Disability Services

Disability Services at SOWELA

The Office of Student Services serves as an advocate for students with documented disabilities to ensure equal access to the College. Various support services have been established to assist students according to their documented needs. Every effort is made to help students make a smooth transition to college and to have access throughout their college experience. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Services prior to the beginning of each semester.

Initially Applying for Accommodations

If you are a new student seeking services or accommodations, we look forward to assisting you. Our office serves as a resource and an advocate for students with disabilities to ensure an equal access learning environment.

Students interested in applying for accommodations should follow the steps below:

Review, Complete, and Submit the Intake Assessment Form below. The form gives you an opportunity to upload any documentation.
Complete and submit the Voter Declaration Form below.
Once the Office of Disability of Disability (ODS) receives the Intake Assessment form and documentation, ODS will reach out to schedule an appointment to go over accommodations.
- Students taking online classes and/or attending classes at one of our instructional sites can schedule an appointment via phone or email to discuss necessary accommodations.

Forms and Resources

Intake Assessment Form

SOWELA Disability Services organizes services for qualified students with disabilities requiring reasonable accommodations. Notifying SOWELA that you have a disability is optional. If you have a disability and need to request accommodations, please complete the following form. You will also need to make an appointment for an intake meeting with Megan Fabian at ods@sowela.edu or by calling (337) 421-6565 ext. 4633.

Fields marked with * are required.

Name*

First Name*

Last Name*

Student ID#*

Location where you Attend Class*

Phone Number*

numbers only – no spaces (include area code)

Email*

Address*

City

State

ZIP Code

If you are transferring from another college, please state the name of the college and list support services you have received.

Are you receiving assistance from Veterans Administration?*

Yes
No

Are you receiving assistance from LA Rehabilitation Services?*

Yes
No

Academic Program:*

How does this disability impact you in the academic environment (how it impacts your learning):*

Please indicate what kind of accommodations you are requesting:*

Describe the documentation you intend to provide to support your request for accommodation and attach to this form, if available.

Upload Supporting Documents

File uploads may not work on some mobile devices.

If you are not registered to vote where you live now, would you like to apply to register to vote here today?*

I want to register to vote.
I do not want to register to vote.

If you would like help in filling out the voter registration application form, we will help you. The decision whether to seek or accept help is yours. You may fill out the application in private.*

Yes, I would like help.
No, I do not want help.

Student Signature*

Enter your first and last name

Voter Declaration Form

The Office of Disability Services provides assistance with completing and submitting the voter’s registration application to students with disabilities on an ongoing basis and during authorized voter registration periods. For more information contact the Office of Disability Services at ods@sowela.edu or (337) 421-6565 ext. 4633.

Fields marked with * are required.

Student Name*

First Name*

Last Name*

Student ID#*

Student Email*

If you are not registered to vote where you live now, would you like to apply to register to vote here today?*

I want to register to vote.
I do not want to register to vote.

Applying to register or declining to register to vote will not affect the amount of assistance that you will be provided by this agency. Voter eligibility requirements are found on the voter registration application form.

Note: If you do register to vote, the location where your application was submitted will remain confidential. If you decline to register to vote, this fact will remain confidential. Applying to register or declining to register to vote will be used only for voter registration purposes.

If you would like help in filling out the voter registration application form, we will help you. The decision whether to seek or accept help is yours. You may fill out the application in private.*

Yes, I would like help.
No, I do not want help.

For assistance in completing the voter registration application form outside our office, contact Student Services at (337) 421-6565 ext. 4633 or ods@sowela.edu.

If completed outside our office, your voter registration application form (if you filled one out) should be returned to SOWELA, 3850 Sen. J Bennett Johnston Ave., Magnolia Building- Student Success Center, Lake Charles, LA 70615.

Signature*

Enter first and last name

Date

Technical Standards

School of Arts and Science
- Criminal Justice (PDF)
School of Business and Applied Technology
School of Industrial Technology
- Industrial Technology Programs (PDF)
School of Nursing and Allied Health
School of Transportation and Applied Technology
- Forest Technology (PDF)

Resources

Forms, Brochures, and Handbooks

Organization Contact Information

Advocacy Center
- Assists with issues related to accessibility of services and programs, disability and medical benefits, special education, vocational rehabilitation, housing rights, accommodations for persons with disabilities, protection from abuse and neglect and protection from institutional resident’s right.
- Phone: (800) 960-7705
Best Buddies
- Mentoring and friendship program for people with intellectual disabilities.
- Free email pen pal program.
- Websites: http://www.bestbuddies.org and http://www.ebuddies.org
- Phone: (225) 226-1677
Kay Doré Counseling Clinic at McNeese State University
- Phone: (337) 475-5981
Louisiana Assistive Technology
- Medical and assistive equipment distribution program.
- Loans, computers, and other assistance to individuals with disabilities.
- Website: http://www.latan.org
- Phone: (800) 270-6185
OCDD (Office for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities)
- Phone: (337) 475-8045
- Fax: (337) 475-8045
Professional Counseling Specialties
- Phone: (337) 477-0079
The Psychology Clinic – DeRidder
- Phone: (337) 462-2110
The Psychology Clinic – Lake Charles
- Phone: (337) 474-2682

Additional Information

Confidentiality

Disability-related information is treated as medical documentation, which is kept confidential, and is not released to anyone outside the accommodation process or direct chain of command with the following exceptions:

When the student gives Student Support Services written consent to share disability-related information with the person(s) named on the release;
When Student Support Services is required and/or permitted by the law and/or court order to release information;
When the student is a direct threat to him/herself or others; and/or
When the student makes a disability-related allegation, claim, grievance, appeal, or disclosure to the College’s attorneys for legal advice to or representation of the College.

Students with disabilities have a right to review their files. This can be arranged by scheduling an appointment with the Director of Student Services. The Office of Student Services does not provide copies of documentation. This information should be obtained from the originator of the documentation. The Office of Student Services will retain a copy of all information within a student’s file for five (5) years. Once the student is considered inactive for five years, the file may be destroyed.

When a student with a disability requests accommodations, he/she should understand that some disability-related information may be provided on a need to know basis to College personnel in order to ensure that the student will receive appropriate accommodations. In most instances, College personnel need to know only what accommodations must be provided to a student and that the student has been through the disability documentation review process in the Office of Student Services. Otherwise, College personnel do not have access to information regarding a student’s disability.

Rights and Responsibilities of Students

Every student with a documented disability has the following rights:

Equal access to courses, programs, services, jobs, activities, and facilities available through the College
Reasonable and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids determined on a case-by-case-basis.
Appropriate confidentiality of all information pertaining to his/her disability with the choice of whom to disclose his/her disability to except as required by law.
Information reasonably available in accessible formats.

Every student with a disability at SOWELA Technical Community College has the responsibility to:

Meet the College’s qualifications and essential technical, academic, and Institutional standards.
Identify themselves in a timely manner as an individual with a disability when seeking an accommodation to Student Support Services and instructor(s).
Provide documentation from an appropriate professional source that verifies the nature of the disability, functional limitations, and the need for specific accommodations to Student Support Services.
Follow specific procedures for obtaining reasonable and appropriate accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids.
Provide instructor(s) each semester with the accommodation letters from Student Support Services in a timely manner.
Communicate needs and concerns with Student Support Services and instructor, as appropriate.
Make an appointment with instructors to facilitate privacy when requesting and discussing accommodations.
Act as a self-advocate.
Maintain the same responsibility for their education as non-disabled students including maintaining the same academic standards, attending class (exception: when consideration for absences is an approved accommodation), maintaining appropriate behavior, and providing timely notification of individual needs;
Comprehend the course material and communicate that comprehension to instructor.
Pay any costs associated with providing documentation necessary to receive accommodations.
Have an open line of communication with instructors regarding any accommodation(s). Note: The communication between the student and instructor should not be limited to email unless agreed upon by both the student and instructor. If a student sends an email or leaves a telephone message for an instructor and receives no response from the instructor, open communication has not taken place.
If the student fails to comply with these requirements, he/she will receive a written reminder of responsibilities in order to stress the importance of these requirements.

Contact Information

Office of Student Services
Email: ods@sowela.edu

Counseling Services
Email: counseling@sowela.edu