Information for Applicants

We welcome the opportunity to speak with potential applicants.  Our goal is to assist students in the pursuit of their academic and life goals while working cooperatively with all students as they develop self-determined behaviors, self-advocacy skills, and create a network of resources.  Students interested in working with our Academic Support and Career Services Coordinator should contact the office at 303.369.5151 extension 231 or Darla Dolph via email.  We are available to assist you with your requests and answer any questions you may have.

The Rules Change From High School to College for Students with Disabilities

The following chart outlines general differences in various areas between public high school and postsecondary education as it relates to disability laws and responsibilities.

High School	College
Services Used Include: Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Subpart D), American with Disabilities Act, Civil Rights Restoration Act	Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Subpart E), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Civil Rights Restoration Act
Covers ages 3-21 or until regular high school diploma requirements are met	Covers students with disabilities regardless of age; schools may not discriminate in recruitment, admission, or during enrollment, solely on the basis of a disability
Schools are required to identify students with disabilities through free assessment and the individualized education program (IEP) process.	Students are required to submit documentation establishing their disability and need for accommodations.  Services are only provided once a student self-identifies and provides appropriate documentation.  Colleges are not required to evaluate or test students.
Students receive special education and related services to address needs based on an identified disability	Formal special education services are not available
Services include individually designed instruction, modifications, and accommodations based on the IEP	Reasonable accommodations may be made to provide equal access and participation. Students are required to show the same quality of mastery as other students.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to provide equal access and participation	Students are required to monitor their own progress and communicate their needs to appropriate personnel

Potential Applicants Who Become Students at Platt College Have a Responsibility to:

• Self identify their disability to the College's Academic Support and Career Services Coordinator
• Provide verifying documentation to the Academic Support and Career Services Coordinator
• Obtain assessment and any applicable test results and provide copies to the Academic Support and Career Services Coordinator
• Contact the Academic Support and Career Services Coordinator quarterly to ensure no accommodations have changed or been added
• Arrange for and obtain their own personal attendants, tutoring and individually fitted or designed assistive technologies, if applicable
• Be flexible in providing additional information if applicable; additional paperwork may be needed once a potential applicant becomes a student after enrollment but prior to classes beginning
• Provide the College sufficient time to make reasonable accommodations; applicants should plan for a maximum of two weeks for accomodations to be met

Platt College Has a Responsibility to Potential Applicants Who Become Students to:

• Protect a student's right to privacy
• Provide access to programs and services which are offered to persons without disabilities
• Inform students of office location and procedures for requesting accommodations
• Accept and evaluate verifying documentation
• Determing whether students are otherwise qualified for participation in the program or service, with or without accommodations, and if so, whether a reasonable accommodation is possible
• Provide reasonable access to program and service choices equal to those of the general public
• Make reasonable adjustments in course delivery which do not alter the essential content of a course or program.  Students are required to show the same quality ofmastery as other students
• Inform students of their rights and responsibilities

The 5 Steps for Accommodations for Potential Applicants

Step 1: Potential applicants, during the admissions process, must inform the Admissions Representative that there is a need to speak with the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator, Darla Dolph, for ADA reasonable modifications to be made during admissions and enrollment processes.

Step 2: Potential applicants should review Policy 03:05:00 ADA in its entirety, as well as the Procedures for Request of ADA Accommodations document. In order to qualify for accommodations, potential applicants must complete and submit the following three completed forms to the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator describing specific reasonable modifications that would assist in the application processes:

Form 1: Accommodations Request;
Form 2: Permission for Release of Information; and
Form 3: Documentation of Disability-Related Need for an Accommodation  

Step 3: Upon request of the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator, potential applicants may be required to submit additional comprehensive diagnostic reports documenting their disability from a qualified and licensed medical professional. A comprehensive diagnostic report should include a diagnosis, all standardized assessment scores, a narrative/interpretation of the scores, a description of the educational impact on the individual (based on diagnosis and assessment results) and recommendations. The diagnostic report must be on letterhead, typed, dated, and signed, and otherwise legible. The name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator must be clearly stated. Professional credentials refer to an appropriately licensed professional qualified to administer and interpret diagnostic testing. Diagnoses written on prescription pads and/or parent’s notes indicating a disability are NOT considered appropriate document. 

Step 4: Once the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator has received all required forms and documentation, an intake meeting is scheduled with the potential applicant to discuss appropriate accommodations during the admissions process.

Step 5: After the appropriate documentation has been received and approved, the designated Platt College ADA Coordinator will send confidential letters to applicable College employees outlining needed accommodations.  Two weeks prior to testing is needed to arrange for accommodations that is neither a fundamental alteration nor an undue burden to the college.

Documentation on file should:

• Be current, within the last 3 years for Learning Disabilities is recommended, last 6 months for psychiatric disabilities, or last 3 years for all other disabilities (does not apply to physical or sensory disabilities of an unchanging nature.)
• State clearly the diagnosed disability and educational or medical documentation.
• Describe the functional limitations resulting from the disability.
• If medication is prescribed, list relevant medication and side effects that the individual may experience.
• Describe the specific accommodations requested and explanation of why each accommodation is recommended.
• For learning disabilities, provide all psychological and educational testing instruments used in the evaluation report and relevant subtest scores used to document the stated disability.

Privacy for Potential Applicants

Potential applicants have privacy and confidentiality protections. College employees, by law cannot talk with parents, guardians or other individuals about an applicant's enrollment process, unless granted written permission to do so.