AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT
The Americans with Disabilities Act defines a disability as "a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity".
The ADA affords people with disabilities the “full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages or accommodations of any place of public accommodation."
Section 504 is a federal law designed to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs and activities that receive Federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Section 504 provides:
"No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States . . . shall, solely by reason of her or his 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 . . . "
In accordance with these laws, TVCC provides reasonable accommodations to assure that any student with a disability has equal access to facilities, programs, and activities provided by the college.
The Office of Student Disabilities (SDO) exists to prevent discrimination on the basis of disability, as mandated by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended.
The goal of the SDO is to provide as much assistance as possible to both students with disabilities and their instructors. Services, support, and accommodations are individualized, as per the documented needs of the student. Reasonable accommodations are not changes in course content or requirements, but are intended to “level the playing field” between disabled and non-disabled students.
Your accommodations will help ensure that you have access to the course information as presented to all students, but your success is up to YOU!