Mission

Houston Community College is committed to creating an accessible learning community where individuals with disabilities have an equal opportunity to pursue their educational goals, limited only by their abilities, not their disabilities. Ability Services strives to empower students, foster independence, and promote achievement of the student’s career and educational goals.

In compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Ability Services at each College within the Houston Community College System is responsible for arranging reasonable accommodations for all qualified students with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) to ensure equal access to all programs and activities at the College. Students who need to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact Ability Services at the College(s) (Central, Coleman, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest) the student plans to attend. Due to the high demand for services and the nature of certain disabilities, it is recommended that students meet with an ADA Counselor at least 60 days prior to the beginning of each term. Every effort will be made to arrange accommodations, however, failure to provide sufficient advance notice may impede service delivery.

The process for obtaining reasonable accommodations is an interactive one that begins with the student’s disclosure of his/her disability. The student has the responsibility of providing Ability Services with the appropriate documentation from a qualified Physician or Clinician who has diagnosed his/her disability. Students with disabilities should contact Ability Services directly. The contact must be made by the student and not a representative of the student, however parents/family are encouraged to participate in the process.