This document provides information about students with disabilities. It defines a disability under the Rehabilitation Act as a physical, mental, or learning impairment that limits a major life activity. It lists categories of disabilities such as chronic illnesses, hearing impairments, learning disabilities, mobility issues, and psychiatric disabilities. Examples of accommodations for students with disabilities are also provided, such as tape recorders, assistive listening devices, and specialized keyboards. Contact information is given for the director of the office that assists students with disabilities.

1. Students with Disabilities
Helpful information for your
class

2. Description
The Rehabilitation Act defines a disability as an
individual who has a physical, mental, or learning
disability, which substantially limits one or more
major life activity
(i.e., seeing, hearing, speaking, walking, sitting, standi
ng, breathing, reading, writing, or performing
mathematical calculations, and caring for oneself); or
who has a record of such impairment; or who is
regarded as having such impairment.
Both the impairment and the limitation of a major life
activity must be established to be eligible under the
ADA.

3. Categories
• Chronic systemic conditions • Mobility impairments range from
affect one or more of the systems of very limited stamina to paralysis of the
the body and include conditions such lower or upper extremities and may
as cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, and HIV- include conditions such as
AIDS. arthritis, back disorders, cerebral
palsy, spinal cord injuries, and
• Hearing disabilities can range from neuromuscular disorders.
students who have difficulty
hearing, have lost hearing in one • Psychiatric disabilities refer to a
ear, or are completely deaf. diagnosis of a mental disorder from a
licensed professional and may include
• Learning disabilities refers to conditions such as depression, bipolar
significant difficulties in the disorder, anxiety disorder, and
acquisition and use of schizophrenia.
listening, speaking, reading, writing, r
easoning, and/or mathematical • Vision disabilities include low
abilities, with the presence of at least vision, total blindness, and partial
average intelligence. This includes sight such as impaired field of vision.
conditions such as
dyslexia, dyscalculia, and
dysgraphia, and can be extended to
include attention deficit disorder.

4. Examples of Accommodations
The following adaptive equipment is available for
loan through the College OSSD.
• Tape Recorders
• Assistive Listening Devices and FM Systems
• Dictionary Spell-Checkers
• Talking Dictionary Spell-Checkers
• Calculators
• Talking Calculators
• Specialized Keyboards
• Victor Readers (used with audio books)
• Magnifiers

5. Contact Information
Open Campus
Denise Giarrusso
Director of Services for Students with Disabilities
101 West State Street, Room A1020
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Phone: (904) 632-5007
Fax: (904) 633-8110
denise.giarrusso@fscj.edu