Access (Disability) Services

Access Services Handbook 

(Manual de Servicios para Acceso)

If you are in high school while taking UACCB classes, use this form to request accommodations at UACCB:

Concurrent Student Request for Accommodations Form 

Estudiantes Concurrentes: Solicitudes Nuevas y Continuas de Accesso y Adaptaciones

If you are not in high school and wish to request accommodations at UACCB, use this form:

Non-concurrent Student Request for Accommodations Form

Non-concurrent Student Request for Accommodations Form (Spanish/English)

 Accommodation Request Process

Students with disabilities should begin the accommodation process as early as possible.  Arranging accommodations can require time, so students should register with the Access & Testing Services office prior to the start of each semester to ensure accommodations are available by the first day of classes.  Examples of accommodations that take time to arrange may include, but are not limited to, texts in alternate formats, hiring sign language interpreters, and procuring additional technology.

Students may request services at any point during the semester; however, accommodations cannot be used until students have completed the interactive accommodation process with the Access & Testing Services Specialist, or his or her designee, and accommodations are not retroactive.

If academic accommodations are necessary, a "Faculty Accommodation Letter" will be prepared by Access & Testing Services and sent via Docusign to student's and instructors' email.  For other access issues to campus programs and services, meet with Access & Testing Services to discuss arrangements. We encourage students to do this as soon as possible EACH semester to discuss such matters in confidence. 

How to Receive Access Services

STEP 1: Student meets with the Access & Testing Services Specialist, or his or her designee, for a “registration meeting” to self-identify and discuss accommodation needs and documentation that might be required (Call or e-mail for appointment).

Already registered with Access Services?  

Students with concerns regarding their accommodations should follow the ADA Grievance Procedure listed in the UACCB Access Services Handbook and explained here.  (Manual de Servicios para Discapacitados).
A hard copy is available upon request.  Faculty with questions regarding student accommodations should contact the Access & Testing (formerly Testing & Disability) Specialist or the Director of Access & Testing Services.

ADA Grievance Procedure

The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville(UACCB) has adopted an internal grievance procedure to allow for prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any action prohibited by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Title II states, in part, that “no otherwise qualified disabled individual shall, solely by reason of such disability, be excluded from the participation, be denied the benefits for, or be subjected to discrimination in programs or activities sponsored by a public entity.”

Individuals who wish to resolve a complaint informally may contact the Access & Testing Services Specialist before filing a formal grievance.  The person should first discuss his/her complaint with the person responsible for the action, interpretation, or application of the regulations leading to the problem.

Formal grievances should be addressed to: Director of Access & Testing Services, University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville, P.O. Box 3350, Batesville, AR 72503, who has been designated to coordinate ADA compliance for students.

·       The grievance must be in writing and include the complainant’s name, address, and phone number, and briefly describe the alleged violation of the regulations.

·       A grievance must be filed within 30 days of the event or action giving rise to the student's grievance(s).

·       Upon receipt of the grievance, the Director of Access & Testing Services will conduct an investigation, as may be appropriate. The investigation will be informal, but thorough, allowing all parties an opportunity to submit evidence related to the complaint.

·       A written description regarding the validity of the claim and a description of the resolution shall be issued by the Director of Access & Testing Services and a copy mailed to the complainant no later than thirty calendar days after the claim is filed.

·       The ADA Coordinator shall maintain the files and records of UACCB relating to the complaints filed.

·       The complainant may request a reconsideration of the case (an appeal) in instances where he or she is dissatisfied with the resolution. The request for consideration should be filed with the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs within ten working days of receiving the resolution.

·       Use of this grievance procedure is not a prerequisite to the pursuit of other remedies, such as the filing of an ADA complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) (Dallas regional office).

Service Animals on Campus (Animales de Servicio en el Campus de UACCB)

UACCB intends to provide the broadest possible access toservice animals in all of its public areas. UACCB is also committed to ensuring that individuals with disabilitiesrequiring the use of a service animal can fully participate in classes,services, and activities on the UACCB campus.

Definitions

The Department of Justice defines service animals as “dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.”  The work or tasks must be directly related to the individual’s disability such as guiding a person with impaired vision, alerting a person who is Deaf, deaf, hard of hearing, pulling a wheelchair, alerting or protecting a person having a seizure, or reminding a person with a mental illness to take a prescribed medication. (Miniature horses may be considered a service animal as defined by the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division.)

Dogs that are not trained to perform tasks that mitigate the effects of a disability, including dogs that are used purely for emotion support, comfort, therapeutic benefit, or companionship, are not service animals under the ADA.

Inquiries Regarding Service Animals

When it is not obvious what a service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed.  Staff may ask two questions: 1) Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability? 2) What work or task has the dog been trained to perform related to the disability?

 Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification or training documentation, or ask that the dog demonstrate a task.

Responsibilitiesof the Handler
Service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices.  If this is the case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls.

The handler of the service animal is also responsible for:

• Ensuring the animal is clean and in good health, including being up-to-date on all immunizations and vaccinations required of service animals by laws and/or current city ordinances.
• Properly disposing of the animal’s waste, or if unable to properly dispose of the animal’s waste without assistance, coordinating with college staff for the proper disposal of waste.
• Any harm or damage that the animal causes to persons or property

Exclusions of Service Animals
A person with a disability may be asked to remove a service animal from the premises if the dog is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control the dog or the dog is not housebroken; if the animal’s behavior, such as barking, is disruptive to the other participants within thefacility; or if the animal poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others.

For more information read "ADA Requirements - Service Animals" at: https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm

Current rabies vaccinations are required for service animals. See "Section II: Vaccinations" HERE 

Job Accommodation Network

http://askjan.org/index.html

U.S. Government Website on Disability Programs and Services
https://www.disability.gov/

Arkansas Rehabilitation Services
http://ace.arkansas.gov/arRehabServices/Pages/default.aspx

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov

National Domestic Violence Hotline
www.ndvh.org

The Battered Women's Justice Project

www.bwjp.org

Human Rights Campaign

www.hrc.org

1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)

1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)

Military Veteran Suicide Hotline

1-800-273-TALK (Press 1)

Suicide Hotline in Spanish

1-800-273-TALK (Press 2)