Accessibility Resources Guide for Faculty and Staff

Accessibility Resources Guide for Faculty and Staff

Introduction

Access to education is not limited to simple admission to a college. Many of our students are overcoming great physical, learning, emotional, and mental challenges to give college a try. 

It is an ongoing, twofold process that involves understanding how to accommodate their needs and remain in compliance with the law. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008, ensure that all qualified persons, regardless of the presence of any disability, have equal access to education. Course substitutions, auxiliary aids, and classroom modifications are all examples of effective tools through which access to education is provided for the student with a disability.

Failure to make such reasonable accommodations can place the college in violation of federal and state statutes, resulting in substantial penalties. The new bottom line is no student should be denied equitable access to higher education.

This Resource Guide for Faculty and Staff is designed to raise awareness among all St. Petersburg College (SPC) faculty and staff with the intention of providing meaningful educational opportunities for all students with disabilities. Compliance and its relationship to accessibility and inclusion are fundamental throughout this document, as well as the variables of language and universal design (UD). Compliance issues can often be difficult to navigate; thus, this guide offers terminology, descriptions of varying disabilities, suggested teaching methodologies, testing procedures, answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), and more.

There’s important work to be done with and on behalf of our students with disabilities. The goal is to level the playing field in order to promote academic success across the board.

Final AS Faculty and Staff Guide 2025

St. Petersburg College Accessibility Services: Faculty and Staff Guide

Prepared by the SPC Accessibility Services Department, 2025. This resource guide is available in alternate formats upon request.

Introduction

Accessibility Services (AS) is the department that works with students, faculty, and staff to provide reasonable accommodations which ensure equal access to educational opportunities for qualified students with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act define a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a history or record of such an impairment, or is perceived by others as having such an impairment.

For additional information on specific disabilities served, please see SPC's Procedure: Services for Students with Disabilities (P6Hx23-4.021) at Board of Trustees Rules and College Procedures.

The mission of Accessibility Services is to promote equal educational access for students with disabilities. The mission includes integration of the College Experience and Universal Design (UD) principles in the strategies and processes to engage and encourage student accountability, self-sufficiency, and autonomy that strengthens success in college and the workforce.

Responsibilities

Ensuring access is a shared responsibility among Accessibility Services, students, faculty, and staff. When approved accommodations are not provided, it can place both staff and the institution at risk. Our department plays a vital role in supporting compliance with all applicable laws.

Accessibility Services

• Communicates related policies and procedures.
• Reviews disability documentation.
• Engages in the interactive process to determine eligibility for accommodations on a case-by-case basis.
• Coordinates accessibility services in all aspects of the college experience.
• Collaborates with faculty and staff as needed.

Student

• Will continue to follow the guidelines set forth in the St. Petersburg College Student Code of Conduct.
• Self-identifies as a qualified student with a disability by completing the Accessible Information Management (AIM) application.
• Provides Accessibility Services with appropriate disability documentation and completes the interactive process.
• Communicates privately with faculty, prior to or during the first week of class, regarding the provision of such accommodations.
• Requests accommodations each semester through the AIM system. The coordination of accommodations may take a week or more, and accommodations are not retroactive.

Faculty and Staff

• Provide accommodations as directed in the faculty notification, which will be emailed to your spcollege.edu email address and is specific to your course. Students may request accommodations at any point in the term; accommodations are not retroactive.
• If there is a concern that the accommodation will fundamentally alter the assigned work, contact the coordinator listed on the accommodation notification.
• Privately discuss the provisions of accommodations with the student; all disability-related information discussed with the student is confidential.
• Arrange accommodations that will be provided in the test center by completing the Request for Proctored Test survey: Visit Request a Proctored Test.
• Disclosure of a student's disability is the personal preference of the student. If a student discloses a non-documented disability, you are obligated to refer the student to Accessibility Services. Instructors should not review confidential documentation and are not authorized to determine accommodations.
• It is recommended that you only provide accommodations approved by the AS office. Possible implications for providing additional accommodations include: tension in other classes, inappropriately accommodated, perceived favoritism, inconsistent expectations of students, and discrimination complaints (e.g., Office of Civil Rights, Department of Justice).
• All pregnancy or childbirth-related requests must first be referred to the College's Title IX Office at 727-341-3261 or SPCTitleIX@spcollege.edu.

Assistive Technology

Students must be referred to Assistive Technology by the Accessibility Services Coordinator. Assistive Technology (AT) is any item, piece of equipment, software program, or product system used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities. The Assistive Technology team will ensure all aids and services are made available when determined eligible, including but not limited to screen readers, screen magnification, notetaking technology, braille, and assistive listening devices. Evaluation, training, and equipment and/or software licenses will be arranged through the Accessibility Services Assistive Technology team.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services

Deaf and Hard of Hearing services are available at SPC. American Sign Language (ASL) and captioning/transcription services will be coordinated with the Sign Language Interpreting and Captioning Department. Sign language interpreters facilitate communication between people who are deaf or hard of hearing and people who can hear.

Personal Care Attendants (PCA) and Communication and Regulation Partner (CRP)

PCAs and CRPs are hired by students with disabilities to provide a service. They work under the direction of the student and do not perform academic tasks or provide educational support. For a PCA or CRP to accompany students to college classes, services, and other college programs and activities, the student and their PCA or CRP must work with Accessibility Services and SPC Volunteer Services. The Volunteer Application Process must be completed before being allowed on SPC campuses. Please review the website for information about volunteers at SPC and reach out to the Accessibility Coordinator for a more detailed process specific to Accessibility Services. Visit Volunteer Services at SPC.

Organizing Events

Event organizers need an accessibility notice statement in all materials announcing the event.

Campus Events Statement

• For accessibility assistance, please contact (Insert Name), Accessibility Coordinator, at (Insert email and/or phone number).

Titan Connect/Titan Hub Statement

• For information regarding event logistics — such as time, location, food availability, transportation, and other details — please contact (Insert event point of contact and contact information).
• If you are a student with approved accommodation(s) and have questions about your participation, please contact your Accessibility Services Coordinator directly.
• If you are a current or prospective student in need of Sign Language Interpreting or Real-Time Captioning, please submit a request using the Interpreter request form for students. If you do not have an SPC email address, please reach out to Stephanie Wyatt at wyatt.stephanie@spcollege.edu or V: 727-791-5942, VP: 727-474-1907.

Prospective, Dual Enrollment, Early College Students, & Community Events Statement

• For details regarding event logistics — including time, location, food availability, transportation, or any other questions — please contact the (Insert event point of contact and contact information).
• If you are a student needing accommodations and have questions about your participation, please reach out to Accessibility Services Contacts.
• If you require Sign Language Interpreting or Real-Time Captioning, please submit a request using the Interpreter request form. If you do not have an SPC email address, contact Stephanie Wyatt at wyatt.stephanie@spcollege.edu or V: 727-791-5942, VP: 727-474-1907.

Faculty and Staff Events Statement

• If you are faculty or staff and need to request an ASL interpreter or real-time captionist, please submit a request using the Interpreter request form for employees.

Note: Please allow 10 business days to secure an interpreter when needed.

Additional questions or concerns about access: contact St. Petersburg College's ADA/504 Officer at 727-344-8041 or ADA504@spcollege.edu.

Accessibility Services Contacts

If you have any questions about AS, please contact us at Accessibility Services Contacts.