Access Services

Access Services coordinates accommodations for students with disabilities and works to ensure equal access to educational programs, services, and activities at Olympic College. We promote awareness of disability issues and foster an environment that welcomes and fully integrates people with disabilities.

Table of Contents   
Contact Information     Available Services      What is a Disability?
Confidentiality     Eligibility & Documentation Standards
How Do I Receive Services?     Your Responsibilities

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Contact Information

E-mail: AccessServices@oc.ctc.edu

Karen Fusco
Director 
kfusco@oc.ctc.edu

Julie Evenstad
Program Assistant
jevenstad@oc.ctc.edu

Kristina Portney
Office Assistant
kportney@oc.ctc.edu

What services are available for eligible students?

Examples of Services

• Assisted registration
• Entry advising
• Transition support
• Test accommodations
• Note takers 
• Interpreting services
• Materials in alternate format
• Faculty liaison
• Campus and community referral 

Adaptive Technology

• One-handed keyboards  
• Voice recognition programs
• Voice output programs
• Computer magnification programs
• CCTV - text enlarger
• Braille embosser

              For more information contact:
              Adaptive Computer Lab (see link at right) 
              Business 100, 360.475.7510
             

Specialized Equipment

• FM systems/listening devices
• Electronic magnifiers
• Adjustable furniture
• Recording devices
• Talking & large screen calculators
• Digital talking book players
• Electronic dictionaries & spelling aids
• Adaptive weight training   
  

What is a disability?

• Chronic/acute health conditions
• Hearing impairments/deafness
• Learning disabilities/ADD
• Mobility impairments
• Neurological impairments
• Psychological/emotional disorders
• Speech/language disorders
• Visual impairments/blindness
  

What about confidentiality?

Who is eligible and what do I need for documentation?

Services and/or accommodations are available to all students with disabilities who provide documentation in accordance with Olympic College documentation standards.
 

1. Include a diagnostic statement identifying the disability, date of the current diagnostic evaluation, and the date of the original diagnosis.
2. Be current, typically within the last three years.  The age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the disabling condition, its interaction with development across the life span, the presence or absence of significant events (since the original diagnosis) that would impact functioning, and the current status of the student at the time of the request for accommodation.
3. Include a summary of the evaluation procedures as well as the diagnostic tests/evaluation results used to make the diagnosis.
4. Provide a description of the current functional impact or limitations of the disability on learning or other major life activities.
5. Address, as appropriate, the relevance of accommodation requests to the diagnosed disability. 
6. When appropriate, the relevance of accommodation requests to the diagnosed disability.
7. When appropriate, include treatments, medication, and assistive devices currently prescribed or in use.
8. Include the credentials of the diagnosing professional(s).

In addition to the requirements listed above, certain disabilities may have additional guidelines, as outlined below:

Psychiatric Disabilities:  Documentation must also include the DSM-IV diagnosis and a summary of present symptoms, in a written report from a psychiatrist, licensed psychologist, certified social worker( CSW or ACSW) or licensed professional counselor.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder:  Documentation must include a statement of the presenting problem; testing that verifies a pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity that currently affects learning; identification of DSM-IV criteria for ADHD; report summary and rationales for accommodations using evidence from the evaluation.  Professionals considered acceptable for evaluating ADHD are licensed physicians, neuropsychologists, and psychologists.

Learning Disabilities:  Documentation should validate the need for services based on the individual's current functioning in the educational setting.  A school plan such as an individualized education plan (IEP) or a 504 plan is insufficient documentation, but it can be included as part of a more comprehensive diagnostic battery.  A comprehensive assessment battery and the resulting diagnositc report should include a diagnostic interview, assessment of aptitude, academic achievement, information processing, and a diagnosis.  Assessment, and any resulting diagnosis, should consist of and be based on a comprehensive assessment battery, which does not rely on any one test or subtest.  Individual "learning styles", "learning differences", "academic problems", and "test difficulty or anxiety", in and of themselves, do not constitute a learning disability.  The tests used should be reliable, valid and standardized for use with an adolescent/adult population.  The test findings should document both the nature and severity of the learning disability.  The following professionals would generally be considered qualified to evaluate specific learning disabilities provided they have additional training and experience in the assessment of learning problems in adolescents and adults:  clinical or eduational psychologists, school psychologists, neuropsychologists, learning disabilities specialists, and medical doctors.

Additional Information Regarding Your Documentation

Recommendations from professionals with a history of working with the individual provide valuable information for the review process.  They will be included in the evaluation of requests for accommodation and/or auxiliary aids.  Where such recommendations are congruent with the programs and services offered by Olympic College, they will be given deference.  When recommendations go beyond the services provided by the college, they may be used to suggest potential referrals to service providers outside the college.

For individuals who are or have recently been receiving services from a state rehabilitation agency, the requested disability information may be contained in your most recent eligibility evaluation and/or your vocational plan.

For individuals transferring from another college, information related to your disability will not be sent with a transcript request.  You must request that information separately.  Additionally, the information requested at Olympic College may or may not have been a part of your previous college's evaluation process.

For individuals who have recently been receiving services from a public school system, the information requested may be found in your most recent psycho-educational battery/evaluation summary.  This information must be requested separately from your high school transcripts.

The office of Access Services shall make appropriate determination or reasonable accommodations for students based on documentation provided.  The authority to make such decisions on behalf of the institution has been assigned by the President of the College.

How do I receive services?

• Submit documentation to the Office of Access Services and schedule an intake appointment.
• Documentation is evaluated prior to the intake appointment.
• Student meets with the Access Services Director to discuss services, auxiliary aids, and/or  accommodations as appropriate, and provides a copy of his/her class schedule.
• Policies and procedures, accommodation plan, faculty letters, and support services, etc. are explained to the student.
• Services and/or accommodations are implemented.
• Continuing students must provide Access Services a copy of their schedule and request services each quarter.
  

What are my responsibilities?

It is the student's responsibility to personally request accommodations through the Access Services Office each quarter . Students are encouraged to initiate the process as early as possible. The college will endeavor to respond to all requests in a timely manner; however, certain accommodations, auxiliary aids and services (e.g. interpreters, alternative formats, readers, special furniture) may require substantial advance notice. Requests for these accommodations should be received a minimum of six weeks in advance of the first day of classes.

Students are also expected to meet and maintain academic standards and are encouraged to communicate with Access Services staff regarding other problems or issues as they arise.