Disability Support Services | Hagerstown Community College
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Hagerstown Community College

Disability Support Services

Disability Support Services

Disability Support Services

It is strongly encouraged that students make phone or face to face on campus appointments. Please make an appointment.

HCC provides reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and its amendments. Although the college does not have a special education program for students with disabilities, the Disability Support Services (DSS) Office coordinates the provision of reasonable accommodations which are determined on an individual basis.

These accommodations allow students to be evaluated not on the effects of their disability, but instead on their knowledge and understanding of course material. In no case, however, will the college modify essential requirements for any course or degree program for students with disabilities.

All accommodations are based upon documentation that must be provided by a licensed or certified professional. It is the student’s responsibility to identify him/herself to the DSS Office at least two weeks prior to the start of classes to allow time for necessary arrangements to be made.

The DSS Office can assist students in the application, advising, and financial aid process as well as the accommodation process.  Please feel free to contact DSS staff with questions pertaining to any of these areas.

Common Accommodations Include:

  • Testing in a quiet, distraction-free area
  • Extended testing time
  • Tests read to the student
  • Note takers
  • Use of a tape recorder
  • Special seating, usually in the front of the room
  • Written copies of orally presented materials
  • Lecture outlines
  • Use of a calculator
  • Use of a word processor for assignments
  • Use of interpreters
     

How Do I Obtain Accommodations?

  1. Make an appointment for an initial intake meeting with a DSS staff member by calling 240-500-2530.
  2. At this intake meeting, necessary paperwork will be completed and appropriate accommodations will be discussed. Relevant disability documentation should be brought to this meeting.
  3. Stop by the DSS Office during the first week of classes each semester to pick up your accommodation forms.
  4. Ask professors to sign an accommodation form, discuss with them which accommodations may be needed for that specific course, and sign the forms yourself.
  5. Return the signed forms to the DSS Office.
     

Documentation Guidelines

Generally documentation should be recent and include a formal evaluation, diagnosis of a disability, and provide recommendations concerning academic accommodations

  • Documentation should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, examining the impact of the disability on the student and within the specific context of the request for accommodations;
  • Determination of a disability should not require the use of any specific language;
  • Documentation may be augmented by interview with the student and contact with the evaluator for needed clarification;
  • Determination of accommodations is an interactive process and should not be dictated by any one party;
  • Documentation of a specific disability does not translate directly into a specific accommodation or set of accommodations Disability documentation will be treated in a confidential manner.

If students suspect that they have a disability and do not have appropriate documentation, please see the referral list or contact the Disability Support Services (DSS) Office.

Tuition Waiver for Students with Disabilities 

Students with documented disabilities in Maryland and receiving SSI and SSDI benefits are eligible for a tuition waiver. Students must complete a FAFSA and the required documentation with the Academic Advising and Registration Office. Your FAFSA and other paperwork must be submitted by the first day of classes to be considered eligible for that semester. The paperwork submitted will last for one year. The waiver will only apply to tuition not covered by the Pell Grant and other scholarships (student loans are not included). More information at: mhec.maryland.gov

Complaints Related to Disability

Students with disabilities who have complaints regarding the provision of an academic accommodations or regarding the physical accessibility of the campus should contact the Manager of Disability Support Services (DSS) and make an appointment to discuss the complaint. The Manager of DSS will work with students and instructors (if appropriate) to try to resolve the issue. The Manager can be reached at 240-500-2273.

Disability Forms

Additional Information