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The Office of Student Accessibility is part of the Center for Student Success and works to help fulfill the University’s responsibility to identify and maintain standards that are fundamental to providing a quality academic program while ensuring the rights of individuals with disabilities. A disability is recognized as an impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities of the student (academic, physical, living, emotional, mental). Students with a diagnosed disability may be entitled to accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Even with accommodations, students are required to meet all course and program requirements.
WHAT ARE TYPICAL ACCOMMODATIONS?
Typical accommodations include:
- Extended time on tests
- Reduced distraction environment for tests
- Availability of text to speech textbooks and tests
- Others according to individual need
HOW DO I GET ACCOMMODATIONS?
- Submit Request for Accommodations form
- Submit professional documentation verifying the need for requested accommodations
- Have in-take interview with Dr. Jo Garrett, scheduling via student.accessibility@ngu.edu or (864) 977-2022
- Receive confirmation of accommodations from the Office of Student Accessibility
Frequently Asked Questions
+ Accommodations
How long will it take to receive accommodations?
Students should expect a minimum of two (2) weeks after the
documentation has been received and the intake interview has been held.
Where do I go for services?
Contact the Office of Student Accessibility at student.accessibility@ngu.edu.
What is the process for scheduling a test?
The testing center is reserved for students with testing accommodations.
- Alert the professor at least two days in advance that you will be testing in the testing center
- Schedule each test via https://www.schedulicity.com/scheduling/TCFWTW/services with a minimum of 6 hours prior to the test.
- Test at the same time as the test is scheduled for the class, unless a class is scheduled when you could not receive your extended time. In this event, the test must be taken within 24 hours with the professor’s approval.
What should I know about the intake meeting?
The student should be prepared to discuss their (1) history of
accommodations and (2) the impact of their disability in the academic
environment. This information with the documentation will serve to
determine reasonable accommodations for the student. Because each
student and disability are unique, appropriate accommodations will not
be determined before appropriate documentation is received and the the intake meeting is held.
Am I going to receive the same accommodations that I received in high school?
Accommodations depend on the documentation, the functional limitations/impact of the disability on a major life activity, and professional recommendations.
How far in advance should I request a meeting with the Office of Student Accessibility?
You may begin this process in your senior year in high
school. After being accepted by NGU, you should begin the process at
least four to six weeks before the semester begins to help ensure that
your accommodations are in place at the beginning of classes.
Accommodations are not retroactive.
Does NGU accept the same accommodations given to me by another higher education institution?
The criteria for receiving accommodations at NGU are based on
appropriate documentation verifying a student’s needs for
accommodations. Also, accommodations provided at one institution do not
obligate another institution to accommodate or accommodate in the same
way.
After registering with the Office of Student Accessibility, am I automatically registered for as long as I am enrolled?
Students are required to request accommodation services each semester.
+ Documentation
What kind of required documentation is appropriate?
The student
should submit documentation by a licensed health provider (physician,
psychologist, psychiatrist, or counselor). Documentation must:
- Establish that the student has a disability
- Provide a rationale for authorizing reasonable accommodations
- Recommend appropriate accommodations. The purpose of accommodations
is to allow equal access for the student with a disability.
Documentation written on prescription pads are not accepted.
Documentation should be current within 3-5 years depending upon the
stability of the disability.
What happens if my documentation is not appropriate?
You will be required to provide appropriate documentation at your own
expense. It is not the institution’s responsibility to identify or
assess individuals with disabilities.
Where would I obtain appropriate documentation for college?
Appropriate documentation depends on the type of disability; for
medical conditions, a medical doctor; for psychiatric conditions, a
psychiatrist, therapist, clinical psychologist, or social worker; for
specific learning disabilities, a clinical neuropsychologist or psycho-educational evaluation is
appropriate from a school psychologist.
Is my Individualized Education Program (IEP) appropriate documentation?
An IEP is a document that is developed to assist special
education students in a K-12 public school setting. The information it
contains may be insufficient for the higher education setting.
Does NGU offer diagnostic testing?
NGU does not offer diagnostic testing for disabilities.
Students are responsible for scheduling and payment for this evaluation.
Referrals for testing in the Greenville area are available through the
Office of Student Accessibility.
+ Services
Are there special education programs at NGU designed for students with disabilities?
No. The institution provides reasonable accommodations to allow equal
access in accordance with the law. Individuals must meet the technical
and academic standards of the institution, program, or course of study.
Transitional courses are offered in reading, writing, and math to help students function at the secondary education level.
What is the process for scheduling a test in the Testing Center?
(Due to limited space, private testing rooms are only available for designated testers)
Is NGU responsible for providing a tutor?
NGU provides peer tutoring services to all students located on the
main campus at no
charge. It is the responsibility of the student to request tutoring each semester.
Will NGU assist me with my medication, wake-up calls, or other personal services?
No, NGU does not provide such services.
Can my parents or advisor automatically register me in the courses that I need?
Students are responsible for self-registering after meeting with their advisor.
Can admission and/or graduation requirements be altered/flexible due to my disability?
Established requirements—admission, graduation, courses(s), GPA, code of conduct, etc. are the same for all students.
Do colleges provide reduced tuition, fee waivers and help with the cost of books for students with disabilities?
No. Students should contact the Financial Aid office or SC Vocational Rehabilitation.
Will I be provided with whatever accommodations I say that I need?
Accommodations are based on disability documentation and substantial
limitation of the disability. Consideration is given to individual
needs, but it is the institution’s decision to accommodate as long as
the accommodation can be shown to be equally effective without change to
essential elements.
Will any absences be automatically excused if it is disability related?
Absences may not negatively affect a student’s grade on the basis of
attendance if the absence is directly related to a chronic disability.
Absences in courses in which attendance is deemed “essential” (e.g.
discussion class, lab, student teaching, etc.) are subject to the
attendance policy that North Greenville University has set in place. In
any case, the student is still responsible for course requirements.
Students with modified attendance accommodations must notify both the
professor and the Office of Student Accessibility of an absence that is
directly related to the accommodation to avoid an unexcused absence.
Can I redo assignments and retake tests for better results?
It is expected that students with disabilities will meet the
deadlines, complete assignments, and take exams at the scheduled time.
Poor performance, even with accommodations, is no grounds for a
retake/redo, shorter assignments/tests, extended time on assignments, or extra credit.
Can all the previous exams/assignments/grades be changed, after accommodations are requested?
The obligation to provide accommodations begins at the point at which
all documentation has been reviewed and an intake interview is held.
Reasonable notice is required from the student for accommodations to be
enacted.
Will my professors give me notes, outlines, study guides, open-book or a practice exam, or hints/prompts when taking tests?
Notes and exams are taken with the same expectations of other students in the class.
Can my parents arrange for regular progress reports?
FERPA (Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act), requires strict
confidentiality of student information. NGU requires a release of
information to share records and/or information with anyone other than
the student, including parents. This focus is important in that the
student is expected to be responsible and accountable for his/her
business. NGU students have access to their grades through the student
portal and access to professors via posted office hours. Parents will
not be notified of a student’s progress.
Will NGU create an independent study program or allow me to take classes at home?
While some courses are offered online, creating another version of a
course offered on-campus is a change in the essential elements of that
course and is not required of the university.
Can I choose my ASL interpreter?
NGU will provide, and arrange for, qualified interpreters.
The request for an interpreter requires a minimum of three (3) full work
days’ notice/cancellation for face-to-face courses, and a minimum of
four (4) work days for online courses. |
