Differences between Texas State, Community Colleges, and other 4-Year Colleges and Universities
The method used to provide services for students with disabilities varies at every community college and 4-year private and public college in the country. For student’s with a disability who are planning to transfer to Texas State University-San Marcos (hereafter referred to as Texas State) which includes the Round Rock Higher Education Center (RRHEC), this guide is designed to familiarize them with the Office of Disability Services (ODS) including the philosophy of service provision, documentation requirements, and services offered by the ODS.

Self Advocacy
Self advocacy is at the core of all services provided by the ODS office. Students with disabilities at Texas State are expected to be active participants in the accommodation process. Our philosophy is based on the foundation that self advocacy begins with a student knowing about, and understanding their disability so they can express their needs to faculty members and others. Being a self advocate also means knowing your rights and responsibilities as it relates to your specific accommodations. A self advocate can also compromise when needed, in order to get the most out of a situation. As it relates to accommodations, this does not mean settling for something that is ineffective or does not meet your needs. A good self advocate also knows when and where to go for help.

Documentation Requirements at Texas State
Students with disabilities who are planning to transfer to Texas State should be aware that every community college or university has the right to establish their own disability documentation guidelines including criteria for how current the documentation must be in order to qualify for services. A transfer student should not assume that documentation accepted at their prior institution will meet Texas State criteria.

At Texas State, a student must meet the criteria outlined in at least one of the ODS disability guidelines to qualify for services and accommodations. A brief description of each disability guideline is outlined below. The complete and detailed guidelines are available upon request from the ODS, or are available on the ODS web site at www.ods.txstate.edu.

It is the responsibility of the student, not the university, to pay for the cost of any evaluation needed to document a student’s disability. Students should keep a copy of any disability documentation provided to the ODS for their records. The ODS will maintain a student's file ten years after the last semester services are requested.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders
Cognitive Disorders
Developmental Disabilities
General Disabilities
Learning Disabilities:
Psychological Disabilities

Management of Services
Every student who qualifies for services from the ODS will be assigned an ODS Specialist who will serve as your primary point of contact for ODS services. The ODS Specialist will meet with you to review your approved accommodations and the process necessary to receive each accommodation. The ODS “Student Handbook’ or “Handbook for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Students” will be provided at this appointment and will serve as a reference for you in the future.

As a self advocate, every student is responsible for informing faculty members and other appropriate university personnel about their need for accommodations. Professional staff in the ODS will help facilitate access to accommodations through written and/or verbal communication with faculty and staff members.

How Accommodations are Determined
The ODS will, upon request, review disability documentation for the purpose of determining appropriate accommodations for any potential student or applicant for admission. Students with disabilities must meet the same admission requirements as other students.

Accommodations selected will be based on the documentation provided in accordance in the guidelines outlined above; a transfer student should not assume that the accommodations they received at their prior institution will also be provided at Texas State. Within 30 days of the ODS receiving a student’s disability documentation the information will be reviewed to determine accommodations. After accommodations are identified, the student will be contacted for an appointment with an ODS Specialist. Eligibility for the approved accommodations are not in effect until you meet with an ODS Specialist to discuss and review your approved accommodations.

Types of Accommodations and Services Provided
Specialized support services are based on the individual student's disability-based need. Services available include, but are not limited to:

• Special Groups registration of classes
• Providing textbooks in alternate format including audio files
• Arranging for testing accommodations, including extended time and reduced distraction environment 
• Assistance in accessing adaptive computer equipment
• Liaison and advocacy between students, faculty and staff
• Disability management counseling
• Provision of sign language and oral interpreting services
• Information and referral to on and off-campus resources
• Provision of captioning (speech to text) services

Confidentiality
The ODS maintains all disability documentation in a confidential file and will not release information to anyone outside the office without a student’s written consent. The ODS professional staff may discuss, in general terms, a student’s disability with a faculty or staff member as it relates to the student’s accommodations. There is no record made of a student receiving services from the ODS on a student’s academic transcript.

ROUND ROCK HIGHER EDUCATION CENTER
In addition to serving students with disabilities at Texas State in San Marcos, we are also committed to meeting the needs of students with disabilities enrolled in classes at the Round Rock Higher Education Center (RRHEC) through services coordinated by Jill Seidenberger the Texas State Student Development Specialist in the One-Stop Center. The processes for accessing some services and accommodations at the RRHEC may differ from those described for the San Marcos campus.