Disability Services
Spoon River College is committed to providing support services to ensure that qualified students with documented disabilities have equal access to all educational opportunities offered by the college. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Spoon River College does not discriminate against individuals with disabilities, and provides reasonable accommodations to assist students in accessing the college admissions process, courses, and activities.
Who is eligible for services?
A student with a documented disability is eligible to receive reasonable accommodations if the disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity.
When should I request services?
It is recommended that students request services/accommodations prior to the beginning of the semester, although they can be requested at any time throughout the semester. Some accommodations take longer to institute than others (e.g. audio books, interpreters), so if not requested before classes begin, the student may not have the opportunity to experience the full benefit of the accommodation.
How do I request services?
If a student wishes to receive services and/or accommodations, they must submit documentation of their disability to the disAbility Services Advisor. Medical, psychological, and/or other appropriate diagnostic evaluations serve to document the nature and extent of the student’s disability, as well as its impact on the student in an academic environment.
Once documentation has been submitted, the student must contact the disAbility Services Advisor by emailing
disabilityservices@src.edu or calling (309) 649-6305 to schedule an appointment to complete the necessary request for accommodations forms. At this time, the disAbility Services Advisor and the student will discuss appropriate accommodations, how to access available services, and the advisor will answer any questions the student may have. If you use a TTY and need to contact us, please
Dial 711 or (800) 536-0844 and proceed as you would with a regular TTY call.
What type of documentation is needed?
The type of documentation required may vary depending on the nature of the disability, but generally should include the following information:
- A diagnostic statement identifying the disability, date of the current diagnostic evaluation, and date of the original diagnosis.
- A description of the diagnostic criteria and/or diagnostic test(s) used.
- A description of the current functional impact of the disability.
- Treatments, medications, and/or assistive devices currently prescribed or in use.
- A description of the expected progression or stability of the impact of the disability over time.
- The credentials of the diagnosing professional.
(from Lissner, L. Scott; DAIS Public Library.)
In addition to the above listed information, recommendations for specific accommodations may also be considered. Documentation should be current, preferably within the past three to five years. The age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the nature of the disabling condition and the accommodation(s) requested. Appropriate accommodations will be determined by the disAbility Services Advisor using information from documentation received and through an interview with the student. Current forms of the following documentation may be submitted:
- A medical/psychological disability verification form (available from the DSS office) completed by a qualified professional OR
- A letter or report from a qualified professional on office letterhead and signed by a qualified professional OR
- A high school IEP AND psychological assessment (the IEP alone is not sufficient documentation)
Documentation requirements based on disability type
Learning Disability and Traumatic Brain Injury - SRC requires the most recent written diagnostic evaluation report from a qualified professional (certified school or clinical psychologist, LD Specialist/Diagnostician, or physician) verifying the diagnosis of the specific disability. Names of tests administered (i.e. IQ and achievement tests) and all test scores, how the disability impacts learning, recommendations for specific learning strategies, academic support services, any prescribed medications, and any other treatments should all be included in the report. This may include a typed psychological evaluation and/or multidisciplinary staffing report (MDC). Please note, an IEP alone is not sufficient documentation.
Attention Deficit Disorder - SRC requires a physician's report or most recent psychological evaluation.
Hearing Impaired - SRC requires an audiological report from a licensed audiologist verifying the degree of hearing loss.
Visual Impairment - SRC requires a recent visual evaluation completed by a licensed eye care specialist.
Orthopedic Impairment, Psychiatric Disability, and Other Health Disabilities - SRC requires a physician/psychiatric report on the evaluation and progress of the disability.
Once the student's documentation is on file with disAbility Support Services, located in Student Services, the student should schedule an appointment with the disAbility Services Advisor to complete the necessary information and request forms. At this time, the DS Advisor will discuss with the student the appropriate accommodations, how to access available services, and answer any questions the student may have.
Can I receive accommodations on the placement test?
Depending on the nature of a student’s disability, accommodations may be provided for the placement test. If a student believes he/she is in need of accommodations for placement testing, he/she needs to contact a disAbility Services Advisor and provide current documentation verifying a disability prior to the testing date.
