Types of Accommodations

Alternate media is an alternative to standard printed academic materials such as textbooks, lab manuals, class handouts, and tests. 

Eligibility for alternate instructional material is based on the professional documentation provided by the student that verifies the student has a print disability which inhibits the functional use of standard instructional material in print format. 

Once eligibility is confirmed, students must read, agree to, and sign the Alternate Media Agreement.

Requests for alternate media are handled on a first come, first serve basis. Due to the volume of requests, CSA requires 6 weeks to convert textbooks into alternate formats and 1 week to convert course handouts. (Conversion time can vary on a case by case basis.)

Media Guidelines

• Students must be currently enrolled in the course or courses for which they are requesting alternate media.
• Students must own a physical copy of the textbook or other course material and provide an original receipt to CSA.
• Handouts must be clean, original, and scan ready copies.
• Material provided to CSA for the purpose of conversion to alternative format may be disassembled and returned to the student in its altered condition.
• CSA will not be held responsible for any damage to the materials that occur as a result of conversion to alternative format.
• Upon review of material to be formatted and converted, CSA staff will notify the student regarding conversion progress.
• Students will not copy or reproduce alternatively formatted instruction materials nor allow anyone else to do so pursuant to the requirements of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Students understand that any violation of this agreement may be considered a violation of Palm Beach State College’s Code of Conduct and could result in discontinued service.

The Center for Student Accessibility does not have a role in determining course attendance policies. Attendance policies are set by faculty at the departmental or individual level.

Faculty determine policies regarding missed assignments, quizzes, exams, projects, labs, or other class requirements. Faculty are not required to lower or effect substantial modifications of standards for accommodation purposes.

CSA can provide students with written verification of their disabilities based on appropriate medical and/or psychological documentation. These verification forms may be distributed by students to faculty to initiate discussions of attendance and make-up policies and procedures. CSA advisors or managers may also email faculty on students' behalf if a specific absence is because of a disability.

Alternate furniture may be provided to students for whom the standard desks and chairs in classrooms are inaccessible due to physical disability. Examples of alternate furniture include padded or supported seating and stand-alone tables. 

Furniture Guidelines

• The Center for Student Accessibility will make every effort to accommodate requests for alternate furniture using a surplus of adaptive furniture owned by Palm Beach State College. In cases where CSA cannot locate furniture in its own inventory, CSA will help the student make a request to the academic department in which the class(s) are held.
• CSA advisors will inform faculty regarding the placement of specific furniture in classrooms and priority use by the student with a disability during class/lab hours.
• Should the College need to purchase furniture for the student, CSA will make every effort to obtain what the student requests or a reasonable alternative.
• Due to college purchasing procedures, furniture is ordered through specific vendors; this may cause a delay in the receipt of the item. When placing orders, the Center for Student Accessibility will work diligently with the purchasing office to help ensure prompt delivery. CSA cannot guarantee the specific delivery date of furniture.
• Students must bring their own cushions or orthopedic supports, as needed and are responsibility for their property. (Palm Beach State College is not responsible for items left in the classroom or other locations at the College.)
• Accessible furniture provided by the CSA and the College should be considered only to improve classroom accessibility and is not prescriptive in nature.

The Center for Student Accessibility offers a variety of note taking options such as guided notes, instructor lecture notes, copies of notes by a designated note taker, audio recordings, printed PowerPoint presentations or transcription services. All the note taking options listed will not be provided to a student; however, the CSA advisor or manager and student will discuss which services are ideal for the accommodation requested.

Once eligibility is confirmed, students will receive a follow-up email confirming the note taking service provided for the class or classes requested.

If you do not receive your notes within 48-hours from the class, contact your CSA advisor immediately.

Note Taking Assistance Guidelines

• Note takers are not authorized to provide tutoring, instructional support or editing.
• It is the student's responsibility to notify CSA immediately regarding schedule changes or incomplete, late or no notes.
• At the end of the semester, you will have the opportunity to evaluate the note taking service.

Parking spaces are clearly marked with accessible parking signs and are monitored by Campus Safety and law enforcement agencies. Students are required by law to have the appropriate DMV-issued placard or license, as well as a Palm Beach State College parking decal. The Center for Student Accessibility does not issue or approve parking decals. Visit Campus Safety for temporary parking passes or parking decals.

Continuing students who are registered with CSA are eligible for priority registration. Priority registration increases the probability that students with disabilities will secure registration in a course schedule that is most conducive to their disability related needs. Students should be prepared with their class lists for the coming semester on the first day of registration.

View Registration Calendar

Accommodations for class registration should be submitted prior to the registration window opening.

Scribe services entail producing written material on behalf of the student during an exam, quiz or other written-based assignment.

Please note: This accommodation must be approved by a CSA advisor or manager and will depend on the symptoms and severity of the student's disability and the requirements of the course.

Scribe Guidelines

• Students are responsible for all the written material produced by scribes, including content, sentence structure, punctuation, and spelling.
• Scribes will write only what is dictated to them. They are not permitted to answer questions about the content of the dictated material or to provide tutoring services for students. Students are responsible for adjusting their dictation speed to ensure scribes can record everything communicated.
• Students are expected to give individual direction to scribes.
• Should the student experience a problem with a scribe, they may speak directly to him or her. The student may also meet with a CSA advisor or manager to work towards agreed upon solution.
• Scribes are provided for academic curriculum support only. Scribes are not provided for personal need.
• CSA reserves the right to discontinue service if any of the above is violated or abused.
• Students are given the opportunity to evaluate the scribe at the end of each semester.
• Scribes for exams and quizzes are CSA staff only. To maintain testing integrity and accreditation standards students are not allowed to serve as scribes under any circumstances. Any request by faculty, staff or student for student to serve as a scribe will be denied.

Animal/Service Animal Policy

Interpreters in an academic setting or other activities support students that are deaf and hard of hearing by ensuring effective communication between the student and others is realized with the use of sign language.

All arrangements for interpreting services must be made through the Center for Student Accessibility.