ADA Accommodations

The Learning Division at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine is committed to providing equal education opportunity and encourage full participation for students in the pursuit of academic success.

Student Accessibility Services at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine include:

ADA Accommodations

With the College’s core value of justice, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine fully supports the mission of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It is the College’s policy that no qualified person be excluded from participating in any College program or activity, be denied the benefits of any College program or activity, or otherwise be subject to discrimination with regard to any College program or activity. It is our goal at SJC to meet the needs of the whole person; thereby, creating equitable access for all students. ADA accommodations are formulized on a case-by-case basis and are granted based on the course requirements and the student’s documented disability.

ELL Support

English Language Learner (ELL) modifications will be based on the individual needs of the students and will include conversations between the ELL Coordinator and course faculty or department chairs. ELL modifications are formulized on a case-by-case basis and are granted based on the course requirements and the student’s academic major.

Assistive Technology

ReadSpeaker: ReadSpeaker is text-to-speech software that is integrated into the Brightspace course site that provides the ability for all students to listen to course material and beyond. ReadSpeaker is available to all SJC faculty, staff, campus, and online students.
Digital Text: Digital formatting of students’ textbooks is available through the Access Text Network.

Questions regarding Student Accessibility Services should be directed to:

Holly Sanborn
Manager, Student Accessibility Services
307 Alfond Hall
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine
278 Whites Bridge Road
Standish, ME 04084-5236
(207) 893-7562
Fax (207) 893-7866
hsanborn@sjcme.edu

How to access Academic Accommodations

It is the College’s policy that no qualified person be excluded from participating in any College program or activity, be denied the benefits of any College program or activity, or otherwise be subject to discrimination with regard to any college program or activity. Toward this end, and in conjunction with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504, the College both accepts, and provides reasonable accommodations for, qualified students with various types of disabilities.

While Saint Joseph’s College is of Maine ready to provide reasonable accommodations, the students must make an effort to advocate for and avail himself/herself of all services and agreed upon modifications.

Procedures For Accessing Accommodations

Students with disabilities who need accommodations and services must follow these procedures:

  • The student contacts the Manager, Student Accessibility Services upon admission to Saint Joseph’s College to receive the guidelines for documentation of a disability. The Manager explains to the student the College’s policies and procedures regarding accommodations.
  • The student provides current documentation according to the written guidelines regarding the disability. Documentation should indicate that the impairment is a disability that substantially limits a major life activity. School plans such as an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 Plan are useful but do not provide sufficient documentation to establish the rationale for accommodations. All files and information are confidential.
  • Procedures for Accessing Accommodations
  • Based on the nature of the disability and according to the documentation, reasonable accommodations are determined by the Manager, Student Accessibility Services. Determination of accommodations is provided to the student in writing
  • The student has the responsibility to inform and provide his/her faculty of any agreed upon accommodation(s) in writing.

Documentation that is submitted must originate with the evaluator(s), and will not be accepted from any other individual, including the student on whom the evaluation was conducted.

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ADA Accommodations Q&A

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act are two separate laws that protect students enrolled at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine.

“Reasonable accommodations” are modifications to an institution’s policies and procedures that, in turn, create equitable access for all students to participate in programs and activities at the college. Higher education institutions individually determine standards and procedures that are deemed reasonable and not an “undue burden” for all involved in the accommodation, including students, staff, and faculty. An example of an “undue burden” for a faculty member would be to fundamentally alter or change the structure of a college-level course for one ADA student.

Different than in high school, the student is responsible for advocating and seeking assistance for receiving ADA accommodations before or at the start of each academic semester enrolled at a higher education institution.

The services granted in high school do not necessarily apply in college because laws that protect students in high school are different from the laws that protect students in higher education. In high school, students are protected by Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504. Saint Joseph’s College of Maine will provide students seeking ADA accommodations with “a person-centered plan,” placing the student at the center of all academic decisions and goals, through a detailed evaluation process. We are committed to supporting all students and providing reasonable accommodations within our means at SJC.

Examples of services offered in higher education range from auxiliary aids and services (notetakers, audio recordings, etc.), modifications of attendance policies, tape recorders, extra time on exams, and adjustment of course requirements are some examples of accommodations offered by the College.
The best time to apply for ADA Accommodations is prior to or at the beginning of each academic semester. Being proactive in requesting ADA accommodations is highly encouraged, as this allows the greatest amount of time students can access their accommodations. Additionally, early intervention and formalization of ADA accommodations will also better prepare a student’s faculty and academic support staff to support the student.
Students may request ADA accommodations up to the last week of classes. However, to provide the most successful review of ADA accommodation requests, due process is needed. Therefore, we will need at least two business days’ notice to process all requests, with documentation in hand, before formalization of ADA Accommodations.
With every new class enrolled, students must reach out to the Manager of Student Accessibility Services to request accommodations for the new course. ADA Accommodations do NOT auto-enroll.
In-class ADA accommodations will be different than lab or clinical ADA accommodations due to the need to exhibit and determine program and safety standards. For example, Nursing majors at SJC must be able to meet clinical standards in order to be successful in the program, which includes performing as a nurse in all clinical settings. Also, extra time allowances are not allowed during hands-on activities, such as super labs, or math competencies.

For any remaining questions regarding ADA accommodations at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine, please contact Holly Sanborn, Manager of Student Accessibility Services, at hsanborn@sjcme.edu.

→ View the Student ADA Accommodations full screen

All documentation is confidential and should be submitted to:

Holly Sanborn
Manager, Student Accessibility Services
307 Alfond Hall
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine
278 Whites Bridge Road
Standish, ME 04084-5236
(207) 893-7562
Fax (207) 893-7866
hsanborn@sjcme.edu