General Information

What is a Disability?

As the ADA defines it, a disability means, with respect to an individual, (A) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual; (B) a record of such an impairment; or (C) being regarded as having such an impairment. Some physical impairments are visible, but many other physical as well as mental impairments are invisible to the typical observer. In either case, an individual may meet the ADA’s definition of disability and qualify for services and accommodations provided by the college.

Some examples of invisible impairments are: arthritis, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Asthma, AIDS, heart disease, hearing loss and deafness, blindness, low vision, respiratory disorders, learning disabilities, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Attention Deficit Disorder, and psychiatric or mental health impairments ranging from mild depression to chronic disorders such as Post-Traumatic Stress and other Anxiety Disorders to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. There are other invisible impairments as well that may qualify a student for services.