Accessibility Resources

The primary purpose of the Accessibility Resources office at the University of Cincinnati Clermont College is to give students with disabilities the opportunity to achieve their academic goals.

To initiate these specialized services, students need to self-identify and have the proper documentation sent to the director of Accessibility Resources. The director also acts as a liaison with other college officers and departments including faculty, advising/scheduling, bookstore and any other referrals.

The most appropriate academic assistance in the classroom and/or at the college will be developed to the mutual satisfaction of the student, faculty and the director of Accessibility Resources.

All UC Clermont College students who require academic accommodations or other specialized services due to disabilities should refer to the following information or contact the director of Accessibility Resources to access these services.

Mission Statement

The mission of the University of Cincinnati Clermont College Accessibility Resources office is threefold:

It seeks to ensure that all students with disabilities can freely and actively participate in all facets of college life.
Through this effort, it hopes to provide and coordinate support services to maximize students' educational potential and develop their independence to the fullest extent possible by providing and coordinating support services.
Finally, this program strives to increase the level of awareness among the UC Clermont College community so that students with disabilities are able to perform at a level limited only by their abilities, not their disabilities.

Upon receipt of necessary documentation, appropriate academic assistance and support services are provided based on individual need. With a goal of equal educational access in mind, Accessibility Resources creates opportunities for and promotes educational experiences, services and enrichment to persons with disabilities.

See UC's Access to Education Policy page for more information.

Guidelines & Forms (PDF)

Guidelines for Vertification of a Learning Disability

Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American with Disabilities Act of 1990, students with verified learning disabilities are protected from discrimination and ensured equal access at the post-secondary level. Students are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and particular attention is paid to how the learning disability classifies as an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity (i.e. learning).

The following are basic guidelines that are recommended in order to ensure eligibility and to support requests for reasonable accomodations. Each student will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

A diagnosis of a learning disability must be made by a qualified professional, i.e. licensed school psychologist, learning disabilities specialist, community psychologist familiar with psycho- educational testing.
Testing should be current and conducted within the past three years for students transitioning from high school or five years for adult students in order to appropriately assess a student’s current functional limitations. For students who have been out of school for a number of years, documentation will be handled on a case-by-case basis. The student may be required to submit more recent documentation.
All documentation should support the need for services based on the individual’s current level of functioning in the educational setting. Individual Educational Programs (IEPs) or 504 Plans with- out psycho-educational test scores are not sufficient documentation but can be included to provide valuable information about services previously received by the student.
Tests must be reliable, valid, and standardized for use with an adolescent/adult population. The scores must support the identification of a substantial limitation to the major life function of learning.
Accommodation needs can change over time and are not always identified through the initial diagnostic process. A prior history of service does not always guarantee eligibility for a similar accommodation while at UC Clermont. It is helpful if the diagnostic report includes specific recommendations for accommodations and gives an explanation as to why each accommodation is recommended.
The Disability Service Office reserves the right to determine eligibility to provide accommodations based on the quality of documentation received.
Students have the right to appeal or file a grievance according to University of Cincinnati policy. Guidelines for these actions are given in the Policies and Procedures manual published by the Disability Services Office.
All documentation relating to an individual’s disability is kept confidential and separate from the student’s educational records.
Transfer students should obtain written verification from their previous institution which includes the dates served and accommodations used. Every effort will be made to evaluate services previously received and to provide comparable services, however, this is not guaranteed.
Students who desire to transfer to another institution should contact the new institution in a timely fashion in order to have their documentation reviewed by the appropriate disability services staff. Students need to be aware that since students are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, accommodations that have been previously received at one institution may not be provided at another institution.
Students who suspect they may have a learning disability or who have documentation that is out of date may contact the Disability Services Office at (513) 732-5327 for testing referral information.