Mission Statement: Garden City Community College exists to produce positive contributors to the economic and social well-being of society.

Mission Statement

Garden City Community College is committed to assisting individuals with disabilities achieve their educational goals by providing appropriate accommodations and services based on individual, documented need.

Legal Guidelines

The Office of Disability Services operates under the following regulations:

No otherwise qualified handicapped individual in the United States shall, solely by reason of handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

Rehabilitation Act, Section 504, 1973

No qualified individual with a disability shall, on the basis of disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity.

Americans With Disabilities Act, 1990

The Accommodations Coordinator is responsible for coordinating services for GCCC students who have a documented disability. Services are provided to enrolled students on an individual basis and with respect to confidentiality. The Accommodations Office encourages independence and self-advocacy among the students this program assists.

Contact Information:

Eligibility Requirements

Disabilities qualifying for services may include, but are not limited to:

• Physical Disability
• Health or Medical Disability
• Hearing Disability
• Visual Disability
• Learning Disability
• Acquired Brain Injury
• Attention Deficit Disorder
• Mental/Emotional Disability
• Speech Disability

The Office of Accommodations is part of the Counseling and Advising Center located in the Student and Community Service Center (SCSC). The Coordinator's phone number is 620-276-9671. For TDD communications, individuals should use the Kansas Relay Service at 1-800-766-3777. E-mail address: accommodations@gcccks.edu

How to Access Accommodations

• Students with disabilities should contact the Accommodations Coordinator to schedule an intake interview. During this meeting, discussion will focus on how the disability affects the student and what accommodations will be needed. Early contact is encouraged as it can take weeks (or months in the case of recorded textbooks and Assistive Technology) for accommodations to be arranged.

• Students will be required to furnish appropriate documentation of their disability. The documentation must follow the guidelines as outlined in the Policies and Procedures Handbook, available from the Coordinator of Disability Services. Documentation must state current functioning and include justification for the requested academic accommodation. The documentation needs to be sent directly to the Accommodations Coordinator, GCCC, 801 Campus Drive, Garden City, Kansas 67846.

• The Accommodations Coordinator will determine if the documentation is adequate to both establish the existence of a qualifying disability and to support the requested accommodations.

• Students must request accommodations each semester and requests should be made as far in advance as possible. Students should make the request prior to the start date of the scheduled class for each semester.

• Students must notify the Accommodations Coordinator of any schedule changes.

Student Code Of Conduct

All GCCC students must adhere to the "Standards of Conduct for Students" as published in the GCCC Catalog and/or Student Handbook.

Tutoring

Tutoring is not a required accommodation under either the ADA or section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act. GCCC, however, offers many tutoring programs to its students. Students with disabilities are guaranteed equal access to all GCCC tutoring programs for which they are eligible.

Services Provided

Types of accommodations may include, but are not limited to:

• Notification of instructors concerning needed accommodations
• Notetaker or Scribe
• Course exam accommodations
• Recorded textbooks / materials
• Sign Language Interpreters
• Large print materials
• Brailled materials
• Library accommodations
• Assistive technology

Accommodations & Services NOT Provided

GCCC does not provide:

• Reduced standards for academic performance.
• Exemptions to graduation requirements, although course substitutions may be allowed in extreme circumstances.
• Personal care assistance (for example, assistance in pushing a wheelchair or assistance with bathroom needs.)
• Accommodations that fundamentally alter the essential nature of the program and /or class.

Other Accommodations

Students requesting additional services should contact the Accommodations Coordinator for Garden City Community College. Additional services will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Factors affecting the additional services will be dependent upon disability, documented need, and the compliance requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act.

Equal Opportunity

Garden City Community College does not discriminate against applicants, employees or students on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, height, weight, marital status, sexual orientation, or other non-merit reasons, or handicap, nor will sexual harassment be tolerated in its employment practices and/or educational programs or activities. Those concerned about the above should contact Emily Clouse, Director of Human Resources, Garden City Community College, 801 Campus Drive, Garden City, KS 67846, 620-276-9574.

ADA/Equal Access

Garden City Community College is complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and is committed to equal and reasonable access to facilities and programs for all employees, students and visitors. Those with ADA concerns, or who need special accommodations, should contact Melanie Hands, Accommodations Coordinator, Garden City Community College, 801 Campus Drive, Garden City, KS 67846, 620-276-9671.