Office of Disability Support Services

1. GENERAL GUIDELINES
   1.  Documentation of a student’s disability is required before any services can be arranged through the Office of Disability Support Services (ODSS).
      
      
   2.  Each semester, the student needs to review and arrange all disability accommodations with an ODSS Counselor or Advisor as early as possible. (HINT: As soon as the new schedule books are available, the student should call (517) 483-1904 and schedule an appointment with an ODSS Counselor or Advisor – visit www.lcc.edu for registration dates)
      
      
   3.  When meeting with an ODSS Counselor or Advisor, the ODSS Student (yellow registration) Form will be filled out and a copy will be given to the Reader Services Coordinator so Reader Services will be able to provide approved accommodations.
      
      
   4.  The ODSS advisor/counselor will give the student an Alternate Textbook Request form if the student is eligible to receive an alternate text format.
      
      
   5.  After registering for classes:
      a) If a student wants eText, he/she must fill out and turn in the Alternate Textbook form and an attached copy of the store receipt for all textbooks for which alternate formats are being requested.
      
      b) If a student wants enlarged text or Brailed text, he/she must complete and turn in the Alternate Textbook form and turn in a copy of all textbooks to be enlarged or Brailed.
      **Arrangements for textbooks to be Brailed must begin at least 10 weeks prior to need.
      
      
2. TEST ACCOMMODATIONS:
   
       1)  Steps to take when working with a Reader (or scribe) for a
             quiz/test/exam:
   
             a) The student is responsible for informing the instructor(s) when
                  a test accommodation -- reader, scribe, extended time, quiet
                  room -- is necessary.
   
   REMINDER: The student is to provide instructors with an ODSS Instructor Memo form and should discuss testing accommodations with each instructor during the first week of class.
   
              b) Prior to the scheduled test appointment, the student need to
                   ask the instructor to have the test delivered to the Assessment
                  Center before the test is to be taken. In addition, the student is
                  also responsible for reminding the instructor that he/she will
                  take the test in the Assessment Center and will not be in class
                  when the test is given.
   
               c) To schedule a reader or scribe, the student m call
                   Reader Services, (517) 483-1225, at least 5 days
                   before the quiz/test/exam.
   
               d) Once that call has been made, Reader Services will schedule
                    time for the test in an Assessment Center Quiet Room if the
                   student will be on the Main Campus. Students who will be
                   taking tests at LCC learning locations will need to arrange
                   appointment with that location (i.e., West or East Campus,
                   Livingston Center, etc)
   
               e) If taking the test at MAIN CAMPUS: On the day of the
                   quiz/test/exam, the student should go to Counseling and
                   Advising Center (204 GB) and check in at the front desk for
                   the assigned reader/scribe. The Reader must go with the
                   student to the Assessment Center so all Reader Services
                   appointments are checked in at the Counseling/Advising
                   Center.
   
                f) If taking the test at one of LCC's other learning locations:
                   On the day of the quiz/test/exam, the student should go to that
                   learning location and check in at the Assessment Center or
                   office where the test is to be given. The Reader will meet the
                   student at that location.
   
                g) Readers will only wait 15 minutes past the appointment time.
                    After 15 minutes, the Reader may not be available to assist
                    with testing accommodations, and the appointment will need
                    to be rescheduled for a later date.
   
                 h) If the Reader is still available when the student arrives for the
                     appointment after the 15-minute grace period, the student
                     will only have the originally allotted period of time to
                     complete the test.
   
                  i) The student who misses 2 consecutive testing appointments
                      without calling Reader Services, (517) 483-1225, or the
                      student who misses 4 testing appointments over the course
                      of a semester will have this accommodation suspended until
                      he/she meets with the Reader Services Coordinator to
                     discuss this concern.
   
                  j) Readers may only read the test as it is written and, when
                     scribing, may only write down the student's words as spoken
                     to the scribe. Readers may NOT do ANY of the following:
                    explain, re-word, or assist with choosing answers on a test;
                    tutor or teach any class materials; do personal tasks or
                    errands; act as a go-between with the student and the
                    instructor.
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    2) Steps to take to use a Quiet Room with NO Reader (or scribe):

             a) Students must call the Assessment Center site where the test
                  will be taken at least 5 days before the appointment date to
                 schedule a Quiet Room.
                    LCC Main campus (Downtown Lansing): (517) 267-5500
                    LCC West Campus (Delta Township):      (517) 267-5510
                    LCC East Campus (East Lansing):           (517) 483-9307
                    LCC Livingston Center Campus (Howell): (517) 545-3522
                    LCC Clinton Center Campus (St. Johns): (989) 224-2017

            b) The student is responsible for informing the instructor(s) when
                 a test accommodation -- extended time, quiet room -- is
                 necessary.

REMINDER: Students are to provide instructors with an ODSS Instructor Memo form and should discuss testing accommodations with each instructor during the first week of class. A copy of the ODSS Instructor Memo also needs to be given to the Assessment Center where the student plans to take the test(s) when the student makes quiet room reservations each semester.

           c) During the class period before each test, the student must
               remind the instructor that he/she will take the test in the
              Assessment Center and will not be in class when the test is
              given. At that time, the student should ask the instructor to have
              the test delivered to the Assessment Center of choice before
              the test is to be taken.

3. ALTERNATE TEXTBOOK ACCOMMODATIONS:
    See Alternative Text Guidelines for complete guidelines on how to request textbooks in an alternative format (electronic text (etext), Braille, enlarged print, tactile graphics, audio files.
      
   NOTE: Each student receiving eText is expected to be familiar with and able to independently use a computer and a screen reader to listen to eText files.
   
   Appointments with the Reader Services Coordinator are available upon request to all students who receive textbook accommodations. Students should call Dianne Moore, Reader Services Coordinator -- (517) 483- 5263, or email -- moored14@lcc.edu  She will attempt to answer all voice and email messages within 48 hours.
   
   Appointments with Dianne may include general questions about assistive technology, an overview of how to best communicate with Reader Services, how to use eText, what screen readers are available on campus and how to access them, or individual assessment of which alternate text format will best accommodate a student’s print disability.
   
   Scanned text is saved in rich text format (RTF), .doc, or searchable .pdf format before it is emailed to the student. The files may be zipped prior to being emailed. Zipped files will require an unzip software like WinZip. Students who are unfamiliar with unzipping files should call Reader Services or the Help Desk for information on how to ‘unzip’ files.
   
    Students may opt to bring in a flash drive or memory stick to upload eText files directly. They should call Reader Services to make arrangements to do so: call (517) 483-1225.
   
   Graphics and charts are usually not included as part of the e-text production. Students will find their purchased hardcopy textbook helpful to read and view all graphics and charts.
   
   The student is responsible for notifying Reader Services if a class is dropped/added/changed, or if reading assignments change throughout the semester.

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      D.  In-Class Assistance:

             a) The student must discuss in-class assistance with his/her ODSS
                 Advisor or Counselor prior to each semester. Accommodation
                determinations are based on documentation and individualized
                needs assessment so only students eligible for in-class assistance
                may receive this accommodation.

             b) The student must provide the course information (course title, time,
                 and location) to ODSS at least two weeks prior to the start of the
                 semester.

             c) If the request is received after the start of the semester, the in-class
                assistance will begin when an Assistant becomes available.
                Requests are processed on a first-come/first-served basis.

             d) In-class Assistants will only wait 15 minutes past the beginning of
                 class for the student to arrive. After 15 minutes, the In-Class
                Assistant will leave and go on to his/her next service task.
                Students who miss 2 consecutive class appointments without
                calling, or students who miss 4 appointments over the course of a
                semester will have this accommodations suspended until s/he
                meets with the Reader Services Coordinator to discuss this
                concern.

             e) Readers acting as In-Class Assistants may NOT do ANY of the
                  following: explain, re-word, or assist with assignments; take notes
                  on behalf of a student; tutor or teach any class materials; do
                  personal tasks or errands; act as a go-between with the student
                  and the instructor.

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All questions, concerns, or complaints regarding Reader Services should be directed to an ODSS counselor or Advisor at 517-483-1904.