San Juan College is committed to ensuring students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in all programs and activities offered. Accessibility Services is a resource to SJC students, employees, and community members.
How to Request Accommodations
It is best to start requesting accommodations early, as it may take a few weeks to get them in place. The Accessibility Services office will communicate with you primarily through your San Juan College email.
- Login to MySJC.
- Click on the Accessibility Services button in the Popular Links section.
- Complete the Academic, Housing, or Emotional Support Animal application for the accommodation you request.
- Once you complete the accommodation application, the Coordinator will review your application and contact you within a week to schedule an intake appointment. Once the intake appointment is completed, the Coordinator will review the information and determine the appropriate accommodations.
- The Coordinator will notify the Student of approved accommodations via their San Juan College email.
If you have questions about services offered or need assistance getting started, please contact us!
(505) 566-3271
Academic Accommodations
Academic accommodations are needed when the learning materials design or delivery creates a barrier for the student due to their disability. Although students are required to meet the same outcomes as their classmates, how they do that may be different. Students who need academic accommodations need to self-disclose, apply for services, and if they are eligible, request their letters each semester.
Students must request academic accommodations each semester.
Academic Accommodations Guidelines
Dual credit students may be eligible for accommodations for their college classes. However, even if the high school student is receiving modifications or accommodations from an Individualized Education Plan or 504 Plan, they do not automatically transfer to the college setting. Dual credit students are required to follow the same steps as regular college students to request services.
Suitable accommodations will be discussed and determined by the Coordinator and the student.
The student must complete both steps of the process before eligibility for appropriate accommodations can be determined. Submitting documentation like an Individualized Education Plan, 504 Plan, or other assessment without completing the two steps listed above is not sufficient to make requests for accommodations known.
Accommodations for temporary disabilities are not mandated by law according to the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, students who have disabilities of a temporary nature may receive complimentary accommodations on an as-needed basis. To determine eligibility for accommodations, the student must follow the same process as other students.
- Alternate Format Alternate format may include enlarged font, braille, audio books, etc. The student should contact the Instructional Assistant in the Disability Technology Lab for assistance. The student must provide a copy of the receipt when requesting books in audio format. The student is strongly encouraged to request material in alternate format as early as possible to ensure the material is available before the start of class. SJC will attempt to provide material in alternate format within 7 days of the request.
- Use of software Speech to text (Dragon Naturally Speaking Dictation) and text to speech (Kurzweil) software is available at SJC East, SJC West, and Main campuses.
- Copies of Notes The Coordinator will work with the student to determine the type of note taking services that will be provided. The student will be required to sign the note taker agreement each semester.
- Captioning Instructors or presenters are required to ensure the material used at San Juan College can be used by all people. Videos must have accurate captioning.
- FM Systems Students and visitors should request the loan of an FM system at least 3 days in advance of use.
- Interpretation To best ensure interpreting services will be available, students and visitors are strongly encouraged to request them as soon as they know the service will be needed. Interpretation services may be provided by a live interpreter or via video remote interpreting.
- The student is encouraged to arrive to class early so the student can choose a seat that is conducive to the student's learning style and personal needs.
- Although Accessibility Services will make every effort to have the room ready before the first day of class, if the student uses a wheelchair, the student may need to contact the Accessibility Services Office to remind them if accessible tables need to be placed in the classroom.
- Classroom furniture marked with the disability access symbol is reserved for students with disabilities.
- Test time may be extended based on student need.
- Testing in a separate or distraction free environment may be appropriate.
- Tests may be provided in audio format
- If indicated, use of software or a scribe may be approved.
Please contact Accessibility Services for more information.
Housing accommodations are available for students who encounter barriers or accessibility issues in San Juan College housing. If students need changes to the housing environment due to their disability, they must self-disclose and apply for services. If the housing assignment changes, contact the Accessibility Services Office to update your information.
If you would like to request an Emotional Support Animal, you must also complete an Emotional Support Animal application and documentation.
Students requesting continuing accommodations for Housing must contact Accessibility Services at accessibilityservices@sherbornecottages.com before the move-in date.
Students with mental health disabilities may request Emotional Support Animals to allow an equal opportunity to use and enjoy on-campus student housing. Students must self-disclose, apply for services, sign the guidance agreement form, and provide documentation. If there is a change in the approved animal, the student must begin the process again.
Students requesting continuing accommodations for Emotional Support Animals must contact Accessibility Services at accessibilityservices@sherbornecottages.com before the move-in date.
Accessibility Services Eligibility, Appeals, and Complaints
Eligibility for services is determined based on relevant documentation and information shared during the interview process. Additional documentation may be required to determine eligibility for services and/or identify effective accommodations. Documentation must be completed by a qualified evaluator. Documentation guidelines vary based on the type of disability. Please use the documentation form provided for the specific accommodation you seek: Academic, Housing, or Emotional Support Animal.
Students may appeal the accommodation decisions to the San Juan College Vice President of Student Services. Students wishing to appeal a request for accommodation should complete the Accommodation Appeal Form.
Students may file complaints of discrimination based on disability with Stacey Allen, Assistant Director of Human Resources, (505) 566-3515, allens@sherbornecottages.com. Students may also file complaints of discrimination with the Office of Civil Rights.
SJC makes every reasonable effort to accommodate individuals with disabilities as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. In keeping with this commitment, Personal Care Attendants (PCAs) may be necessary to address the personal needs of a student with a disability so that he/she can participate in the College’s activities, services, and programs.
San Juan College follows Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II and Title III regarding the use of service animals. Service animals will not be excluded from SJC campus and activities.
San Juan College does not discriminate on the basis of a person’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, genetic, veteran status, or on the basis of any other category protected under federal, state and local laws, in regard to admissions, employment, programs and activities.
Definition of Disability
Disability is defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) as: (1) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity; or (2) a record of a physical or mental impairment that substantially limited a major life activity; or (3) when an entity (e.g., an employer) takes an action prohibited by the ADA based on an actual or perceived impairment. 42 U.S.C. § 12102(2); see also 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(g). A person must meet the requirements of at least one of these three criteria to be an individual with a disability under the Act.
(2) The phrase “major life activities” means functions such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.
(3) The phrase “has a record of such an impairment” means has a history of, or has been misclassified as having, a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
(4) The phrase is “regarded as having an impairment” means—
(i) Has a physical or mental impairment that does not substantially limit major life activities but that is treated by a public entity as constituting such a limitation;
(ii) Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward such impairment; or
(iii) Has none of the impairments defined in paragraph (1) of this definition but is treated by a public entity as having such an impairment.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not specifically name all of the impairments that are covered.
Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act
No otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall solely by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act
No qualified individual with a disability shall be excluded from participation in or be denied benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity. The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 provided changes to the statute and regulations for Titles I, II, and III and clarify (a) who has a disability entitled to protection under the ADA and Section 504, (b) who is entitled to accommodations, and (c) how those determinations are made and by whom.
More Information
You can find more information about the Americans with Disabilities Act on the U.S Department of Education Website as well as the ADA.gov website.
The Accessibility Services Office is committed to protecting the student’s right to privacy. Information specific to the student’s diagnosis or disability is confidential information and cannot be shared with anyone without the student’s written consent. The student may choose to disclose their disability to anyone at any time.