About Accessibility Services
The faculty and staff of Grayson College are dedicated to providing full access to programs and services by providing reasonable and effective accommodations that promote student independence.
The Accessibility Services Office is located in the Student Success Center Building (SSC201).
Coordinator, Tutoring and Accessibility Services
Jeffri Johnson Hodge
6101 Grayson Drive, Hwy 691
Denison, TX 75020
Phone:903-463-8751
E-mail:
hodgej
[at] grayson [dot] edu
How to Request Accommodations
Disability is defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act as a “physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment.” Major life activities include, but are not limited to “functions such as caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working.”
Students with disabilities seeking accommodations should:
- Complete an online accommodation intake/request form (hard copy available upon request).
- Contact the Accessibility Services Coordinator to schedule an appointment.
- Provide documentation from qualified professionals (physicians, diagnosticians, etc.) by uploading it to the accommodation intake/request form, emailing it, or bringing it to an in-person meeting.
- If needed, complete an alternate format textbook request form.
Accommodations are determined through a discussion with the student and review of the submitted documentation. This collaborative process with the coordinator will also address entrance exam accommodations, if applicable. All documentation is protected under Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Contact the Accessibility Services Coordinator
Students can contact the Coordinator during regular office hours at the Accessibility Services Office, located within the Testing/Tutoring Center on the Student Success Center's 2nd floor. Hours vary during mini-mesters and summer. Email or call to schedule an appointment.
Delivery of Approved Accommodation to Professors
Professors are notified via email when student accommodations are posted to their semester spreadsheets. Students can discuss accommodations with professors but are not required to disclose their diagnosis outside Accessibility Services.
Guidelines for Documentation
The diagnostician's report must be on office letterhead and include: report date, their name, title, signature, full address, and phone number.
Student information in the report should include:
- First and last name, date of birth,
- Diagnosis with history/expected outcome,
- The condition's impact on academics or student life, and
- Specific, unambiguous accommodation recommendations (e.g., extended test time, quiet environment, text-to-speech).
- Statements such as "Special accommodations" or "please accommodate accordingly" are too vague.
Generally accepted types of documentation
- Recent IEP or 504
- Evaluation by Vocational Rehabilitation Services or diagnostic testing
- Certificate of Blindness or Deafness
- Recent letter from your healthcare provider on their letterhead or diagnostic testing
Additional Information Regarding Documentation
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- Nursing Programs: State licensing of nurses requires successful performance on the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN exams, and the Texas Board of Nursing’s guidelines for special accommodations based on ADA considerations are applied to those assessments. Those Texas Board of Nursing policies, further inform the policies followed by the Nursing Programs at Grayson College. These forms and a fuller explanation of these procedures will be available from the Accessibility Services Office.
Academic accommodations may not fundamentally alter the nature of an academic program; therefore, some programs may require additional documentation before accommodations can be approved for those classes and assessments. The following programs have provided guidance on this requirement:
- Nursing Programs: State licensing of nurses requires successful performance on the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN exams, and the Texas Board of Nursing’s guidelines for special accommodations based on ADA considerations are applied to those assessments. Those Texas Board of Nursing policies, further inform the policies followed by the Nursing Programs at Grayson College. These forms and a fuller explanation of these procedures will be available from the Accessibility Services Office.
Please note
- Students can request accommodations for some or all classes. Unless the student specifies otherwise, accommodation approvals are sent to all current course professors each semester.
- Approvals are not retroactive and must be renewed every semester via an accommodation intake/request form.
- Students who attempt a class without requesting accommodations cannot retroactively apply them to past work without the professor's explicit approval.
Service Animal and Assistance Information
- How do I know how my animal is classified?
- Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA
- Texas Human Resource Code for Animals in Housing
- Service Animal (SA) and Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Housing Intake Form
- Service Animal (SA) and Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Housing Procedures
- Service Animals in Training Policy
- Service Animals in Training Form
Additional Resources
- Autism Speaks - Postsecondary Education
- National Center for College Students with Disabilities (NCCSD)
- National Center for Learning Disabilities
- National Deaf Center
- Going to College with Diabetes (PDF)
Technology
Using appropriate technology is key for students with disabilities. The following are examples of available options, some provided free to registered students as accommodations. Students should research options based on their diagnosis and recommended accommodations, and consult with a vocational rehabilitation counselor or other trusted professionals about free resources and trials.
Accessible Textbooks and Books for Personal Enjoyment
- Bookshare
- For students with print disabilities
- Grayson College is a member of Bookshare. Ask the Accessibility Services Coordinator about obtaining a free membership
- VitalSource
- Purchase or rent fully accessible books
- VitalSource books are accessible to all users regardless of diagnosis
Text-to-speech
- Kurzweil 3000 Text-to-Speech
- Free use of Kurzweil 3000 is available for every currently enrolled GC student
- Contact the Accessibility Services Coordinator for more information and an email invitation to activate a student license
Note-taking assistance
- Glean
- Free use of Glean is provided for students registered with Accessibility Services
Screen readers for blindness or low vision
Faculty Guidelines
Instructors should review the Faculty Guidelines for Accessibility Services and explore UDL resources on the University of Washington's DO-IT website.