Office of Services for Students with Disabilities

Florida State College at Jacksonville recognizes the importance of assisting and encouraging all students to reach their full potential. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended in 2008, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the College ensures that its admission requirements are uniformly applied, and that its services, activities, facilities and academic programs are accessible to and usable by all qualified students. The Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (OSSD) implements and coordinates reasonable accommodations and disability-related services to promote full participation of individuals with disabilities in all aspects of college life.

The Rehabilitation Act defines a disability as an individual who has a physical, mental, or learning disability, which substantially limits one or more major life activity (i.e., seeing, hearing, speaking, walking, sitting, standing, breathing, reading, writing, or performing mathematical calculations, and caring for oneself); or who has a record of such impairment; or who is regarded as having such impairment. Both the impairment and the limitation of a major life activity must be established to be eligible under the ADA.

The following categories of disabilities utilized to determine academic accommodations include:

  • Chronic systemic conditions affect one or more of the systems of the body and include conditions such as cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, and HIV-AIDS.
  • Hearing disabilities can range from students who have difficulty hearing, have lost hearing in one ear, or are completely deaf.
  • Learning disabilities refers to significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, and/or mathematical abilities, with the presence of at least average intelligence. This includes conditions such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia, and can be extended to include attention deficit disorder.
  • Mobility impairments range from very limited stamina to paralysis of the lower or upper extremities and may include conditions such as arthritis, back disorders, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injuries, and neuromuscular disorders.
  • Psychiatric disabilities refer to a diagnosis of a mental disorder from a licensed professional and may include conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, and schizophrenia.
  • Vision disabilities include low vision, total blindness, and partial sight such as impaired field of vision.
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder is characterized by an uneven developmental profile and a pattern of qualitative impairment in social interaction, communication, and the presence of restricted repetitive, and/or stereotyped pattern of behavior, interests, or activities.  These characteristics may manifest in a variety of combinations and range from mild to severe.
  • Traumatic Brain Injury refers to an injury to the brain, not of a degenerative or congenital nature but caused by an external force, that may produce a diminished or altered state of consciousness, which results in impairment of cognitive ability and/or physical functioning.