2962 (TTY) or 1-800-735-8262 (voice).

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The Surry Life