Disability Services for Students

The Disability Services for Students (DSS) office is part of the Opportunity and Outreach Programs unit within the Division of Student Affairs. DSS Coordinators and support staff are available on each of CCRI’s four main campuses to meet with students and to help provide the necessary and reasonable accommodations that students need to be successful. In addition, the DSS office serves as an information resource to faculty, providing awareness and guidance for how to best ensure the inclusion of students with disabilities without compromising academic standards. The DSS office works to dispel negative and limiting stereotypes and promotes a campus environment that is sensitive, accepting and responsive to the needs and contributions of all CCRI students.

DSS Request for Accommodations Process Goes Online!

Starting with the 2019 Spring semester Accommodation (RFAs) letters for students with disabilities will be delivered electronically to faculty and students via email. Faculty are asked to reply to the DSS Coordinator as a form of receipt instead of signing a paper copy. Once the faculty receipt is received, the accommodation(s) will be considered valid for the duration of the semester.

Please note that students will continue to be strongly encouraged to arrange a time to meet with their professors to discuss how the approved accommodations will be implemented. Should the identified accommodations need modification or if other assistance is needed, please contact DSS immediately to avoid any unnecessary delays in ensuring that the student receives the needed accommodation(s). The student must adhere to all course requirements as well as the College standards of behavior.

Please note, all information related to a student’s disability status is strictly confidential and we remind you to use discretion with this information. Reasonable accommodations for otherwise qualified disabled students are mandated by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. If a faculty member would like DSS to consider a modification to an accommodation, the faculty member may make a written request to DSS that 1) specifies how the accommodation fundamentally alters the program, and 2) provides recommendations for an alternative format or accommodation that will enable the student to acquire the same information provided other students in a timely manner. If you have any questions or would like assistance with this process, please call or email the DSS Coordinator identified on the RFA. We thank you for assisting us in providing equal access and opportunity to all students.

Changing the Culture

Disability Services for Students is offering a free, semester-long hybrid professional development course addressing accessibility, disability and culture to CCRI faculty and staff this spring.

This course will run from February to April, and will provide weekly online content and four Tuesday in-person sessions from 12–4 pm on Feb. 18, March 17, April 7 and April 21 at Knight Campus.

Participants who successfully complete the course will receive a certification in their personnel file and materials formally certifying them as A-TASC Force graduates. Recipients may submit the course for ongoing professional development credits from accrediting institutions.

Review the syllabus, then register for the class! Feel free to email Kevin Novell at knovell@ccri.edu with any questions about the course.

Disability Services Offers Evening Proctoring for Exams

Disability Services for Students (DSS) now offers evening proctoring and access to assistive technology labs for students with disabilities on all four campuses.

The goal is to provide evening faculty and students with the same level of access and support for needed accommodations that is currently available during the daytime. Evening faculty may continue to provide their own exam proctoring for students who have approved accommodations such as extended time and/or separate location or may choose to use DSS’s new service.

The new schedule for the DSS Accommodations Lab on each campus is below. Please contact the Lab for further information (email is preferred).

Schedule to test in one of the DSS Accommodations Labs

Helpful Links

• DSS Home
• About DSS
• Hours
• FAQs
• For Students
• For Faculty
• For Parents and Guidance Counselors
• Forms
• Resources