MSC provides services for students with disabilities on both the Macon and Warner Robins campuses. Please contact the Disability Support Center of the Counseling and Career Center for information about eligibility of services and accommodations:

Counseling and Career Center
Macon State College
478/471.2714
Fax: 478/471.5730
TDD: 478/471.5798

The Disability Support Services office of the Counseling and Career Center provides services and supports for MSC students with disabilities in order for these students to have equal opportunities to benefit from all programs, services and activities offered at MSC. Disability Support Services offers the following services:

• Recommendations for program accommodations in accordance with recent documentation which meets the criteria established by the University System of Georgia
• Referral to appropriate student support services on campus
• Information and assistance in the area of academic planning
• Liaison activities between faculty, staff and students with disabilities
• Referral to off-campus resources
• Alternative testing
• Consultation with public school administrators, rehabilitation or high school counselors, parents, and prospective students concerning MSC services for students with disabilities.

Disability Support Services will not:

• Perform psycho-educational diagnostic assessments
• Offer self-contained classes or training programs for students with learning disabilities
• Ask faculty to compromise the quality of instruction or evaluation or sacrifice class standards.

For some students, reading a textbook can be a laborious or impossible task due to a reading disability or a visual impairment. These students require textbooks in an alternative format in order to have access to the information presented in the books. In order for the books to be put in another format ( i.e. digital or audio or Braille), textbooks are scanned then recorded by our office or ordered on tape through Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic. Both processes are very time consuming and can take months to complete.

Using metaphors are a part of the English language and are a natural way to communicate. For example, saying “Do you see what I mean?” or “See you later” is not considered offensive to a student who is blind or visually impaired, and there is no need to apologize. People with disabilities may also use such metaphors to get their point across.

Students with disabilities may use assistive technology or services that require additional time to use. Also, students with learning disabilities may require extra time in order to process and comprehend the information on the test or to write their answers to the questions.

The student’s documentation is given in confidence to the Director of the Counseling and Career Center or appropriate staff member of this office. By law, students have the right not to share any information about their disability.

However, some students may choose to share information with their professors. As long as a student has a Faculty Letter for Accommodations from the MSC Counseling and Career Center office, the professor is required to implement the accommodations. If you have any questions about the accommodations, please contact our office to discuss your concerns.

Students, approved for test accommodations, should provide you with a letter from Disability Services indicating the testing accommodations needed. Test accommodations may include but are not limited to: extended time, low distraction environment or private room, use of a computer, large print, scribe, or reader. Specific accommodations are specified in the letter.

A low distraction environment is a testing locale with minimal interruptions and limited noise. Smaller classrooms with few students or a quiet office would be suitable. It is important to discuss the proposed testing environment with the student in order to determine the appropriateness of the testing environment.

It is not necessary for the instructor to contact Disability Services if providing test accommodations within the division nor is it necessary to complete Testing Accommodations forms. Note: Disability Services does not expect you to change course guidelines or standards. The purpose of the accommodations is to ensure equal educational opportunity.

The student will give you an accommodation letter that verifies that he/she is qualified to receive accommodations. This letter also states what type of accommodations the student will need. If you have questions or concerns about the letter of accommodations, please contact the Counseling and Career Center instead of asking the student. A student approached me after class, and told me that he has a disability and would like accommodations although he did not give me a letter from the Counseling and Career Center.

You are under no obligation to provide accommodations to students who do not have a letter of accommodations. Direct that student to the Counseling and Career Center so the Director and the student, together, can determine what accommodations are needed to meet the student’s needs, if the student is eligible for services.

Students with disabilities are to uphold the same honor code stated in the MSC Student Handbook. When a student with a disability breaks the honor code he/she must also face the same consequences as students without disabilities.

Disabilities are often described as “visible or invisible”. Invisible disabilities are those which the characteristics are not obvious to an independent observer, and may involve cognitive processing or psychological challenges. Typical invisible disabilities include learning disabilities, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, traumatic brain injuries and psychological impairments. Encourage students to get a letter of accommodations from the Disability Support Center of the Counseling and Career Center. The Director reviews student documentation to determine if the student has a disability and authorizes appropriate accommodations.

By providing the extra time, the student can be evaluated for what she/he knows about the material being tested rather than the effects of his/her disability, therefore, leveling the playing field.

Some students with disabilities attempt courses without obtaining their accommodations. They may feel embarrassed to disclose their disability, or they may feel they do not need the accommodations. At the middle or end of the semester, they may realize that they need to access the accommodations to which they are eligible to receive, in order to maximize their classroom performance. You can help facilitate the process of students disclosing formally to the college by including a statement on your syllabus. When the student speaks with you concerning their disability, refer them to Disability Support Center of the Counseling and Career Center if they do not have an accommodation letter.

The student’s accommodations begin at the point that you receive the accommodation letter. Accommodations are not retroactive and hence will not apply to any of the student’s work prior to receiving the letter of accommodations.

No. Student with disabilities are held to the same academic standards as all MSC students. However, students with disabilities may require modifications/accommodations so that they may fully participate in the lessons, assignments, and tests.

Students with all types of disabilities attend MSC. Common disabilities include learning disabilities, blindness, deafness, ADHD, psychological disorders, motor/orthopedic impairments and chronic health impairments.

Students with an auditory processing deficit may have a difficult time relying only on lectures to access information. Whenever possible, it would be helpful to add a visual prompt to your lecture. This would not only enhance learning for those students with auditory processing problems, but also for the students in your class who are visual learners. They can also benefit from having an outline or script of the class material prior to class lecture.

Students generally obtain note takers. Students have the following options:

• Locating note takers on their own before involving the instructors or requesting assistance from their instructors in locating a note taker.
• Students must present the instructor with a letter of accommodation that requests his/her assistance in locating a peer note taker in the class.
• If students or instructors are unable to find a note taker in the class, the student and/or instructor should inform the Director of the Counseling and Career Center so that they can attempt to locate a note taker or make other arrangements.
• If overhead displays or power point presentations are used, students may request paper copies from instructors.

If students decide to disclose their disability and receive accommodations, the first step for the student is to visit the Disability Support Center of the Counseling and Career Center. A professional staff member will decide if the student is qualified to receive accommodations. If qualified, a decision regarding the types of accommodations that will benefit the student will be made. MSC provides many services to students with or without disabilities to assist them in their academic journey. Students can access these services regardless of disclosing their disability. Some of the services are provided below:

• Academic Resource Center ( Macon and WRC campuses)
• Tutoring
• Computer Tutorials
• Lap top check out for students
• Assistive Technology in MSC Library – first priority to SWD
• Counseling and Career Center
• Student Support Services
• Academic Advising Center

The Disability Support Center of the Counseling and Career Center does not determine course attendance policies at MSC. In some cases, attendance is fundamental to course objectives: for example, students may be required to participate in hands-on learning activities, to interact with others in the class, to demonstrate the ability to think and argue critically, or to participate in group projects. Faculty or the divisions are responsible for setting attendance policies as well as policies on make-up work and missed quizzes and exams. However, faculty is free to be flexible in situations where the disability is clearly a mitigating factor. Faculty should make their policies clear in order for students to make informed decisions about what course to take. Faculty can do this by announcing course policies on the first day of class and by including this information on their syllabus.

A reasonable accommodation is a modification or adjustment to a course, program, activity, or facility that enables a qualified individual with a disability to have an equal opportunity to attain the same level of performance or to enjoy equal benefits and privileges as are available to an individual without a disability. Some common academic accommodations include extended time on tests, use of peer note takers, use of computer with spell check, and provision of sign language interpreters.

If you have a question, or think you will have difficulty providing an accommodation requested, the first step is to call the Disability Services staff person who wrote the Faculty Accommodation Request form you received from the student. The staff person will be able to clarify any information, as well as assist you with the resources you need to provide the accommodation. In some cases, clarification involves working with the student and Disability Services to adjust the recommendations for your particular academic situation.

Students have a responsibility to give instructors and Disability Services adequate time to arrange accommodations. Disability Services encourages students to self-identify early in the semester. Instructors can help by announcing, in class and in the syllabus, an invitation for students to identify themselves early in the semester. Once a student identifies him/herself to the instructor as having a disability and requests disability-related accommodations authorized by Disability Services, Macon State College has a legal responsibility to make reasonable attempts to accommodate the need, even late in the semester. However, there is no responsibility to provide accommodations prior to identification; for example, allowing the student to retake exams with extended time. Instructors should feel free to contact Disability Services for assistance on arrangements for last minute requests.

Treat the student as you would any student who is not performing well in your class. Invite the student to your office during office hours to discuss reasons for the failing performance and what resources the student may use to improve. Encourage the student to get in touch with Disability Services to discuss some additional strategies to improve his or her grades. Contact the Disability Services staff person who initiated the Faculty Accommodations Request form to discuss any additional concerns.

A student with a disability should be treated as you would any student who is interrupting class with an incident report to the Dean of Students. However, if you sense there is a medical reason for the student’s action, the Disability Services staff person working with the student should be consulted to determine if there is a solution to the problem.