Frequently Asked Questions

	IDEA	Section 504	ADA
Who is Covered	Covers students with educational disabilities that require special education services ages 3-21 or until graduation.	Protects all persons with a disability from discrimination in an educational setting base solely on disability.	Protects all persons with a disability from discrimination in an educational setting based solely on disability.
Requirements in the Law	Provides a free Appropriate, public Education in the least Restrictive environment.	Requires any agency, school or institution receiving federal financial assistance to provide persons with disabilities to the greatest extent possible, an opportunity to be fully integrated into the main stream.	Extends coverage of section, 504 to employment, public and private educational institutions, transportation providers and telecommunications, regardless of presence of any federal funding.
Definitions in the Law	● Specific disability categories are defined in the law covers students with educational disabilities that require special service from specially trained teachers. ● Not all students with Disabilities are eligible.	Define persons with disabilities who: ● have a physical or mental impairment which limits one or more major life activities; ● have a record of such an impairment, or; ● are regarded as having an impairment.	Definition of disability essentially same as Section 504 and extends coverage to persons without disabilities who may be related to or associated with a person with a disability. Includes HIV status, contagious and non-contagious diseases.
Services Provided	Offers educational services that are remedial in addition to services available to all mainstream students (i.e. PE, Art, Field Trips)	Eliminates barriers that would prevent a student from full participation in programs/services offered to the general school population.	Eliminates barriers that would prevent a student from full participation in programs/services offered to the general school population.
Funding	Schools receive federal funding to provide remedial services.	Requires that schools not discriminate based on student’s disability and must provide appropriate accommodations, but schools receive no additional financial support to provide support services or auxiliary aids.	Requires that schools not discriminate based on student’s disability and must provide appropriate accommodations, but schools receive no additional financial support to provide support services or auxiliary aids.
Evaluation/Documentation	School district is responsible for identifying and evaluating students with disabilities.	Same for elementary and secondary schools	Students must self identify as having a disability and must provide adequate documentation of disability.
		Same for college/postsecondary
	Evaluations are the responsibility of the school and are performed at no expense to student/parent.	Same for elementary and secondary schools.	Evaluations/documentation of disability are student’s responsibility and expense.
		Same for college/postsecondary
	Parents must consent to evaluations and placement decisions.	Same for elementary and secondary schools.	Student has responsibility for advocacy, negotiating accommodations plan.
		Same for college/postsecondary
IEP/Accommodations	Individual Educating Plan (IEP) developed with parents, teachers and other specialists involved.	504 Plan developed with parents, teachers, school personnel involved (for elementary/secondary students)	Accommodation plan developed with student, a member of the Student Development Center and approved documentation.
Classroom Placement	Placement must be in the least restrictive environment; may be special classrooms, resource, or regular classroom. (Elementary and secondary students)	Placement is regular classroom with support services to eliminate barriers to the educational experience (Elementary, secondary & college students)	All courses are mainstream with accommodations provided to students who qualify under ADA.

Q: Who is responsible for identifying and documenting need for special accommodations?

A: University System of Georgia college students, unlike high school students, are responsible for self-identification and for obtaining documentation from a professional qualified to assess their specific disability. The cost of the evaluation(s) must be covered by the student and not the institution.

Q: Who is responsible for initiating service delivery for special accommodations?

A: ABAC students, unlike high school students, are responsible for notifying ABAC’s Student Development Center staff, Ms. Annie Sims or Dr. Maggie Martin, of their disability and of their need for accommodations. Specifically documented accommodations are provided on a semester-by-semester basis in order for students with diagnosed disabilities to have equal access to ABAC’s programs and activities.

A: University System of Georgia college students, unlike high school students, must be able to communicate to their professors what their disability is, their strengths and weaknesses, how the disability impacts and functionally limits major life activities, and they should identify any requested accommodations based on approved documentation. Students are expected to develop study skills, manage time effectively and to learn how to best use any adaptive technology (eg, scanners located in both the Student Development Center and the Library).

Q: Are specialized separate classes available for persons diagnosed with a disability?

A: No. ABAC strives to provide excellent educational opportunities for all students. One course exception is an adaptive physical education activity course which is tailored on an individual basis.

Q: I have a diagnosed disability. How may I receive services from the Student Development Center?

A: The formal process begins when you receive your acceptance letter from ABAC. All students who are accepted to ABAC will receive a “Voluntary Declaration of Disability” (VDD) form. When you return the Voluntary Declaration of Disability form to the Student Development Center, you will receive a letter requesting appropriate documentation for your specific disability that we will send to the Regents Center for Learning Disorders for approval. If you are granted approval to receive disability services, you will need to call The Student Development Center at 229-391-5135 for an appointment when you arrive on campus. At that point, your services will begin. Early planning is very important. One exception is a June 15 deadline for that upcoming Fall Semester for notifying the Office of Student Life and Housing and the Student Development Center for any needed Housing Accommodations.

A: After the Student Development Center receives your “Voluntary Declaration of Disability” (VDD) form, you will be contacted about proper documentation. If you do not have appropriate documentation, options for obtaining what is needed will be discussed. When you receive approval by the Regents Center for Learning Disorders, you will be notified by the Student Development Center about the process for obtaining accommodations for your classes.

A: No. However, we do provide referral services for appropriate testing, diagnoses and documentation. Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, GA houses a center funded by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. The Regents Center for Learning Disorders (RCLD) provides psychological testing for students with Attention Deficit Disorder, Learning Disabilities and Acquired Brain Injuries. The cost is $500.00. A Student Development Center professional will walk you through the process. Other referral resources outside of the University System of Georgia can be provided upon request. However, the results from sources outside of the RCLD must still be approved by the RCLD. This approval process is completed through the Student Development Center at ABAC.

A: Standards vary across different disability diagnoses for documentation. Standards for Learning Disabilities, Attention Deficit Disorder and psychological diagnoses have been established by the Board of Regents. For more information, visit these sites:

Q: If I do not choose to disclose my disability when I am admitted to ABAC, may I do that later and receive accommodations?

A: Yes. You may disclose at any time and receive accommodations with appropriate and required documentation. However, you cannot receive accommodations until the proper documentation requirements are satisfied. ABAC strongly urges students to satisfy documentation requirements prior to registration for classes. If problems later arise and accommodations are needed, they can then be put in place immediately. Accommodations are not retroactive.

A: Yes, if your documentation and list of accommodations include early registration. No, if your documentation and list of accommodations do not include early registration. The best action is to have documentation in place in the Student Development Center, make an appointment to acquaint yourself with your ABAC academic advisor and provide your letter stating accommodations you will require. In this way, time of classes, spacing between classes, location of classes and parking considerations can be arranged. However, all students can be advised before early registration, register on their assigned registration date and are encouraged to do so.

A: While the Student Development Center is over Undeclared Majors Advising, we do not typically provide academic advising for specific majors. You will need to see your assigned Academic Advisor for advisement. We do not always know the specific requirements for all majors, as many majors require certain courses, internship or experiential learning experiences. However, we can guide you through following the degree requirements listed in the College Catalog: http://www.abac.edu/registrar/catalog

Q: What if one of my classes is in King Hall, an inaccessible building that cannot be renovated due to the Historic Preservation Act?

A: Let Dr. Maggie Martin know as soon as you find out you have a class in King Hall. An accessible building and room can then be arranged.

A: No. You may choose to receive accommodations at any time during the semester or not at all, as long as you have the appropriate and approved documentation listing your specific accommodations on file with the Student Development Center. You may wish to have accommodations for only one or two classes rather than for all of your classes. It is up to you as a student in college at ABAC to arrange for your accommodations.

Q: I have a diagnosed psychological, mental and/or emotional disability that causes me, at times, to be disruptive. Could this be a problem for me in college?

A: Yes, because all students, including students with psychological, mental and/or emotional disabilities, have the responsibility to meet ABAC’s Student Code of Conduct http://www.abac.edu/studentservices/handbook/conduct.htm by adapting behavior to the educational environment. If disruptive behavior persistently occurs or the Student Code of Conduct is violated, the issue will be defined as a disciplinary issue. In any case, if personal safety is ever threatened by anybody, with or without a disability, call ABAC Police at 391-5060.

Q: I have a recent injury (for example, a broken writing arm, eye injury, broken leg, fractured foot). May I receive disability services if I am still able to attend class?

A: Yes and anyone can become disabled at any time. Individuals with a temporary disability, usually due to an injury or surgery and after receiving medical treatment, need to provide appropriate documentation of the disability. Depending on the documentation, a student may be eligible to receive services such as temporary note takers, special test administrations, taping lectures, copies of overheads from instructors or special seating. If a student is going to be absent for an extended time after the Midterm Withdrawal Without Academic Penalty deadline (for example, hospitalization), assistance can be provided in making a request for a medical withdrawal when applicable. To learn more about a medical withdrawal, please contact Dr. Maggie Martin in the Student Development Center.

If you are not sure of the type of accommodations you need specific to your temporary impairment, please schedule an appointment with the Student Development Center staff.

If the duration of your impairment is expected to have long-term or permanent effects, please schedule an appointment with the Student Development Center staff to determine what classroom accommodations are appropriate and how to most easily and appropriately arrange them. Please follow all of the steps outlined earlier in this section to insure that your academic needs can be met in a timely manner.

Accommodations

Q. What kinds of accommodations are available?

Q. Who decides which accommodations will be provided to an individual student?

Q. Must students with learning disabilities meet all of the College Preparatory Curriculum admission requirements?

Q. What is required for students with learning disabilities, who have not completed the College Preparatory Curriculum foreign language requirement, to petition for admission?

Q. Does approval of a CPC foreign language substitution guarantee a similar substitution for any foreign language courses that are required in the student's chosen major or program of study?