Policy

Sign language interpreters for hearing impaired students can be provided for any instructional and/extracurricular event on campus. Generally, a minimum two-week notice is required to ensure availability of an interpreter. All requests for services and notices of absences must be sent by the student to the Student Services Coordinator who will in turn notify the interpreters.

Role of Interpreter

The interpreter functions as a facilitator of communication between hearing impaired and hearing individuals. Interpreter conduct is governed by Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Code of Ethics. Understanding the role of the interpreter will help avoid problems and conflicts during an assignment.

Scheduling

Request for interpreting services must be submitted to Student Support Services personnel at least five full working days before the assignment; the more notice, the better. Returning students who request sign language interpreter services are expected to pre-register at the earliest possible date. Late requests are considered only if interpreters are available.

1. The College will provide sign language interpreting for spoken language only. Reading and writing standard English is an essential part of the curriculum for all MGCCC classes.
2. The College will provide one sign language interpreter in each of the student’s face-to-face classes which meets for 2 hours or less, per the industry-accepted national standard.
3. The College will provide a team of two sign language interpreters in each of the student’s face-to-face classes which meets for more than 2 hours, per the industry-accepted national standard.
4. The College will provide a single sign language interpreter for no more than 5 hours per week to allow the student to receive academic tutoring in the learning lab and/or meet with instructors outside of class. These sessions, limited to one hour in length, will be scheduled with the instructor/instructional assistant and verified by the appropriate Student Services Coordinator in advance.
5. The College will provide sign language interpreters for school-sponsored activities that require verbal interaction.
   1. The student’s request for a sign language interpreter for extracurricular activities must be approved by the appropriate Support Services Coordinator in advance.
   2. The student will be required to provide all pertinent information about the event in writing, including, but not limited to, dates, times, documentation of club membership, documentation of participation in the event, etc.

Coursework Material

The College will provide access to written class material, including digital textbooks, notes, etc., to the student only.

Cancellations

If it is necessary for the student who has a scheduled sign language interpreter to be absent from a class and/or event, the student must give notice to the Student Support Services Coordinator at least 24 hours in advance. Students may be responsible for charges incurred due to a failure to notify in a timely manner. Repeated last-minute cancellations or unplanned absences may result in the discontinuation of services.

Testing Accommodations

Students requesting testing accommodations should meet with the instructor well in advance of the day of the test to make arrangements for these accommodations.

Policy

The amount of extra time offered for testing is the nationally accepted standard: time and a half.

Procedure

The Coordinator of Student Support Services will provide the instructor with the appropriate testing limits through the accommodation request letter. The instructor and the student will arrange the place and/or time for the testing.

The Student Support Services personnel will support and assist as necessary.

Policy

Alternate testing outside of the normal classroom determined by the student’s documentation.

Procedure

The Student Support Services personnel, the instructor, and the student will arrange testing in appropriate distraction-free location. Testing may occur in the proctoring center, the Student Support Services area or other appropriate areas on campus.

Policy

If indicated by the student’s documentation, the Coordinator of  Student Support Services and the instructor is will arrange for a qualified person to read exams to the student.

Procedure

The reader will read the information directly from the exam. The reader will not be allowed to paraphrase the questions, define terms, explain the question, or offer any other type of assistance unless otherwise directed by the instructor.

Policy

If indicated by the student’s documentation, the Student Support Services arrange for a qualified person to write the student’s verbal answers.

Procedure

The scribe will write verbatim the information presented by the student. The scribe will not be allowed to read questions or offer any type of assistance unless otherwise directed by the instructor.

Policy

MGCCC uses volunteer student note takers.

Procedure

The instructor will ask a student in the class to provide class notes either using note taking paper (available through the Student Support Services office), or the instructor will provide a copy of notes for the student.

Policy

Materials made available to qualified students in alternate formats upon request.

Procedure

Students requesting alternative formats for exams, syllabi, class handouts, test, etc. should contact the Coordinator of Student Support Services at least 30 day prior to the semester to allow ample time to create the alternative formats.

Policy

If indicated by the student’s documentation, an electronic recording device can be used to record classroom lectures.

Procedure

The Student Support Services personnel will notify the instructor that the student will be using an electronic recording device in class to record lectures. It is the student’s responsibility to provide the electronic recording device.

Policy

Students are permitted the use of Service Animals (as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act) in college facilities as a reasonable accommodation. See MGCCC Policies and Procedures statement 724.1 for more information.

Students are permitted, in some cases, use of Emotional Support Animals (also called comfort, therapy, or companion animals) as defined under the Fair Housing Act, in college housing only. They are not permitted in other areas of the College, such as academic and administrative buildings, classrooms, labs, athletic facilities, food service/dining areas, and the student center. See MGCCC Policies and Procedures statement 724.2 for more information.

Tours

Upon request, the Coordinator of Student Support Services will provide campus tours for a student who needs to evaluate or determine his/her route in navigating between classes.

Policy

With reasonable accommodations, students with disabilities must fulfill all requirements to participate in MGCCC programs. Therefore, students with disabilities are not excused from course prerequisites, GPA requirements, or degree requirements. In some limited circumstances, however, a substitution of course requirements may be appropriate. Such an accommodation is made only when the student’s documentation clearly indicates that the student’s disability makes completion of the requirement impossible AND the accommodation does not fundamentally alter the nature of the program.

Procedure

A student requesting a course substitution on the basis of qualifying disability must present documentation of the disability which supports such a request to the appropriate dean. The final decision to substitute a course is made by the appropriate dean.

Policy

Attendance is considered an essential requirement of the courses or programs of study at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. A flexible attendance policy is available only in a very limited number of circumstances. However, individuals may request leniency in attendance when it is a medical emergency and/or absences are mandatory as a direct result of their disability. A doctor’s excuse will be required for medical absences. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain and save all doctors’ excuses for disability-related absences.

Procedure

The Coordinator of Student Support Services and the instructor will approach excess absences on case-by-case basis. The accommodation request letter provided at the beginning of the semester will note this potential issue.

Dragon NaturallySpeaking and other types of assistive software are housed In This Student Support Services area for the use of qualified students.

Other assistive devices available for qualified students include the following:

• Large screen monitor
• Adapted Keyboards
• Motorized Scooter
• Document Camera

Additional career, technical, and academic counseling are provided through Student Enrollment Services.

Financial assistance for those who qualify is available through the Financial Aid Office. There may be other financial assistance available for those who qualify.

The college also offers a variety of classes, which may be of assistance to qualified students, such as developmental courses in mathematics, English and reading, and study skills. The Learning Resource Centers (LRC) are available at multiple MGCCC locations and include the library, the media center, and the learning lab. The LRC provides services and resources that support the aims and objectives of the college, the individual needs of the students, and the courses and teaching methods of the faculty to all students.