About Student Accessibility Services
Student Accessibility Services (SAS) is committed to ensuring access for students with disabilities. SAS is a vital part of the campus and complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its amendments. SAS provides a welcoming space for all students to gather with their peers, share lunch, study, or socialize in a quiet setting. SAS students enjoy being a part of SMCC’s diverse community. Students with a qualifying disability are encouraged to register with SAS to request accommodations. Examples of qualifying disabilities include psychiatric, medical, physical, learning, neurological, auditory, and vision-related conditions that impair an individual’s functioning.
Requesting Academic Accommodations
Students seeking academic accommodations must be admitted or enrolled in a course at SMCC and self-identify as a student with a disability requesting accommodations. Students can submit their accommodation requests by completing the online SAS Registration Form. Students who prefer to submit their registration form by fax or email attachment can do so by sending a completed printable form to SMCCSAS@mainecc.edu or 207-741-5678. Once SAS receives the completed registration form, a member of our staff will contact you to discuss disability documentation requirements.
Documentation & Interactive Interview Requirements
All students must provide documentation of their disability, authored by a Qualified Provider. Qualified Providers include medical doctors, doctors of osteopathic medicine, physician assistants, psychiatric nurse practitioners, psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors and therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, optometrists, audiologists, and otolaryngologists, among others.
Current Documentation
Documentation should be no older than 5 years. Students without documentation or whose documentation has expired are encouraged to contact SAS to explore alternative sources of documentation.
Excluded School Plans
High school IEPs and 504 plans are NOT acceptable forms of documentation.
Documentation Review
Documentation is reviewed before the intake appointment. SAS may seek permission to speak with the Qualified Provider to clarify the information provided. SAS will never contact a provider without a signed FERPA consent.
Accommodation Determination
Provider recommendations are not accommodations. SAS determines accommodations in consultation with the student based on the totality of evidence.
Exploring Options
Students may request specific accommodation for consideration but are not necessarily entitled to their preferred accommodation.
Ensuring Access
Accommodations ensure access, not progress or success, and do not violate program technical standards or provide an unfair advantage.
Next Steps
Please use the list in the next section to determine the preferred documentation format for each disability category.
Once the SAS Registration Form is completed and provider documentation is received, SAS will contact the student via their @mainecc.edu email address to schedule their intake appointment. Intake appointments are available in person and virtually at both the South Portland and Midcoast campuses. Together, the student and SAS will clarify any barriers and propose reasonable accommodations to ensure access. Academic accommodations determined at the intake appointment will remain in effect for the duration of the student’s tenure at SMCC. Students can request adjustments at any time. Students are provided with a written Notification of Disability Accommodations and are responsible for sharing their notice with their faculty if they wish to use their accommodations in the class. Accommodations are not retroactive. Students must renew their accommodations each semester by completing the online renewal form, which is emailed directly to their @mainecc.edu address at the end of each semester.
Preferred Documentation Type/Qualified Provider Forms
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD-All Subtypes)
Auditory Processing Disorders
- Submit most recent Audiology Report and/or Speech Language Evaluation.
Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Use the online SAS DSM-5 TR/ICD-10 Psychiatric Disability Provider Form.
- OR submit a copy of their most recent neuropsychological or psychoeducational evaluation report.
- View the printable form.
Blind/Low Vision
Chronic Medical Conditions
Deaf or Hard of Hearing
- Submit a copy of their most recent Audiology Report or Audiogram.
Intellectual Disabilities
- Submit a copy of their most recent neuropsychological or psychoeducational evaluation report.
Learning Disabilities
- Submit a copy of their most recent neuropsychological or psychoeducational evaluation.
- And, submit their Academic Achievement Evaluation.
Neurological Disabilities
Physical or Mobility Disabilities
Psychiatric Disabilities
Speech/Language Disorders
- Submit their most recent speech language evaluation.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Accommodations: High School Versus College
College differs significantly from elementary and high schools with respect to accommodation. Accommodations at the primary and secondary education levels are governed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA mandates that all children are entitled to a free and appropriate education. Under the IDEA, schools are required to identify and evaluate students who need accommodation. Students may qualify for an IEP or 504 plan to support their progress in the regular education curriculum. Under IDEA, parents actively participate in the process, and students may receive related services such as social work services and various therapies, e.g., speech therapy and occupational therapy. IDEA does not apply to college courses, even when taken in a high school setting, such as Early College or Dual Enrollment.
In college, accommodations are governed by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its amendments. Accommodations ensure access to course curricula, college facilities, and events. Student Accessibility Services at SMCC does not:
- Ensure or monitor a student’s success or progress at SMCC.
- Provide identification or evaluation of a student’s disabling condition.
- Provide ancillary services, such as case management, individualized instruction, or therapy services (e.g., speech therapy and occupational therapy).
- Automatically engage the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) in the accommodation process or provide them with updates.
Students are encouraged to begin the accommodations request process early. Students who would like their parent, guidance counselor, case manager, or other support person to participate in the accommodations process should complete a FERPA Release for each individual and fax it to 207-741-5678.
Early College and Dual Enrolled Students
To receive college credit, Dual Enrolled and Early College students should follow the same accommodations request process as all SMCC students. SAS is happy to schedule on-site intake days at local high schools and virtual intake days for others to facilitate the registration process. Additionally, SAS is available to consult with high school Case Managers and Special Education Coordinators regarding transition planning. Please contact Heather Heath at hheath@mainecc.edu or 207-741-5680.
Additional Accommodation Types
Housing Accommodations
Students requesting housing accommodations or emotional support animals should review the Housing Accommodations and Emotional Support Animals Request Process document for requirements and further instructions. Questions should be directed to Heather Jackson, SAS Director, hjackson@mainecc.edu or 207-741-5923.
Dietary Accommodations
Students requesting dietary accommodations should provide documentation of their diet-related condition and prescribed diet using the online Dietary Accommodations Qualified Provider Form. This information will be forwarded to our campus nutritionist, Chelsea Champagne, MS, RD, LDN, who will contact the student to determine whether our dining provider can safely meet the student’s needs. View the printable Form.
Maine Fire Service Institute Testing Accommodations
Maine Fire Service Institute (MFSI) is committed to ensuring disability access in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its amendments. MFSI partners with SMCC Student Accessibility Services (SAS) to ensure that qualified test candidates receive reasonable accommodation. Test candidates with a qualifying disability are encouraged to contact SAS to request accommodations at least one month prior to the exam date.
Test candidates seeking accommodation must provide documentation of their disability prepared by a qualified provider. Please refer to the documentation section published above. Students can begin their request by completing the online MFSI Request for Testing Accommodations Form.
Temporary Accommodations
Students with temporary disabilities, e.g., concussions, broken limbs, or emergency surgical procedures, are generally eligible for accommodation. Students must self-identify and provide appropriate documentation. Documentation of temporary accommodations may include those sources previously mentioned or other documentation, such as comprehensive medical records or a letter from a treating physician. Temporary accommodations expire once the temporary disability has been resolved or at the close of the semester in which they were granted. Students with temporary disabilities lasting more than one semester should meet with SAS to renew their temporary accommodations and assess the need for permanent accommodation. Requests for temporary disability accommodations can be emailed to SMCCSAS@mainecc.edu.
Denials & Appeals
Students who disagree with an SAS accommodation eligibility determination can request a review. There are two review options: Reconsideration or Appeal.
Reconsideration
Students whose accommodation request was denied due to a lack of evidence AND who have additional Qualified Provider documentation to submit for review may request a Reconsideration. Supplemental documentation should be submitted using the appropriate documentation form. Once received, SAS Staff will review the original request and documentation, along with all new provider documentation, and contact the student to schedule a follow-up meeting. If applicable, an updated Notification of Disability Accommodations will be issued and sent to the student’s @mainecc.edu address. Submission of additional documentation does not guarantee a change in determination. Students who disagree with the reconsideration determination have the right to appeal following the steps below.
Appeal
Students who disagree with the SAS accommodation eligibility determination (initial or reconsideration), who do not wish to submit additional documentation, should request an Appeal. The Associate Dean of Academics reviews appeals. Appeals should be addressed to Holly Gurney, Associate Dean of Academics, hgurney@mainecc.edu or 207-741-5545. Holly will contact the student directly to guide them through the appeal process. A written appeal determination will be sent to your @mainecc.edu address.
Our Team
Heather Jackson, LMSW-CC
Director, Student Accessibility Services (SAS), Southern Maine Community College
Heather joined SMCC as Director in June 2023 after serving as the Accommodations Coordinator at the University of Southern Maine. Heather has an extensive background in mental health and substance abuse treatment, including experience in crisis assessment, case management, and supported employment. She is a former instructor of social policy and curriculum designer at the Catherine Cutler Institute. Heather is the primary contact for institutional compliance, department programming, community concerns, and the following accommodations: housing, dietary, facility, ASL, ESA, MFSI testing candidates, and Midcoast campus-based students.
Contact Information: hjackson@mainecc.edu | 207-741-5923
Heather Heath, CAS, M.Ed.
Associate Director, Student Accessibility Services (SAS), Southern Maine Community College
Heather joined SMCC in June of 2023. Heather has been a special education director, IEP coordinator, student teacher supervisor, case manager, and special education teacher. She has experience working in correctional facilities, special-purpose private schools, an international school in Ecuador, and in various K-12 public schools across Maine. At SMCC, Heather works with students who require academic accommodation and can guide them through various SMCC processes. Heather is also a team member of the Early College Office and the primary point person for Dual and Concurrent Enrollment students with disabilities.
Contact Information: hheath@mainecc.edu | 207-741-5680
Jillienne Hughes Hewins, B.Sc.
Administrative Coordinator, Student Accessibility Services (SAS), Southern Maine Community College
Jillienne joined SMCC in July 2024. Before that, Jillienne worked in Academic Affairs and the Registrar’s Office at Kennebec Valley Community College in various administrative support roles. With over 20 years of experience in the Maine Community College System, Jillienne brings a wealth of knowledge of college policy and systems to her work. Jillienne is frequently the face and heart of Student Accessibility Services and serves as the primary contact for our students, staff, and faculty.
Contact Information: jhugheshewins@mainecc.edu | 207-741-5832
Contact Us:
Student Accessibility Services (SAS) Office: SMCCSAS@mainecc.edu
Campus Center, 1st Floor