Access and Disability Services
Prairie State College (PSC) is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for enrolled or admitted students with documented disabilities. The Office of Access and Disability Services seeks to maintain academic standards while providing equal access and support services to students who are able to benefit from courses offered by the college, have the commitment to succeed, and have a documented disability.
Reasonable accommodations are determined on an individual case by case basis to meet the needs presented by the student's disability. Students must submit documentation before accommodations can be provided.
Mission Statement
The Office of Access and Disability Services is committed to providing equal access
to all college programs and academic support services to students who have a documented
disability and the commitment to succeed. The Office of Access and Disability Services
also provides reasonable and appropriate academic accommodations, as well as, promoting
independence, success, and self-advocacy. In addition, assistance is given to students
to make a successful transition from high school to college.
Legal Mandates
Post-secondary students with disabilities are guaranteed access to college programs
and services by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
"Subject to the provisions of this title, no qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by such an entity."
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
"No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States ... 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."
Who is a person with a disability?
A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities
such as walking, standing, seeing, speaking, hearing, sitting, breathing, reading,
learning, thinking, performing manual tasks, or taking care of oneself.
Has a record of such impairment or is perceived as having such impairment.
- Visit and review the Office of Access and Disability Services web page.
- Review the following documents: Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights
and Responsibilities
from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights
Differences Between High School and College Level Accomodations - Complete and submit the online Office of Access and Disability Services Intake Form.
- Complete and submit the Accommodation Request Form (if you are registered and have a class schedule).
- Provide appropriate documentation of disability.
- Visit the following link for documentation guidelines: https://prairiestate.edu/student-services/disability-services.aspx (Click the "Documentation" tab.)
- Please send documentation via email to disabilityservices@prairiestate.edu for review.
- Schedule and Attend an Intake Appointment.
- Intake Appointments will be conducted virtually through Google Meet.
- Please a few dates and times that you are available to disabilityservices@prairiestate.edu.
- Scheduled Appointments will be confirmed via email.
When Should I Request Accommodations for my courses?
All students must request reasonable accommodations every semester by submitting the Online Accommodation Request Form. If you have any questions regarding this form, please contact the Office of Access and Disability Services at (708) 709-3755 or disabilityservices@prairiestate.edu. Accommodation Requests are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Some accommodations may take several weeks to arrange. Please contact the Access and Disability Services Coordinator when you register for each semester. Early arrangements will enable PSC to provide comfortable and supportive classrooms from the first day of class.
Please contact The Office of Access and Disability Services, if you will need accommodations in order to complete the Placement Test.
| Disability Type |
|---|
| Specific Learning Disabilities Autism Spectrum Disorders |
| Visual Impairments (Blind/Low Vision) |
| Hearing Impairments (Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing |
| Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Psychological Disorders |
| Mobility Systemic/Chronic Health Other Functional Impairments |
| Documentation Guidelines |
|---|
| High School IEP or 504 Plan (Final IEP not accepted) AND Psychological Evaluation with Diagnostic Results |
| Documentation from a Qualified Ophthalmologist |
| Auditory Test results from a qualified Audiologist OR Qualified Medical Professional |
| Documentation from a qualified Psychiatrist or Psychologist (Mental Health Professional)
AND Psychological Evaluation with Diagnostic Results |
| Medical Disability Form completed by a Licensed Medical Professional |
Grievance Procedure for Students with Disabilities
Prairie State College does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, age, gender, disability, ancestry, marital status, military discharge status, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation or other non-merit factors in educational programs, activities, or employment practices. The College is prohibited by law from discriminating in such a manner.
A grievance procedure is in place if a student has the following concerns or issues with a Prairie State College course, program, event, activity or facility:
- Student believes that they have not received reasonable accommodations or services.
- Student believes that they have been discriminated against because of disability in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
- Student has not received equal access to a Prairie State College course, program, event, activity or facility.
Informal Student Complaint Process
The student should meet with the Access and Disability Services Coordinator to express his/her concerns via the Informal Complaint Process. If a resolution is not reached with the Access and Disability Services Coordinator, the student has the option to submit a Formal Complaint via the Student Complaint Form, which is available to all Prairie State College students.
Formal Student Complaint Process
The Formal Student Complaint Process, is available to all Prairie State College students including students with disabilities. A complaint is not considered formal until a student has completed the Student Complaint Form. Formal student complaints are triaged and investigated by the Dean of Equity & Inclusion.
The student also has the option to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights (OCR). The OCR office for Illinois is located at:
John C. Kluczynski Federal Building 230 S. Dearborn Street, 37th Floor
Chicago, IL 60604
Telephone: 312-730-1560
FAX: 312-730-1576; TDD: 800-877-8339
Email:OCR.Chicago@ed.gov
Community Members that would like to provide feedback regarding the accessibility of a Prairie State College program, event, activity, or facility should complete the Community Member Accessibility Complaint Form.