Peninsula College is dedicated to providing a campus that is accessible, equitable, and inclusive to all. Access Services works with students, instructors, staff, administration, and the community to ensure that the accommodations necessary to create equal access are provided to all Peninsula College students.
- Determines reasonable accommodations for qualified students.
- Provides accommodation services support to students and faculty.
- Maintains and protects the confidentiality of student records as required by FERPA and HIPAA.
Registering For & Utilizing Access Services Accommodations
Peninsula College Students can register for accommodations at any point; however, we recommend having the process completed at least four weeks before the start of classes. If students have any questions about the registration process or need assistance completing it, please get in touch—we are here to help!
- Register For Access Services : Step-By-Step
-
STEP 1: Please complete and submit the Access Services registration form.
Access Services Registration Form
Additionally, please include medical documentation if available. Our documentation guidelines for Access Services are as follows:
Documentation of a student’s disability is required to determine eligibility for services (that is, a student has a disability as defined by ADA, ADAAA, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act) and what accommodations would be reasonable to support that student. We will work with each student to determine what types of documentation is needed and, in some cases, even help students obtain their documentation. If students cannot obtain documentation, we can still work with students—please contact us.
What We Look for in Documentation: In general, the documentation needs to be from a qualified professional who has experience with a student’s disability or diagnosis. This information must be submitted on the official letterhead of the professional or institution (such as a doctor, psychologist, school, or other agency) describing the disability. A summary letter explaining a student’s disability, how it affects their learning, and what supports a student’s provider recommends may suffice. Access Services does not provide or pay for assessments for learning or other disabilities.
How We Store your Documentation: Students’ documentation will be kept private and confidential, strictly following both FERPA and HIPAA. It will be stored on a secure file storage system. Only those who work for Access Services will have access to this secure file storage system and see students’ documentation. Students' documentation will also be kept separate from their official school file, so it will not be a part of their official school file.
STEP 2: Access Services staff will contact the student to schedule a new student intake. Participating in this meeting is a requirement to establish accommodations. In this meeting, Access Services staff and the student will:
- Discuss the student's experiences, including educational experiences. A student's self-report on the barriers or problems they face is a critical component in establish accommodations.
- Review any documentation the student has submitted or develop a plan to assist with obtaining documentation.
- Discuss possible accommodations. (See below for examples of accommodations offered by Access Services.)
- Address any questions the student may have.
- Go over the responsibilities of a student registered with Access Services and accessing accommodations.
Access Services Accommodations
STEP 3: We create the accommodation plan with students. We send a copy to the student each time the plan is created or updated. We also send a copy to students’ instructors quarterly. Accommodation plans expire yearly and require at least a yearly meeting to update the plan.
STEP 4: We teach students how to request or use accommodations. For some accommodations, we require an interactive process to support students.
STEP 5: In some cases, we may schedule follow up appointments with students to support students’ needs. Students can always schedule a check-in with us if they need additional support.
A Note to Running Start Students: It is the Running Start student's responsibility to request accommodations. While Access Services provides support for Running Start students, 504/IEP accommodations are not automatically transferred from high school to college. We recommend that students visit the Office of Civil Rights Transition Guide for information on the differences between K-12 and postsecondary accommodations.
Access Services Resources
- Accessibility Statement
-
Peninsula College is committed to providing digital content that is accessible in compliance with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and the most current Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). While you are visiting our site, you will notice that we make use of third-party sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram to promote us. Though individuals may have challenges with access to these particular sites, we do not control or remedy the way content is portrayed.
Peninsula College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified students with disabilities. The College upholds and values the law regarding Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability in education. A variety of classroom accommodations are available upon student request. To arrange accommodations, contact our Access Services office.
Accessible Technology Board Policy 506
- Disability Law
-
ADA, ADAAA & Sections 504 & 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ADA-Amendments Act, and Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibit discrimination against students with disabilities. These laws state that no qualified individual with a disability shall, solely by reason of their disability, be excluded from the participation in, or be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program, activity or services of any public entity. The 1998 amendment to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act specifically addresses equal access to electronic information and information technology.
A student may have a physical and/or mental impairment that is not directly observable. The laws define a person with a disability as any person who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing and learning. Typical categories of disability include Autism Spectrum Disorder, visual or hearing impairments, orthopedic impairments, specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, traumatic brain injuries, ADHD, and mental illness or psychiatric impairment. (Note: this list is not exhaustive.) The revision of the ADA definition of disability allowed for the inclusion of mental health or emotional and behavioral disorders.
Privacy & Confidentiality
The confidentiality of disability-related information is protected under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Confidentiality is strictly enforced in order to protect the privacy of the student and to prevent the student from being discriminated against based on a disability. Disability-related information is treated as medical information and is handled under the same strict rules of confidentiality as other medical information (for example, HIPAA- see policy posted below). Disability-related information is not shared with faculty, staff, other students, or parents. A separate file for disability-related information is maintained and is not an official part of the student's formal college record.
There are a few exceptions. Information concerning disabilities will be kept confidential, except that (1) faculty and instructors required to assist the student will be informed of the necessary accommodations, which may imply disability information, if the student has signed an authorization form; (2) safety and health personnel may be informed as necessary if emergency treatment is needed; (3) government or college officials investigating compliance with applicable disability law shall be informed upon request; and, (4) as may be required by law.
Washington State Law
Washington State RCW 28B.10.912 states "Each institution of higher education shall ensure that students with disabilities are reasonably accommodated within that institution. The institution of higher education shall provide students with disabilities with the appropriate core service or services necessary to ensure equal access." Core services include but are not limited to early registration, textbooks in alternative format or alternative classroom accessibility, readers, scribes, note-takers, and access to adaptive technology.
Grievance
Students have the right to appeal decisions Access Services makes about accommodations. Please review the Grievance section for more information.
- Student Accommodation Grievance Procedure
-
A student with grievances about their accommodations should first work with Access Services staff to address and resolve the issue. If a resolution is not found with the staff, the student may pursue any of the following options:
Option 1:
- Contact the Associate Dean of Student Advising and Support Services, Dr. Brad Baranowski, at bbaranowski@pencol.edu within 30 days of the alleged act of discrimination. When speaking with the associate dean, students should be prepared to provide:
- A clear statement of the problem to be reviewed and a summary of actions the student has taken to resolve the problem, if any.
- A description of the relevant facts, including parties involved and documents related to the problem, and timeline of events.
- Contact information of the student submitting the complaint.
- If a resolution is not found between the complainant and the associate dean, the student may move to Option 2.
Option 2:
- Follow the same steps listed above in Option 1. Contact the Vice President of Student Services, Krista Francis, at kfrancis@pencol.edu. If a resolution is not found between the complainant and the vice president, the student may move to Option 3.
Option 3:
- Follow the same steps listed above in Option 1. Contact the President of Peninsula College, Dr. Suzy Ames, at sames@pencol.edu. If a resolution is not found between the complainant and the president, the student may move to Option 4.
Option 4:
- Students may contact of the US Department of Office of Civil Rights directly:
915 Second Ave., Room 3310
Seattle, WA 98174-1099
Telephone: (206) 607-1600
Email: ocr.seattle@ed.govNote: A student can select Option 4 at any point in the process.
Protection from Retaliation
Peninsula College prohibits retaliation against any person who files a grievance alleging disability discrimination. Any concerns about retaliation should be taken to the appropriate ADA Coordinator immediately:
- Employees: Contact ADA Coordinator Kelley Opdyke at kopdyke@pencol.edu or (360) 417-7985
- Students: Contact Access Services at ssd@pencol.edu or (360) 417-6373
General Grievance Procedure
Peninsula College recognizes its responsibilities for investigation, resolution, implementation of corrective measures, and monitoring the education environment and workplace to stop, remediate, and prevent discrimination. The college follows an approved College Board policy (505.01) and procedure when a report is made: WAC 132A-350-015 and WAC 132A-350-020.
Peninsula College Board Policies
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Any student who feels that they have been discriminated against based on their disability should file a grievance by any of the following actions:
- File a PC CARES Report
- Contact the Student ADA Coordinator, Dr. Brad Baranowski, at bbaranowski@pencol.edu
- Tell a trusted Peninsula College employee and ask for their help reporting
- Service Animals
-
Peninsula College welcomes service animals to accompany their owners while on its campuses. This ensures that persons with a disability who require the assistance of a service animal have equal opportunity and access to the college’s facilities, courses, programs, and activities.
Definition of a Service Animal
A service animal is legally defined as a dog or miniature horse that has completed training to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability, including physical, sensory, psychological, intellectual, or other mental disabilities. The task(s) performed by the [animal] must be directly related to the person's disability. (Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division). Examples of specific tasks can include, but are not limited to, pulling a wheelchair, retrieving dropped items, alerting a person to a sound, reminding a person to take medication, and pressing an elevator button. Other examples can include specific training such as a seeing eye dog, a hearing or signal dog, a psychiatric service dog, a social signal dog, or a seizure response dog.
This definition and related access does not apply to other kinds of animals, including “emotional support animals”, “therapy animals”, “comfort animals”, “companion animals”, and “pets” (see below).
Service Animal Access
A service animal may access any part of the college where the owner is allowed to go, including all college premises, buildings, and facilities owned, used, controlled, leased or rented by the college, and agencies that have educational agreements with the college. This access specifically includes classrooms, public spaces, public restrooms, and areas where a public event, program, or activity is held by the college.
Exceptions
When consistent with other college policies, state and/or federal laws/regulations, a service animal may be restricted from specific parts of the campus, such as food preparation areas, medically sensitive patient and clinic areas, and biologically sensitive or hazardous sites. When such a restriction is necessary, it will be limited to that specific case and the Access Services office will be available to assist in determining reasonable accommodations for the owner. Service animals who are “in training” may be permitted, but are not entitled to, the same access as service animals at the discretion of the college. Access is not granted for service animals who are not accompanied by the owner requiring their assistance.
Handling/Direct Control
A service animal is not required to wear a vest, ID tag, or specific harness. However, a service animal must remain under the direct control of the owner at all times (such as a harness, leash, or other tether) and be in compliance with city, county, and/or state license and leash laws while on college premises. The owner is also responsible for ensuring that the service animal’s behavior does not disturb or disrupt academic or administrative functions, that all waste is immediately and properly disposed of, and that the service animal does not enter a fountain or other body of water on campus.
Removal of Service Animal
College personnel may require that the service animal be removed from Peninsula College if it is not under the direct control of its owner and/or is disturbing or disruptive to the academic or administrative functions of the college.
Privacy Rights
Peninsula College will not ask the owner of a service animal to provide documents or other information about the owner’s disability or a service animal’s training in order to grant access. Instead, college personnel who encounter a service animal on campus will only ask the owner if the service animal is required because of a disability and what work or task the service animal has been trained to perform, per state and/or federal laws/regulations.
Types of Animals that Often do not Qualify as a Service Animal
Emotional Support Animal (ESA): “An animal that has been prescribed for a person by his/her licensed therapist (a licensed mental health professional) in a properly formatted letter. … These animals do not require specific task-training because it is the very presence of the animal that mitigates the negative symptoms associated with a person's disorder.” By law, ESAs are permitted to accompany their owners on a flight and in the owner’s residence without being charged a fee. However, ESAs are not legally permitted in other public or private places if they do not allow pets.
Source: National Service Animal Registry, NSARTherapy Animal: An animal “that has been obedience trained and screened for its ability to interact favorably with humans and other animals.” Specific types include “therapeutic visitation animals … [who] are household pets whose owners take time to visit hospitals, nursing homes, detention facilities, and rehabilitation facilities”, “animal assisted therapy animals ... [who] usually work in rehabilitation facilities”, and “facility therapy animals ... [who] primarily work in nursing homes.”
Comfort Animal or Companion Animal: An alternate term for an emotional support animal.
Pet: “A domesticated animal… that is traditionally kept in the home for pleasure rather than for commercial purposes.”
Sources: National Service Animal Registry, NSAR; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division; Washington State Human Rights Commission
- Additional Resources
-
Association for Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD)
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR)
DVR, Washington StateDVR, Port Angeles
Free or Low-Cost Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology Resources
Washington Assistive Technology Act Program (WATAP)
WATAP provides assistive technology resources and expertise to all Washingtonians with disabilities to aid in making decisions and obtaining the technology and related services needed for employment, education and independent living.
Contact Information
Questions? Need more information? Please contact Access Services at:
Email: ssd@pencol.edu
Phone: (360) 417-6373
Video Phone: (360) 406-4759
Peninsula College provides equal opportunity in education, employment, and college activities regardless of race, color, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, parental status, creed, religion, military status, or any other unlawful basis. For inquiries regarding non-discrimination or sexual misconduct policies, contact Title IX Coordinator and Human Resource Officer, Hanan Zawideh at: hzawideh@pencol.edu or Employee ADA Coordinator, Kelley Opdyke at: (360) 417-7985 or kopdyke@pencol.edu or Student ADA Coordinator, Brad Baranowski at: (360) 417-6279 or bbaranowski@pencol.edu, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd. Port Angeles, WA.