The faculty and staff at NPC are committed to student success. Disability Services strives to ensure that all qualified students with disabilities have equal access during their college experience. We foster a philosophy that encourages independence and assists students in realizing their full academic potential. Our continued goal is to maintain an accessible community where students are supported and diversity is celebrated.
Services available to students with documented disabilities include, but are not limited to:
- Guidance and Academic Advisement
- Adapted Testing
- Alternative Print Formats
- Adaptive Technology
- Adaptive Equipment
- Auxiliary Aids
- Instructional Strategies
- Physical Access
- And more
Who Can Apply and When:
Students with documented disabilities at National Park College are welcome to apply for assistance at any time throughout the year. However, it is best to apply as early as possible prior to the beginning of classes. Remember, accommodations cannot be applied retroactively and some accommodations may not be feasible for immediate implementation.
How to Initiate Services:
To begin the process you will need to meet with the Disability Specialist to complete an intake application and discuss what accommodations will be the best for you. All plans are tailored to match the unique needs of each individual student. Please bring a copy of your most recent disability documentation. The documentation does need to correlate with the accommodations requested.
If no paperwork or documentation exists, please check with the Disability Specialist for guidance as to your possible options.
What Happens Next:
Upon approval of eligibility, a memorandum will be sent to each instructor with recommended accommodations. Classroom accommodation is actually a two-step process requiring interaction between (1) a student and the Office of Disability Services, and (2) a student and the faculty member. Students requesting accommodations must speak to each individual instructor regarding their requests. To ensure the student’s privacy, this is best accomplished during an instructor’s established office hours. Accommodations are not truly activated until the student speaks to the instructor. The instructor then has the opportunity to validate that there is no fundamental alteration of what is being taught for their specific class.
On rare occasions, a third step may be required if a faculty member determines that he or she cannot provide a reasonable accommodation because they believe that it does fundamentally or substantially modify course, program or degree standards. The provision of reasonable accommodations and services due to disability cannot fundamentally alter the nature of the course, program, or event. In the rare event that this does occur, the instructor, student, and disability counselor will meet to seek a possible resolution.
Student Responsibilities:
- Students who request class accommodation must be registered with Disability Services. Please do not ask an instructor to implement a class accommodation if you are not first registered with this office
- It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to report disability related needs to instructors and Disability Services in a timely manner. It is not possible for staff at NPC to anticipate all of a student’s unique and special needs during their college experience. We cannot help unless there is an open line of communication. Please contact our office for assistance. We are here to help.
- Students should contact this office prior to the beginning of each semester to discuss the need for continued accommodations. It is the student’s responsibility for contact to be made far enough in advance to reasonably ensure more specialize accommodation needs can be in place when new classes begin.
Where Can I Apply?
The Disability Services office is located in Room 224 of the Student Commons Building. You are also welcome to call Mandee Harper at 501-760-6388 or e-mail Mandee.Harper@np.edu for more information.
Student Concerns:
It is the intent of NPC to work toward full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973/Section 504, and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments (ADAA) of 2008 to make their facilities accessible to students, staff, and visitors and to make the various instructional programs accessible to all people, or to provide reasonable accommodation according to the law. It is the policy of NPC that no individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, and advantages or accommodations at the College.
If a student believes that they have been denied a valid accommodation or has any questions regarding accessibility compliance please first contact the Disability Services Office for possible guidance. If your concern cannot be resolved John Tucker, Dean of Students, has been designated to handle inquiries or concerns related to NPC’s Disability compliance. Mr Tucker’s office is located in Room 243 of the Student Commons Building.