 Karen Kane Disability Counselor |
Mission
The Hāʻawi Kōkua Program promotes equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities to gain the maximum benefit from their educational/learning experience by participating fully in their regular courses and activities at HawCC.
Goals:
- To provide assistance to individuals with disabilities and ensure physical access with educational equality in all HawCC programs and activities.
- To provide reasonable academic accommodations for students with disabilities, which will support their independent learning opportunity.
- To foster a sensitive environment for students with disabilities that is conducive to learning.
- To support students with disabilities in becoming independent, responsible, and productive community members.
- To provide consultation to students, faculty, and staff on disability issues and general access information.
Commitment & Compliance with the ADA - Section 504
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act - Section 84.4 of the Federal rules and regulations governing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973..., "No otherwise qualified individual with a disability shall, on the basis of disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity..."
Student Responsibilities:
- Students with disabilities must self-identify as being a person with a disability, to the Hāʻawi Kōkua Program Counselor.
- Students must provide relatively current documentation of their disability, which included information of their limitations.
- Students must request accommodations in a reasonable and timely manner.
- Students must abide with all HawCC policies and procedures, and be otherwise qualified for their degree program.
- Students are ensured that all disability-related information they have provided will be kept confidential.
Access
Hawaiʻi Community College offers courses and programs at various campuses and physical locations, and is committed to providing equal access to all of these locations or course activities.
- Priority registration if physical access is a concern
- Relocation of classes, as the last resort to ensure physical access
- Handicap Parking stalls
- Assistance in accessing library material
- Materials provided in alternate formats such as assistance with RFB tape textbooks, or enlargement of printed material
- Liaison with Hawaiʻi County Department of Education Special Education (DOE SPED) high school transition teachers and counselor, to ensure successful transition
- Assistance with concurrent registration with UH-Hilo courses and activities
Kokua Technology Lab
Building 388 - Room 104Hāʻawi Kōkua Program
Karen Kane
The Kokua Technology Lab provides direct academic support services to Hawai'i Community College students with disabilities.
Intended Users
A student with a disability is any student who has identified with the Ha'awi Kokua Program due to a disability.
Activities
- Provide testing accommodations to students with disabilities, requested by instruction
- Proxy exams for Hawai'i Island students with disabilities who are registered for other campuses on-line Distance Education courses
- Assistive technology computers and software, to support accommodations and foster independent learning
- COMPASS Placement Testing with accommodations
- Student Success Resources and disability-related materials
- Workshops offered by the Hāʻawi Kōkua Program:
- Assistive Technology demonstrations and training
- Strategies for Academic Success for Students with Learning Disabilities
- Understanding your Rights as a person with a Disability
- Activities for the Hāʻawi Kōkua student support group
Specialized Services
The program Counselor will determine all requests for reasonable accommodations. Decisions made regarding accommodations are based upon the current documentation and the program or course requirements.- Administering/accommodating for the COMPASS Placement Test
- Make appropriate referrals to community agencies/services that offer support to individuals with disabilities to support the academic learning opportunity
- Classroom Note-takers
- Sign Language Interpreters
- Testing accommodations may include:
- Distraction-free testing environment
- Assist instructors in proxy of exams
- Alternative format of testing
- Scribes for exams
- Computer equipment for exams
- Learning Skills 070 Course a 1 credit, 5-week course that introduces useful strategies and techniques for achieving success in college. Topics include: attitude and motivation, time and money management, learning styles, test-taking strategies, note-taking techniques, memory techniques, community and campus resources and other skills to enhance students success.
- Assistance in career planning and on-going monitoring of academic progress, to ensure compliance with worker compensation and insurance plans, for private and state vocational rehabilitation agencies, and Chapter 31 Veterans.
- Scholarship information and disability-related assistance in the application process for students with disabilities
General Services
All students in the Hāʻawi Kōkua Program are offered the following general services:- Assistance in completing forms for admittance and financial assistance
- Liaison with private and state rehabilitation agencies to assist with program planning and registration
- Referrals to non-credit PREP classes to transition to college English & Math
- Career information, personal, career and academic counseling
- Technology
- The Technology Center is located on the Manono Campus. The special adaptive equipment is available for student use. Individual assistance is provided.
- Voice/TTY phone
- CCTV - Visual Text Enlarger
- Talking Calculator with Printer
- Large Print Calculator with Printer
- Spell Checkers
- Large Print Dictionary
- Large Print Thesaurus
- Table Top Microphones
- Cassette Tape Recorders
- 4-Track Players for RFB tapes
- Kurzwell Audio Text Reader
- Computer Monitor Screen Enlarger
- Math Learning Videos
- Voice Enhancer
- Dragon Dictate Computer Software
- WAVE Aerodynamic Computer Keyboards
- Wheelchair adapted desk & tables
To make an appointment to meet with the counselor to discuss any of these topics, or any other questions you may have, call (808) 934-2725 or e-mail hawccds@hawaii.edu.
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Contact Information Hawaiʻi Community College
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