Access for Students with Disabilities at GCSC
Student Accessibility Resources (SAR) helps to create a fair and inclusive learning environment through specific educational accommodations and support services guided by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. We are here to assist you in your education, career and personal achievements/goals with equal access to all programs using both on-campus and off-campus resources. In addition, we advocate for you in order to lift educational barriers while empowering and embracing differences by exploring new awareness campaigns and trainings for the GCSC population.
get Services and Accommodations You Need to Succeed
Congratulations! You’ve made the decision to continue your education at Gulf Coast State College in Florida. You likely have already overcome some obstacles to get to college and you’re determined to forge ahead. We applaud your tenacity and are here to help. Student Accessibility Resources staff are committed to working with you to help you reach your educational goals.
You’re not alone. Nearly 11 percent of college undergraduates, more than one in 10, report having a disability. The Student Accessibility Resources office has provided assistance to hundreds of Gulf Coast students over the years—students who now have successful, productive careers in the Panama City area.
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO ACCESSING DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS
- Apply to Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, Florida.
- Contact Student Accessibility Resources to self-identify as a new student who qualifies for services as a student with disabilities.
- Schedule an appointment. Student Accessibility Resources staff will help you complete the forms and determine what documentation you need based on your type of disability. (More information about documentation is provided in the Student Accessibility Resources Student Handbook or on our Forms page) We’ll also ask you what types of accommodations you used successfully in high school and what accommodations you think you might need in college.
- Return signed documents to Student Accessibility Resources and copies of documentation. If documentation was not submitted during the initial meeting, the student will need to return at a later scheduled appointment to allow time for review of documentation to assess needs of the student.
- Meet with an academic advisor and register for classes. Student Accessibility Resources staff is available to assist you with any scheduling inquiries.
- Pick up Confidential Notification Letters to bring to your instructors. You may also email the letter to your instructors if it is an online course.
- Meet with your instructors as soon as you receive your accommodation plan to discuss your needs in their class.
- Once you begin classes, let us know if you need different or additional disability accommodations from what we initially discussed.
Making the transition to Gulf Coast State College
If you have received disability services or accommodations in the past, contact us before the semester begins. We want to get to know you and your specific needs. We’ll work with you to set up a plan for accommodations and provide you with the accommodation plan to bring to your instructors at the start of each semester.
Don’t wait to get started! To ensure your access to college disability accommodations, you’ll need to provide some documentation and register with our office. If you have not registered with Student Accessibility Resources and you wait until days before your first exam to request disability accommodations, we may not be able to make arrangements in time.
What accommodations are available?
As a Gulf Coast student, Student Accessibility Resources works with you and your professors on the specific accommodations you need for your disability. Below is a list of the more common accommodations, however this is not an exhaustive list as we tailor accommodation plans to the student.
- Extra time on exams/quizzes
- Alternative testing locations/isolated testing
- Note taking support
- Readers/scribes
- Interpreters
- Course substitution
- Alternative testing procedures
Access to these disability services and accommodations must be supported with the appropriate documentation, so it’s important that you register with our office. See the Student Accessibility Resources Handbook or email sar@gulfcoast.edu for details.
“The support I received from Gulf Coast was overwhelming and they helped me reach my full potential as a student.”
~ James Durham, SAR student
Questions about disability services or your accommodations?
Do you have questions about when to disclose your disability, the confidentiality of student access at Gulf Coast State College or the documents required for accommodation? The answers to these questions and more are available on our Frequently Asked Questions page and in the Student Accessibility Resources Student Handbook. Or, you can contact Student Accessibility Resources directly.
If you're unable to view any of our forms, you can download Adobe Reader or contact SAR for alternative formats.
Contact Information
Student Accessibility Resources
Panama City Campus, McSpadden Student Union East, Room 60
5230 West U.S. Highway 98
Panama City, FL 32401
Phone: (850) 747-3243
Fax: (850) 767-8034
Email: sar@gulfcoast.edu