Welcome to Disability Services at Kaua'i Community College!
Academic Accommodations
Contact Information
Alicia Sams, M.S., CRC
Student Support Counselor
Disability Services Coordinator
Phone: 808-245-8317
Email: samsa@hawaii.edu
Location: Student Counseling Office, One Stop Center.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to contact our Disabilities Services Coordinator, well before the registration deadline, and/or services are needed, to provide ample time to review and verify requests.
Getting Started
Students must self-identify their request for disability services and complete the intake process before receiving reasonable accommodations for the first time.
Students must formally request specific academic accommodations/auxiliary aids and substantiate that request with supporting documentation.
-
Meet with the disability services counselor
to make an appointment call 245-8317 or email samsa@hawaii.edu -
Identify Yourself
as a student with a disability -
Provide Current Documentation
about your disability from a qualified professional, which includes information about how your disability affects your ability to learn in the classroom setting -
Engage in an Interactive Process
with the disability services counselor to determine reasonable accommodations for your specific limitations -
Provide your Accommodation Form to Your Instructor
prior to the start of class -
Have a Conversation
with your instructors about your requested accommodations so they know how to best assist you -
Return to the Disability Counselor Before the Start of Every Semester
to renew your accommodations
Academic Accommodations
- Note Taking Service, Readers, and Scribes
- Alternative Format for Instructional Materials
- Testing Accommodations
- Priority Registration if physical access is a concern
- Priority Seating
- Assistive Technology
- Accessible Tables and Chairs
- American Sign Language Interpreters
- Other reasonable accommodations as determined
Mission Statement:
Kauaʻi Community College is committed to providing all students with equitable access to its programs and services. This commitment is in accordance with applicable state and federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Students with Disabilities Taking Distance Education Classes in the UH System
Students with disabilities who have identified with their home campus disabilities services office should contact their home campus to inform them of any DE courses taken at another campus. The disability services representative from their home campus will assist in informing the student of the disability services processes on that campus. Students with disabilities are responsible for self-identifying in a timely manner and will obtain their accommodation letter from the campus disability representative where the DE course is offered.
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Student Resources
- To self identify having a disability
- To express the need for accommodations in a timely manner
- To provide disability documentation to the Disability Services Office
- To demonstrate or document how the disability affects a particular delivery system, instructional method, or evaluation criteria when requesting an accommodation
- To actively obtain, arrange, and participate in the search for accommodations and auxiliary aids (this responsibility can extend to working with the institution to seek financial assistance from government agencies and private sources).
- To follow the same obligations as any other student to meet and maintain the institution’s academic and technical standards
- The right to be evaluated based on your abilities, not your disability
- Entitled to an equal opportunity to learn
- If the location, delivery system, or instructional methodology limits your access, participation in, or ability to benefit, you have the right to reasonable accommodations in those aspects of the source (or program) to accommodate your disability
- The right to appeal the institution’s decision concerning accommodations
- First internally, by filing a petition with the Interim Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Thomas No‘eau Keopuhiwa, noeau.keopuhiwa@hawaii.edu or by phone at 808-245-8274
- Then by filing a complaint with the regional Office of Civil Rights or through the Civil Court System
- Accommodations may not alter course curriculum, assignments, or the syllabus of the instructor
- Post-secondary institutions may not mirror any accommodations made for students in their high school classes or mentioned in their 504/IEP
- No 1-to-1 services will be provided to students with disabilities (i.e. educational assistant) nor does the college automatically allow any 1 to 1 services to accompany a student with a disability
- Students may utilize or bring their own resources to class as long as it’s approved by the Disability Services Office
Faculty and Staff Resources
Kauaʻi Community College is committed to providing all students with equitable access to its programs and services. This commitment is in accordance with applicable state and federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 stipulates that no otherwise qualified person due to a disability may be denied the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.
In addition to Section 504, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits public entities (e.g., state government, public schools, public colleges) from denying qualified persons with disabilities the right to participate in or benefit from the services, programs, or activities that they provide, and from subjecting such individuals to discrimination if the exclusion or discrimination is due to the person having a disability.
A student’s participation in disability services is voluntary and students with disabilities are not obligated to disclose any disability related information or are mandated to receive accommodations.
Please view a student's accommodation letter as a conversation starter to determine how best to provide an accessible learning environment. If you have other ideas regarding how to create access for your course beyond what is listed in this letter, we encourage you to speak with the student to explore alternative modifications. You are also welcome to consult with the Disability Service Office to discuss course design, learning objectives and reasonable access options.
If you have any concerns about the feasibility of an accommodation in your course, please contact us. We want to learn more about your course design and collaborate on a plan that works for everyone. Note: It is important to never deny a student's accommodation request without first consulting with our office.
Students can register with the Disability Services Office and/or request accommodations in a course at any time during the semester. However, students are expected to make proactive requests within a reasonable timeframe. Accommodations are designed to be implemented at the point of request moving forward. Retroactive accommodations are typically only given at instructor discretion. We encourage you to consult with us when considering retroactive requests.
- Utilize the campus provided syllabus statement each semester
- Promptly respond to accommodation requests
- Respect the student’s right to confidentiality
- Consult with the Disability Services Office when you have a question/concern about a request
- Provide accessible course material
High School Students in Transition
If you are a high school student with a disability please visit the U.S. Department of Education website regarding Preparing for Postsecondary Education to learn more about the civil rights of students with disabilities in postsecondary education institutions.