Office of Disability Services and Resources

A student navigating campus in a wheelchair

Gadsden State Community College serves a diverse community by offering quality academic education, workforce development and adult education opportunities that are accessible and affordable. Toward that end, the College fully supports and seeks to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title II and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 

Gadsden State strives to create a welcoming environment for all students and will work in good faith with faculty, staff and students to provide access and reasonable accommodations to persons with disabilities. 

The Disability Services and Resources Office is located in the Joe Ford Building, Suite 105 on the College's East Broad Campus. We encourage students, visitors and employees with disabilities to contact us to discuss accommodation needs at 256-549-8462.


 

About Disability Services and Resources

The Disability Services and Resources Office (DSR) offers coordination of accommodation needs, disability-related information, assistive technology services, sign language interpreting and transcription services for academically related purposes. DSR does not offer disability evaluation and/or testing, tutoring, personal expenses, attendants or scholarships; however, we do provide resources and referral information.

Vision

A campus community in which students with disabilities are equal members without barriers.

Mission

The Gadsden State Disability Services and Resources Office will interact and collaborate with faculty, staff, and students to achieve an equitable learning environment for students with disabilities; 

Guiding Principles

Disability Services and Resources exercises these principles to promote an environment where disability is seen as a valued aspect of diversity:

  • Equity – Access is achieved only when all students can fully participate in the educational opportunities, activities, and services offered by GSCC.
  • Collaboration – Access happens when individuals from across campus come together to meet the needs of a diverse community of learners.
  • Excellence – We strive to establish best practices through leadership in addressing barriers to access and furthering the global conversation on disability in higher education.

 

 

Services Available

  • Classroom accessibility
  • Testing accommodations
  • Alternate formats for assignments
  • Recorders / note takers
  • Sign language interpreters / CART captionists
  • Readers / scribes
  • Adaptive technology
    • E-texts (electronic copies of textbooks, restrictions apply)
    • Calculators (restrictions apply)
    • TextAloud text-to-speech software
    • Large print copies of syllabi, tests and handouts
    • FM systems (for us by hearing-impaired students)
    • Amplified stethoscope
    • Closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs, stationary)
    • Scanner
    • Braille embosser
    • Adjustable height tables
  • Assistive Computer Software
    • Window-Eyes, ZoomText, Jaws, Scientific Notebook
  • Service animals (permitted)