Getting the Process Going

For the Student with a Documented Disability

To ensure that students with disabilities have access to a Jackson State Community College education, we provide accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA defines disability as “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.”  Colleges are required to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with documented disabilities, as long as the accommodations do not create a significant burden to the college, change the nature of a program, or disrupt instruction. 

In order to support your needs, we need to know that you want our assistance, and we need to understand your disability. As a student, it is your responsibility to voluntarily and confidentially disclose information regarding the nature of your disability to our Disability Resource Center (DRC) staff.

Starting the Process

You must be admitted to JSCC and registered for classes in order to begin the process.  If you are not registered for classes, your request cannot be processed.  We encourage you to begin the process before the semester starts, but we understand that this is not always possible. 

The process begins when you complete a DRC intake form.  After you fill submit the form, you will receive an email with information about how to submit documentation from your healthcare provider. Please click on "Recommended Documentation for Disabilities" in the menu on the left for information about the type of documentation we recommend in order to support your needs.

Once you are registered for classes, fill out the Disability Resource Center Intake Form.

After We Receive Your Intake Form and Documentation

After receiving the intake form and documentation, the DRC will discuss your needs and determine appropriate accommodations for your classes.

Once accommodations have been determined, the DRC will send emails to you and your instructors with a link to your accommodations form. Once notified, you must discuss how the accommodations will be provided with your instructor, but you are not required to disclose your specific disability.

Please be aware that no accommodation is given prior to submission of an intake form, verification of disability, and discussion with your instructor. Accommodations are not retroactive.

Every semester, you will need to contact the DRC to notify the staff that you request accommodations. In most cases, you will not need to submit a new intake form or documentation; however, accommodations are not provided automatically each semester.

Other Important Information

If there is disagreement concerning accommodations between a faculty member and a student, the dean shall be contacted and included in the discussion as a mediator. Further assistance may be pursued through the Vice President for Student Services.

The student may appeal decisions made during this process by following the grievance procedure in the current Jackson State Catalog/Student Handbook.

The college has a right to seek additional medical/psychological evaluations paid for by the college, but must provide disputed accommodations until such information is obtained.

The student attends class and utilizes the allowed accommodation(s) as they choose.