Student Accessibility Services

Student Accessibility Services (SAS)

Student Accessibility Services Mission Statement

The Student Accessibility Services (SAS) department cultivates an accessible and inclusive community where students with permanent and temporary disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in all aspects of campus life. We facilitate student learning and access through partnerships with students, faculty, and staff.

About SAS Getting started Services Faculty and Staff information Appeal and Complaint process

About SAS

Our services:

Student Accessibility Services (SAS) provides direct services to Central Arizona College students. SAS arranges, coordinates, or facilitates appropriate academic accommodations, auxiliary aids, and interpreting services to support students’ curricular and co-curricular pursuits. CAC also provides reasonable accommodations for student’s with disabilities living in Residence Halls.

We serve as a resource to Central Arizona College instructors, departments, faculty members, and other staff members as they strive to make their classes, programs, services, and activities accessible to students with disabilities.

Hours of business

Central Arizona College business hours are Monday- Thursday (closed on Friday) from 8 AM to 6 PM.

Our Location:

Central Arizona College offices are located in Coolidge, Ariviapa, Maricopa, San Tan Valley, and Apache Junction. The Main office is located at the Signal Peak campus in Coolidge Arizona
8470 N Overfield Road, Coolidge, Arizona, 85128
email : StudentAccessibility@centralAZ.edu
Ph: 520-494-5409

Our Staff

Student Accessibility Services (SAS)

8470 N Overfield Road
Coolidge, AZ,85128
Department email address: StudentAccessibility@centralaz.edu
Department phone: 520-494-5409

Department business hours:

Monday-Thursday ( Central Arizona College is closed on Friday)
8:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Director, Cheryl Hernandez, MA, C.R.C.
Cheryl.Hernandez@centralaz.edu
520-494-5409

mariela felix bio pic

Mariela Felix
Program Assistant
Mariela.Felix@centralaz.edu
520-494-5524

Please read prior to scheduling with the SAS Department

Welcome to Central Arizona College! We look forward to working with you.

The college is dedicated to providing equal access through a welcoming and inclusive environment for individuals with disabilities and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. Discrimination on the basis of a disability is prohibited. The college provides reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified disabled students in all university programs and activities and strives to maintain access to all aspects of a student’s education experience.

No student shall be retaliated against for seeking accommodation under this policy or for participating in any grievance procedures brought against the university because of alleged noncompliance with the policy. CAC’s Student Accessibility Services department provides services to students with temporary health issues or permanent disabilities.

To begin the process:

- Please ensure that the student is admitted to Central Arizona College. Use this link to the online application
- Please email documentation of disability to StudentAccessibility@Centralaz.edu at least 4 business hours prior to your appointment.
- If you are unsure of what documentation is needed, please use this link for Documentation Guidelines . You should have a response from the SAS department within 24 business hours.
All meetings will be virtual (Zoom or Teams), by phone or face-to-face at the Signal Peak Campus in Coolidge, Arizona. Other in-person appointments can occur for special circumstances.
When possible, students should use their CAC documentation for communication with staff and faculty. Here are some Quick Tips for Online Student Access 2021 (1)
CAC does welcome family input and does welcome families to attend the meeting. Students should be the lead at the meetings. This will assist in students having ownership of their services.
Captioning is provided. If an interpreter is needed, please provide ample time (a minimum of 24 business hours) to notify SAS staff of interpreter need.
SAS staff will forward plans to their instructors. Their instructors will not have access to confidential health information, including evaluations and diagnosis.
Each semester, the SAS department will email student plans to student’s instructors. The students will be Cc’d on these emails.
If the student is registered for a summer or late-start course, the student should inform SAS staff.

Should a student have any questions or concerns with their accommodation services, it is recommended that they contact StudentAccessibility@centralaz.edu.

All services will be provided in a timely manner and are subject to change (based upon student request).

Schedule an appointment with the SAS department

About CAC Services

CAC is dedicated to providing equal access through a welcoming and inclusive environment for individuals with disabilities and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. Discrimination on the basis of a disability is prohibited. The college provides reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified disabled students in all university programs and activities and strives to maintain access to all aspects of a student’s education experience.

No student shall be retaliated against for seeking accommodation under this policy or for participating in any grievance procedures brought against the College because of alleged noncompliance with the policy. Central Arizona College Disability Services Office provides services to students with temporary health issues or permanent disabilities. You can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply for accommodations through this office. We’re here to assist you in a timely manner, regardless of location or modality of your course of study.

Services may include, but are not limited to:

Additional time for individual tests or quizzes.
Sign language interpreters (ASL, Captioning, and CART services)
Note takers (electronic recordings, suing Otter Voice Recording and student note takers)
A quiet or private place to take exams or quizzes
Recording class lecture
Scribe
Assistive technology options for testing (Kurzweil 3000, Zoom Text, and JAWS)
Kurzweil 3000 Text-to-Speech available for students to download on their personal computer.
Braille and book conversion services. Digital book access.
And others that pertain to your individual needs

Student Educational Responsibilities

Student Responsibilities:

Students are responsible to submit all homework assignments in accordance to the syllabus. It is not a typical accommodation for students to submit late course work in higher education.
Students should keep track of all assignments, quizzes, and course work.
Students are responsible to contact their instructors, if they are having difficulty in the course.
Student must advocate for themselves and contact the SAS department if they are in need of assistance.
Students are responsible to provide their own technology for homework assignments. They may use lap top loaners or may use the technology in the testing center when available.
Central Arizona College does not prove a health aid for students. Students would be responsible to finance and secure their own health aid.
It is student responsibility to remember important academic dates. This may include college approved holidays or closure dates and registration and withdrawal dates. This information can be found on our website at WWW.Centralaz.edu/Academics/Academic Calendar. Or please use this link
Students who are approved for a private or quiet testing environment are responsible to schedule their private room independently. They may email the testing centers at:
- - Superstition Mountain Campus; SMC.Testingcenter@centralaz.edu
  - Signal Peak Campus; SPC.Testingcenter@centralaz.edu
  - San Tan Valley Campus; STC@Testingcenter@centralaz.edu
  - Ariviapa Campus; AVC@Testingcenter@centralaz.edu

Please include student name, ID number, course, date, time and amount of testing time needed in your email. Further information about testing and remote testing can be found on the CAC Testing Center Webpage.

Students may also schedule tutoring services. Tutoring services are available at each campus location and are available in person or virtually. In person tutoring services are available regardless of course modality (online students may also have face-to-face tutoring at one of our campus locations) . For tutoring information, please see the Tutoring Services department

Interpreting Services

Central Arizona College will provide interpreting services for students who are deaf or have a hearing loss. Services may include ASL (wither virtual or in-person), captioning services, and CART services (either virtual or in-person).

To request interpreting services, please email StudentAccessibility@centralaz.edu. The following information is essential to begin the process:

At least 24 hour business day notice for a one time interpreting service and one full week notice for an entire semester.
First and Last Name of person needing services, date of service, time beginning and ending and student ID, if applicable). Please indicate what service you would prefer.
Once received, SAS staff will respond (within 24 hours) that they have received the request
SAS staff will make every attempt possible to locate an interpreter for the desired appointment.
It is CAC procedure to hire two interpreters for any meetings over 50 minutes
Interpreters will be virtual for virtual meetings and in person for face-to-face-meetings.
Interpreters will be provided for all student meetings and curricular activities, upon request.
Parents needing accommodations will be provided an interpreter for all meetings that the student has invited their parents too.
Students should attempt to cancel appointments in a timely manner, if they cannot attend.
Students will notify SAS staff of any schedule changes that affect interpreting services.

Central Arizona College is required to use Arizona State vendors for procurement purposes. CAC cannot provide preference to one vendor over another.

Family and friends are not certified interpreters and certified interpreters should be used in all academic services and meetings.

Referral Process

Central Arizona College strives to create a community of access and inclusion on campus. Many students first disclose their disability to a faculty/staff member before establishing services with Student Accessibility Services. Below are some ways to help connect students with disabilities and/or health conditions to our office.

CAC procedure requests that faculty have a current Student Accesssibility Services syllabus statement written in their course syllabus
It is CAC procedure to read the statement outload or create an announcement to the class, reviewing the statement. (It is suggested that faculty inform all students of the supportive services at CAC, such as SAS, Trio, learning center services, and Library services).
If a student discloses that they have a disability and need assistance, faculty are required to refer this student to the SAS department. They may wish to follow this up with an email for documentation purposes. Best practice is to email the student the SAS web page. Failure to refer students to the Student Accessibility Services department is a violation of policy and federal law.
Students do not need to say the word “Disability” to be referred to the SAS department. Students who disclose receiving assistance services in the past or who have a medical condition that is creating some barrier to education should be referred. Ex. student says “I have had difficulty reading my whole life and have had help in high school”.
Faculty must be confidential. Faculty should not discuss this student’s plan or disability (if known) unless there is a need-to-know reason for the other person to be informed. This may include; discussions with SAS staff or their department chair.
Faculty should not make assumptions about a student regarding disability status.

The Interactive process

Interactive Process

SAS will always endeavor to protect the legitimate standards of a class when determining a student’s academic adjustments and services, and may contact you as part of the accommodation determination process. Moreover if you have a question or concern related to a student’s accommodation, please contact Student Accessibly Services (SAS) as opposed to the student. If you would like to meet with the director of Student Accessibility Services, Please schedule here.

In addition, some accommodations are more complex and may prompt questions about proper implementation or how SAS can assist. Again, don’t hesitate to contact the SAS department. A brief discussion with SAS typically can help to clarify questions or concerns.

If an instructor disagrees with an accommodation/service, they can contact the SAS department.
If the student’s course of student requires a clinical/ practicum experience or hand’s on experience, the SAS department will likely consult with the department lead or faculty member to ensure that the interactive process is upheld. The interactive process or the “planning meeting” helps to ensure that due diligence is followed for this student. Faculty are required to participate in this process. Failure to comply with this process is a violation of ADA standards.
Faculty are required to respond to the SAS department within a 48 hour period to begin scheduling a meeting to discuss this important step for accommodation planning.

The interactive process helps to:

Provide equal access to courses, programs, and activities;
Ensure non-discrimination in accordance with policy, state and federal laws;
Provide reasonable accommodations in a timely manner; and
Provide courses, programs, services, and facilities in the most integrated and appropriate setting.

Accommodation Plan Process

Accommodations are provided on an individual basis in order to address the barriers that impact a student’s ability to learn, participate and perform in the educational environment. Accommodations are put in place during an initial intake appointment, during which a student will meet with the director of Student Accessibility Services to review the student’s documentation and to discuss the nature of their disability and the impact it has had on their learning and their experience in the educational environment. Although the plan is individualized, the plan must follow the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, sections 504 & 508 and the American’s with Disabilities guidelines.

Disability accommodation plans cannot fundamentally alter a program or course and cannot lower the strategic goals of the course. If you feel that this plan will alter the standards of the course, please contact the SAS department at StudentAccessibility@centralaz.edu or 520-494-5409.

Procedure:

Faculty receive a Student Accommodation letter (by email) approximately a week prior to semester start. However, plans may be sent to faculty at any time during the semester.
The letter will outline the approved services and the accommodations.
Faculty should remain confidential.
Faculty should ensure that the plan services/accommodations are provided.
Faculty should extend testing time in Black Board or other educational software and complete a Test Request form or link: TRF . The TRF is required to inform the learning center of approved testing accommodations for your student. This is completed by faculty. Faculty will add any special instructions (ex. private testing room or screen reader) on the form and in the “Comments” section on the form. Please send the form to the email addresses on the form. If you have questions about the TRF, please contact the Learning Center for further information.
Faculty should follow all accommodations on the letter.
If there is a special service in the classroom, such as ASL interpreting or CART services, the SAS department should notify faculty with as much notice as possible.

Services

Faculty Rights and Responsibilities

Contact information: Email (preferred: StudentAccessibility@centralaz.edu), Microsoft Teams , and phone (520-494-5409).

YOUR RIGHTS

Receive the Accommodation Letter from the Student Accessibility Department with as much notice as possible.
Consult with and receive support from SAS staff regarding any disability- or accommodation-related questions or concerns you may have. We are here to help!

If you are concerned about a student’s behavior (such as frequently missing classes), please contact SAS and we will reasonable determinations regarding absences or other items of concern.

Moreover, if you feel that a student’s request for an accommodation would fundamentally alter the essential elements of your course or require you to create additional or modified course materials, please contact our department. We can schedule a meeting to discuss your viewpoint. If there is no resolution, Faculty should file a complaint here.

LIMITATIONS TO FACULTY RIGHTS

On the other hand, it is not your right to know a student’s diagnosis or specifics of their condition or to request documentation of disability-related information such as verification of doctor visits. It is also not your right to outright deny an accommodation, determine whether an accommodation is reasonable or not, or recommend an alternative accommodation to a student. Any discussions of this nature should be initiated with SAS (not the student) or the faculty department chair (need-to-know basis).

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

Refer students requesting disability-related considerations to Student Accessibility Services. (Providing disability considerations to one student who does not provide verification of services from SAS and not another could raise an equity concern).
Ensure that courses, programs, services, and activities, when viewed in their entirety, are available in the most integrated and appropriate settings. SAS and Learning Designers can provide relevant input to this end.
If necessary engage in an interactive process with SAS to develop reasonable modifications that do not interfere with essential course or program elements and allow you to evaluate students on their abilities, not disabilities. If requested, faculty are required to meet with the SAS department to discuss student options or concerns. This interactive process is required by the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Apply the same grading criteria to students with disabilities as those without (e.g., a student’s extra time shouldn’t be “taken into consideration” when grading).
Remain confidential at all times. This includes discussing the student’s Accommodation Letter, disability, or services with other students or staff. Faculty may discuss concerns with their direct supervisor, if necessary (Need-to-Know).

Do‘s and Don’ts

Do’s

Do read the syllabus statement outload, preferably a few times a semester.
Do contact the student Accessibility Services department at StudentAccessibility@centralaz.edu or 520-494-5409, if you have any concerns or complaints.
Do Speak to your students directly and the same way you speak to other students, not slower or louder
Do speak to the student only when an interpreter is present. Try not to address the interpreter.
Do inform SAS if there is a Service Animal in your class and you have not received notification of this.
Do complete an Incident report/complaint/concern form if you feel the student’s behavior is harmful or disruptive.
include the student in any activities you would any other student.
Do use universal design in your classroom: allowing all students to record, allowing the use of laptops, or ensuring your course is accessible.
Use disability appropriate language. Here is a link for Disability Etiquette information and best practice

Don’ts

Do not assume that a person with a disability is violent.
Do not ask the student what their disability diagnosis is.
Do not make negative comments or express your dislike for a student’s service or services. This can be construed as harassment and discrimination.
Do not assume a person with a disability cannot benefit from your course.

Student Appeal and Complaint process

This process was established to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”)/Section 504 mandate to “provide for prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any action that would be prohibited.” If an individual has been denied an accommodation that they requested and would like to appeal the denial, the individual may file a complaint through the process detailed below. During the complaint process an individual should continue to fulfill academic requirements until a final determination has been provided.

The student shall complete the appeal or complaint process without fear of retaliation or differential treatment. Students are encouraged to complete an additional complaint if they feel retaliation or differential treatment.

Process:

The student should attempt to discuss their concerns with either the Director of Student Accessibility Services (SAS). The SAS director should respond to a student complaint within 3 business days (Monday-Thursday from 8 Am to 5 Pm).
The student can file a formal complaint on Central Arizona College’s complaint form. The student should receive a response in 3 business days.
The student may also file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights at any time. For more information on OCR complaints and procedures please see the Office of Civil Rights Website
After CAC has received a complaint, the Director of Student Accessibility Services will begin the interactive process.

This process and the time-frame for action includes:

- Contacting the student student to initialize the interactive process (within 3 business days of dated of complaint)
- Documenting information and contacting the department chair or supervisor of staff member involved (within 7 business days of dated complaint)
- schedule a meeting with the faculty/staff and the SAS department. (within a week of meeting with complainant). Meeting should be scheduled no longer than two weeks after the meeting with the complainant.
- Meet with involved faculty member and their direct supervisor or department chair. Also included may be the Dean of Student Affairs or VP of Student Services and VP of Academic Affairs. This meeting should be productive and should be a concerted effort to determine if the policy, procedures, or laws were violated for this student. This meeting should also include creative solution-focused problem solving to the proposed concern.
- Once a proposal is reached, the Director of Student Accessibility Services will contact the student to inform that student of the process. If the student would like to meet with the team, they are more than welcome to participate in a secondary meeting.
- Results of the meeting and resolution will be documented.

Faculty appeal and complaint process for Accommodation Services

A faculty or staff member who is asked to implement an approved accommodation for an individual but does not agree with SAS.’s determination, may also utilize the Complaint Process. A faculty or staff-initiated complaint cannot delay the implementation of an accommodation which Student Accessibility Services (SAS) believes to be in compliance with ADA – Section 504.

Faculty and staff will follow the following process for appeal or complaint:

- The faculty or staff member will email the complaint/ concern to the Student Accessibility Services department.
- If the matter is not resolved, the faculty/staff person can either contact the supervisor of the SAS department or file a formal complaint. Please use This Link for the CAC formal complaint form.
- The complainant should receive notice of receipt within 3 business days.
- Within one weeks’ time from the day of the receipt of complaint, a meeting involving the involved parties and their supervisors should be scheduled.
- The meeting should be held within 14 business days.
- If no resolution is accomplished, then the VPs of Academics and Student Services should be invited to a secondary meeting.

Support Animal Information Temporary Illness (including COVID-19), injury, Pregnancy, and Hospitalizations. Residence Life Accommodations Dual Enrollment and Early College

Service Animals

Central Arizona College (CAC) allows individuals to bring animals on college property in accordance with federal and state laws and in other situations subject to the rules outlined in this policy. The Service animal is allowed wherever the handler is, as long as the animal is safe.

A service animal is permitted on campus grounds and within college buildings and housing. This practice follows Titles II and III of the American with Disabilities Act, as amended (ADA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA).

A service animal should be a trained dog. Service animals must be registered with the Student Accessibility Department. They must be trained (not a puppy or untrained animal), vaccinated, and leashed at all times. Any disruption or aggressive behavior may result in the handler removing the animal from campus locations.

It is the handler’s responsibility to ensure that the animal is fed and well cared for.

A service animal in training is permitted on campus grounds and within college buildings. The individual accompanying the service animal in training should carry documentation indicating that the individual is an approved trainer as defined by this policy.

Steps to register a support animal;

Email StudentAccessibility@centralaz.edu with the following information:

Documentation of disability (please see Documentation Guidelines)
Vaccination record of the animal
Picture of the animal
Please read the Service and Emotional Support Animal Policy.

Once the documentation is sent, please use this link to Schedule an appointment with the SAS department

Emotional Support Animals (ESA)

An emotional support animal is permitted for an individual with a disability into their residence life housing assignment in accordance with the Fair Housing Act (FHA). However, an emotional support animal is not allowed to accompany the individual into his or her residential dining center or into any other college building.

An ESA can be any animal that is reasonably fit to live in Residence Hall dorm room. The animal must be a reasonable size to be able to reside in a dorm room. The animal must be contained within an appropriate container (for animals other than cats or dogs) and stay within the confides of the students room, other than for defecation.
The handler is responsible for ensuring that the animal is well cared for, not disruptive, not aggressive, and must be registered with the Student Accessibility Services department.

Please schedule an appointment with the SAS department if you would like to register your Emotional Support Animal. Please use this link to schedule.

Please see the Service and Emotional Support Animal Policy

Steps to register a support animal

Steps to register a support animal (Requirements are for a Service Animal and an Emotional Support Animal).

Email StudentAccessibility@centralaz.edu with the following documentation:

Documentation of disability (please see Documentation Guidelines)
Vaccination record of the animal
Picture of the animal

Once the documentation is sent, please schedule an appointment here.

Prior to your appointment, please read the Service and Emotional Support Animal Policy.

Central Arizona College has the right to deny an Support Animal if the student has not submitted the appropriate paperwork (above) or if the animal is untrained or aggressive. Students will be responsible for any damages or liability that the animal may cause.

Please use this link to Schedule an appointment with the SAS department

COVID-19

Exposure: If you have been exposed to COVID-19, you may return to face-to-face classes wearing a well fitted mask for a minimum of 10 days.

Positive Results: If you have tested positive for COVID-19 and need assistance for absence from face-to-face courses, please submit a COVID-19 Reporting Form. Once received, the SAS department will notify your instructors in your behalf and assist you with next-steps.

Students who complete the form are not only receiving assistance for themselves, but also protecting others from the spread of COVID-19.

COVID-19 assistance is available for face-to-face courses only.

If you have questions or concerns, please email or StudentAccessibility@centralaz.edu or 520-494-5409.

Pregnancy/childbirth

Central Arizona is required to provide pregnant students and students with related conditions such as childbirth, with at least the same special services as it provides to students with other temporary conditions. Pregnant students and those with related medical conditions may also be eligible for disability protections and services under the ADA, depending upon their condition. It is very typical for students with disabilities students who have a high-risk pregnancy to receive assistance.

Title IX Basic Rights

As a pregnant student, you have equal access to classes and activities.
You may be entitled to accommodations for both your pregnancy and childbirth, including excused absences, extra time on assignments, and other reasonable accommodations that would be provided to a student with a temporary medical condition.
Your school/department must excuse your absences due to pregnancy or childbirth for as long as your doctor says is necessary. Schools/departments must also reschedule exams missed due to pregnancy or childbirth.
When you return, your school/department must allow you to return to the same academic and extracurricular status you had before you left. They must also give you a chance to make up missed work.
Your school/department cannot make you take time off if you don’t want to.
Your school/department cannot exclude you from a special program because you are pregnant.

Classes

Your school/department cannot make you change your major or degree program because you are pregnant or parenting. They also cannot force you to attend an alternate program, like an evening program.
If a professor doesn’t want you in class because you’re pregnant or parenting, contact the Title IX Office immediately. The TIX coordinator at Central Arizona College is Laura.Shepherd@centralaz.edu. Please contact the TIX coordinator if you feel discriminated against by any staff member, faculty, or student at CAC.

School Activities

You can take part in activities for as long as you want. Your school/department cannot stop you from joining clubs, going to events, or participating in research unless the same rules apply for all students who have a temporary medical condition.

For assistance with pregnancy-related accommodations, please contact StudentAccessibility@Centralaz.edu

Dual Enrollment/Early college

Dual Enrollment

Dual Enrollment is the term used for programs or courses for which students are concurrently
enrolled in and receiving credits* from both a high school and college.

Students with disabilities enrolled at a technical college for a dual enrollment opportunity are
held to the same financial obligations, academic performance expectations, and consequences,
for both success and failure, as all other technical college students.

A dual enrollment program for students with disabilities should include a discussion of the accommodations, services, and
supports that a student would need in a particular program. These factors require advanced
planning and documentation; therefore, early conversations and decisions are critical in order to
ensure that services are in place prior to the first day of class.

High school students are responsible to contact the StudentAccessibility@Centralaz.edu department to begin the 504 process, even if the students have a 504 plan or IEP. Often, they are not in compliance with the Rehabilitation Act, section 504.

All dual enrollment/ Early College students will be receiving the same services as those students in traditional college courses. The Differences Between High School and College Accommodation Services.

Additionally:

Postsecondary institutions are required to:
• Make all programs and services physically
accessible to all students
• Provide auxiliary aids, notetakers, and appropriate equipment to ensure the
participation of students with disabilities in college classes and activities
• Accommodate the academic participation of qualified students with disabilities in college classes and activities

Postsecondary institutions are not required to:
• Provide specific auxiliary aids as long as the college provides a method of assistance
that allows equal opportunity
• Provide academic modifications if these modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the course or program or place
undue burden on the institution
• Lower admission criteria for applicants with
disabilities. Students will submit work in a timely manner, receive the same assignments, and course load of other students.
• Diagnose a disability or conduct testing and assessment of learning difficulties, physical, or behavioral health conditions.
• Provide personal attendants.
• Provide personal or private tutors
• Prepare “Individualized Education Programs” (IEP’s)

If you have questions and would like to schedule an appointment with Student Accessibility Staff, please Schedule here

Use the link below to schedule an appointment with the SAS department

Use this link to schedule an appointment with SAS

For students with disabilities, living on campus can facilitate access to academic programs and campus activities. This website, a resource for campus housing and residential life staff, identifies key areas of concern, offers general guidance, and provides resources regarding disability access issues.

Disability Resources works closely with Residence Life to ensure that housing facilities are accessible to all students. Refer to the information below if you plan to live on campus and want to request a disability-related accommodation.

Examples of residence hall accommodations:

Wheelchair accessible rooms
Single occupancy rooms
Fire alarm strobes
Room/furniture modifications
Assistance animals

For Dual enrolment/Early College students:

typical documentation may include the IEP and MET (the school will know these documents). Please ask them to provide them in an email to forward to the SAS Department.
A 504 accommodation plan, as long as this plan has a defined diagnosis. Otherwise, the student may be asked to provide additional information.
A high school health plan, as long as this plan has a defined diagnosis. Otherwise, the student may be asked to provide additional information.
Medical documentation directly from a physician or behavioral health agency, signed by a licensed practitioner and includes a diagnosis of chronic medical condition.
All meetings will be virtual (Zoom or Teams), by phone or face-to-face at the Signal Peak Campus in Coolidge, Arizona. Other in-person appointments can occur for special circumstances.
When possible, students should use their CAC documentation for communication with staff and faculty. Here are some Quick Tips for Online Student Access 2021 (1)
CAC does welcome family input and does welcome families to attend the meeting. Students should be the lead at the meetings. This will assist in students having ownership of their services.
Captioning is provided. If an interpreter is needed, please provide ample time (a minimum of 24 business hours) to notify SAS staff of interpreter need.
SAS staff will forward plans to their instructors. Their instructors will not have access to confidential health information, including evaluations and diagnosis.
Each semester, the SAS department will email student plans to student’s instructors. The students will be Cc’d on these emails.
If the student is registered for a summer or late-start course, the student should inform SAS staff.
Schedule an appointment with the SAS department

Should a student have any questions or concerns with their accommodation services, it is recommended that they contact StudentAccessibility@centralaz.edu.

**The Student Accessibility Department does not traditionally attend IEP meetings or meetings with case managers. Students in college will not receive case management services. The student will be required to inform the SAS department if they have any concerns, questions, or need remainders of their services.

Laws Pertaining to Students with Disabilities

The Rehabilitation Act, Section 504 in relation to Higher Education This law provides the guidelines for accommodations for students with disabilities in higher education.

The Rehabilitation Act, Section 508. Section 508 o#344913f the Rehabilitation Act ensures that all programs that receive federal funding maintain compliance with all digital and web materials. This incudes websites, text books, testing and course materials, and student portals.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines WCAG 2.1 defines how to make Web content more accessible to people with disabilities. Accessibility involves a wide range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological disabilities.

The American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) The ADA is the civil rights law that protects people with disabilities from discrimination based upon disability. Disability harassment is unwelcome conduct based on a student’s actual or perceived disability. Harassers can be students, school staff, or even someone visiting the school, such as a student or employee from another school. Disability harassment can take many forms, including slurs, taunts, stereotypes, unwillingness to adhere to ADA Law and failure to make reasonable adjustments.

The Fair Housing Act (Residential Housing) Any student in the process of seeking housing, whether on or off campus, is protected by fair housing laws and has the right to inquire about, apply for, and obtain housing free from discrimination because of their race, age, disability, etc.

Fair Use Law The Fair use law authorizes Higher Education authorities (Disability Resources Departments) to convert text books into digital format.

Title IX Title IX is the most commonly used name for the federal civil rights law in the United States that was enacted as part (Title IX) of the Amendments of 1972. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receives funding from the federal government.

Difficulty in Accessing the CAC Website

Central Arizona College is committed to providing a website that is accessible and provides equal access to all individuals seeking information regardless of technology or ability. If you have difficulty accessing any part of the CAC website, have accessibility concerns or feedback related to the website or if you need additional assistance, please email our web developer at david.kohl@centralaz.edu.

Please ensure that the student is admitted to Central Arizona College. Use this link to the online application.

Please submit documentation of disability to StudentAccessibility@Centralaz.edu.

- If you are unsure of what documentation is needed, please use this link for Documentation Guidelines . You should have a response from the SAS department within 24 business hours.
- For temporary illness, injury, or high risk pregnancy, please provide a doctor’s note, on letterhead, with dates of beginning and end of recommended assistance needed.

To schedule an appointment, Please choose this link to schedule

Student Accessibility Services (SAS)

Schedule an appointment with the SAS department

The student shall complete the appeal or complaint process without fear of retaliation or differential treatment. Students are encouraged to complete an additional complaint if they feel retaliation or differential treatment.

Process:

The student should attempt to discuss their concerns with either the Director of Student Accessibility Services (SAS). The SAS director should respond to a student complaint within 3 business days (Monday-Thursday from 8 Am to 5 Pm).

The student can file a formal complaint on Central Arizona College’s complaint form. The student should receive a response in 3 business days.

The student may also file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights at any time. For more information on OCR complaints and procedures please see the Office of Civil Rights Website

After CAC has received a complaint, the Director of Student Accessibility Services will begin the interactive process.

This process and the time-frame for action includes:

Contacting the student student to initialize the interactive process (within 3 business days of dated of complaint)

Documenting information and contacting the department chair or supervisor of staff member involved (within 7 business days of dated complaint)

schedule a meeting with the faculty/staff and the SAS department. (within a week of meeting with complainant). Meeting should be scheduled no longer than two weeks after the meeting with the complainant.

Once a proposal is reached, the Director of Student Accessibility Services will contact the student to inform that student of the process. If the student would like to meet with the team, they are more than welcome to participate in a secondary meeting.

Results of the meeting and resolution will be documented.

Faculty and staff will follow the following process for appeal or complaint:

The faculty or staff member will email the complaint/ concern to the Student Accessibility Services department.

If the matter is not resolved, the faculty/staff person can either contact the supervisor of the SAS department or file a formal complaint. Please use This Link for the CAC formal complaint form.

The complainant should receive notice of receipt within 3 business days.

Within one weeks’ time from the day of the receipt of complaint, a meeting involving the involved parties and their supervisors should be scheduled.

The meeting should be held within 14 business days.

If no resolution is accomplished, then the VPs of Academics and Student Services should be invited to a secondary meeting.

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