Disability Resources

Normal Business Hours:

Mon - Thu | 9am - 5pm
Fri | 10am - 5pm

Connect With The DRS Team

  1. Stop by the Office in the SES Building Room 163. If the team is away from the Office or the Office is closed, leave a message in our mailbox next to our Office door. You many also submit documents using the same mailbox.
  2. Call the Office directly at 602-243-8395. If the team is out of the Office, leave a detailed message with your name, MEID, callback number and reason for your call.
  3. Email the DRS team at drs@southmountaincc.edu. Include the purpose for your email and what support is needed from the DRS team.
  4. Contact a DRS team member to schedule a meeting via Google Hangouts
    • To prepare for a Google Hangout discussion with a DRS team member, please have the following items:
      1. Student ID, Driver's License, or State ID
      2. Internet Connection
      3. Access to a laptop, or desktop, or phone (iOS or Android)
      4. Download the Google Hangouts app prior to our meeting

OR 

  1. Log into the Google Hangouts invitation that will be sent to you.
    Required equipment:
    • Speakers
    • Microphone
    • Webcam

General Eligibility Requirements 

  1. To be eligible for DRS support services, a student must have a disability as defined by federal law (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA).
  2. To receive services from the South Mountain Community College (SMC) DRS Office, a student must be admitted and enrolled as a SMC student and provide the SMC DRS Office with documentation of a qualifying disability that verifies the nature and extent of the disability prior to receiving any accommodation or academic adjustment.
  3. Only accommodations granted by the SMC DRS office and communicated to faculty through a Faculty Notification Letter (FNL) will be recognized by the District as approved accommodations for students with disabilities.

Self-Identify/Make a request for accommodations or academic adjustments

  • Future students need to request accommodations two (2) weeks prior to the start date of the class.
  • Some accommodations such as large monitors, interpretive service, adaptive software, alternative texts, etc. may take longer to coordinate and may require extended notice.

Complete online application in DRS Connect and upload your documentation

  • When completing an online application, students should only include diagnosis that causes them to experience functional limitations (barriers to learning or access) and has supporting documentation demonstrating the need for an academic adjustment.
  • Students should not expect to be accommodated without documentation.
  • Students will need to review their Maricopa email frequently.
    • The DRS Office communicates with all students who have submitted an application using their assigned Maricopa e-mail.
    • Personal e-mails, although often preferred by students, provide the greatest opportunity for error and will not be utilized by DRS to communicate with students.
    • Students are best served when they link their personal and school e-mail on the same device

Complete an Intake and/or Orientation

  • Intake
    • An intake may be necessary to determine functional limitation and appropriate accommodations on a case-by-case basis.
    • Students should expect a phone call and/or e-mail advising them to schedule their intake
    • Intakes can be scheduled using the DRS Connect website or by calling the DRS Office at 602-243-8395.
    • The intake can take 15-30 minutes and will include a documentation review and general discussion regarding the student’s diagnosis, previous accommodations in other educational settings, and the functional limitations that substantially impact the student’s access in a post-secondary learning environment identified via the student’s documentation or in-person discussion.
  • Orientation
    • Orientations are available in a group or individual (one-on-one) settings.
    • Groups are considered less than 4 individuals and all group orientations are scheduled following a student’s intake.
    • Group orientations take 30-45 minutes.
    • If a student does not wish to attend a group orientation, they are required to schedule an individual orientation using DRS Connect.
    • If a student delays scheduling an individual orientation, the distribution of their Faculty Notification Letter (FNL) will be delayed until his/her orientation can be completed.
    • As part of orientation, students will be given the opportunity for guided assistance through their release consents and accommodation selection.
    • The PowerPoint and all resources mentioned in the orientation are sent to the student following the orientation.
    • Students will have the opportunity to check out applicable equipment following their orientations.
  • The DRS team is willing to assist with uploading documentation
    • Students can visit the DRS Office in SS-129 to have their originals scanned and returned in the same visit or as quickly as possible.
    • Students can also call the DRS Office at 602-243-8395 and a member of the DRS Team will guide them through the process to scan their documentation via their home computer and printer.
    • If a student submits an application without documentation, they will be contacted three times (twice by e-mail and once by phone).
    • If the student does not respond to the DRS contacts, their file will be turned “in-active” until documentation can be provided.

Make online request accommodations and sign a release form in DRS Connect

  • The student must make an online request for each registered course, identify which accommodations are being requested for which class.
  • Requests are reviewed and approved by the DRS Manager or qualified DRS Representative
  • Students who select accommodations that are not applicable to the learning environment will delay the distribution of their Faculty Notification Letters (FNL) and will be contacted via e-mail to “de-select” the accommodations (i.e. a note-taker for an online class).
  • If a student does not respond to the request to “de-select” an accommodation within two (2) days, the DRS Manager can remove the request and send the Faculty Notification Letter (FNL) after noting why the request has been removed (i.e. preferred seating for an online class).

Meet with Faculty

  • Students are expected to meet with each of their course faculty prior to the start of the course to ensure their requested accommodations are communicated via the student’s Faculty Notification Letter (FNL) sent from the DRS Office 1-2 business days after approval.
  • The FNL provides the faculty with the opportunity to review the accommodations prior to the start of class and discuss with the student “how” the requested accommodations will be implemented within his/her learning environment.
  • Early notification and a collaborative approach to accommodation provide an opportunity for the student and the faculty to build a relationship and communicate effectively throughout the semester.