Student ACCESS

Student ACCESS is committed to assuring equal access to Honolulu Community College facilities, programs, activities, and services for students with disabilities. Its goals are:

1. To provide reasonable accommodations to qualified students.
2. To promote an informed and hospitable learning community.
3. To advocate for campus-wide ADA/Section 504 compliance.

The following accommodations are available through the Student ACCESS Office Building 7, Room. 319; phone: 844-2392 voice/text.

• Special parking
• Elevator key authorization for Buildings 7 & 27
• Building access and evacuation plan
• Lockers in Building 2
• Special equipment:
  • Cassette recorders and 4-track tape players
  • Talking calculators
  • Amplification devices
  • Reading Edge

• Sign language interpreters
• Taped text
• Enlargement of printed materials
• Chairs and adjustable desks

• Testing accommodations
• Notetakers
• Scribes
• Readers
• Lab assistants
• Enlarged materials
• Computer access including:
  • JAWS for Windows Ver. 3.7
  • Zoomtext (Level 2)
  • Dragon Professionally Speaking Ver. 5
  • Adaptive keyboards
• Large screen monitor
• Closed Circuit TV

The following services and accommodations are available through Program Counselors in Building 6, First floor; phone: 845-9129:

• Academic planning (guidance on selecting a major, scheduling courses, course modifications or substitutions, reduced credit load, etc).
• Counseling when course difficulties arise.
• Assistance with registration.
• Referrals to appropriate services (on and off campus).

Other accommodations available on campus:

• A text payphone available in the Building 5 Breezway.
• Accessible computer workstation in Building 2, Room 405 Computer Lab

To be eligible to receive disability accommodations students must:

1. Provide proper documentation of disability by an appropriate certified professional to the Honolulu Community College Student ACCESS office for evaluation.
2. Make an appointment with the Wayne Sunahara, Disabilities Specialist at 845-9272 voice/text to discuss your special needs.
3. Obtain an Accommodation Form from the Student ACCESS office once documentation has been approved.

Additional steps to initiate requests for specific accommodations:

4. For taped texts, provide an up-to-date course schedule to the Student ACCESS office immediately after registering and an accurate list of textbook titles and editions for each class.
5. For classroom accommodations present the Accommodation Form to Student ACCESS fill out appropriate request forms.

In order to establish a student’s disability status and eligibility for accommodation, disability documentation must adhere to the following guidelines:

The UH Community Colleges Procedures and Guidelines Relating to Complaints of Discrimination and Affirmative Action states:

Any community college student, employee, or applicant who believes that he or she has been a victim of unlawful discrimination may file a complaint with the campus designee (ADA/Section 504 Coordinator). The designee will immediately notify the Provost that a complaint has been filed. The designee will counsel the complainant about other avenues for pursuing the complaint.

Students may concurrently file complaints of discrimination with the Office of Civil Rights at the following address:

Office of Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education, Region X
915 Second Avenue Room 3310
Seattle, Washington 98174-1099

Timeliness is the key to being adequately prepared for each semester. Students should take the following steps in advance of each semester to make sure their semester gets off to a smooth start:

1. Register as early as possible (make use of priority registration if eligible).
2. Present the Accommodation Form to an academic advisor before registering and discuss any special needs, major requirements, course competencies, course load, and instructors.
3. Before the semester begins, contact potential instructors to discuss course requirements, types of in-class activities, texts and materials, field trips, and necessary accommodations.
4. As soon as possible, request accommodations at Student ACCESS. Late requests may result in a delay of services.
5. When requesting accommodations, provide an up-to-date course schedule (pink slip), and, as appropriate, accurate textbook titles and edition numbers for books-on-tape and/or types of in-class assistance needed.

1. Come to class ready to concentrate on the lecture and get as much out of it as you can. The notes you receive are helpful study tools but should not be relied on as the sole means for learning the course material.
2. If the notes are not as detailed as you desire, let the notetaker know. You may need to tape record the lectures and review the tapes along with the notes for the extra information needed.
3. Understand that the notes do not guarantee success in an exam. The notes assist, not replace, your individual efforts to prepare for the exam.
4. Attend class regularly. Notes are not provided on days of missed classes unless the absence is for a reason related to your disability. Contact the Student ACCESS in Building 7, Room 319, phone 845-9272 voice/text, to receive the notes from lectures you miss. You will be required to provide appropriate written verification (e.g., physician's note) that your absence is disability-related.
5. If notetaking services are not satisfactory, inform the Student ACCESS office right away so that any problems may be resolved in a timely manner.

1. On the first day of classes, discuss your need for testing accommodations with your instructors and give them the memo from Student ACCESS the so that they may be informed and prepared to accommodate you.
2. Go over the course syllabus carefully so that you are aware of upcoming test dates or ask your instructors to provide you with the information.
3. About a week before the test, remind your instructors of your testing needs and notify the Student ACCESS office in Bldg. 7, Room 319, phone 845-9272 (voice/text) as to the date and time of the test so that the appropriate accommodations may be put in place in a timely manner and a test space can be reserved for you.
4. Notify the Student ACCESS office of any problems that arise regarding testing accommodations.

Revised: November 9, 2006