Welcome! We are glad you are here. Please take the time to read this page carefully! Click on the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), Differences between High School and College, or the Parents' Message under the menu section at left for more information or contact Disability Support Services with questions.

Under Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA including Amendments of 2008), students with documented disabilities may request accommodations that will enable them to participate in postsecondary education programs. GRCC's Disability Support Services provides academic support to qualified students with documented disabilities. Any student requesting an academic accommodation must schedule a meeting with Disability Support Services to provide documentation of disability and to complete the appropriate paperwork.

GRCC, through Disability Support Services, has the responsibility to provide every qualified student with a disability the following:

Equal access to educational and co-curricular programs, services, activities, and facilities available throughout the college.
Reasonable and effective accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids, determined on a case-by-case basis.
Confidentiality of academic and disability information, except as required by law or with the written permission of the student.

Every qualified student with a disability has the responsibility to:

Meet GRCC's qualifications, including essential technical, academic, and institutional standards.
Identify as an individual with a disability to Disability Support Services and request accommodations in a timely manner.
Provide timely and current documentation from an appropriate professional source verifying the nature of the disability, functional limitations, and the rationale for requesting a specific accommodation.
Follow specific procedures for obtaining reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids.
Become familiar with the policies and procedures governing access to accommodations at GRCC.

GRCC, through Disability Support Services, has the right to:

Maintain the college's academic standards.
Request and evaluate qualifying disability documentation.
Discuss the student's eligibility with diagnosing professionals with written consent from the student.
Select from among equally effective accommodations, adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids after consulting with the student.
Deny requests for accommodations, adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids when disability documentation does not identify a specific disability, fails to verify the need for the request, or is not provided in a timely manner.
Deny requests for accommodations, adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids that are unreasonable and inappropriate based on disability documentation, including:

Pose a threat to the health or safety of others
Constitute a fundamental change or alteration to an essential course element or academic program standard

Students who think they may qualify for Disability Support Services should contact our office at the number listed above.

Updated on 07-OCT-09
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Grand Rapids Community College

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