Eligibility

To be eligible to receive services, Disability Services requires that you provide medical and/or diagnostic documentation of your disability. Documentation should be current (within the last three years) and for students with learning disabilities, must include the IEP (Individual Education Plan) as well as psychological and/or educational testing.

In order to receive support services, you must register with Disability Services. You are strongly encouraged to contact Disability Services at least 4 weeks before the start of the semester.

Testing for a Disability

If you suspect you may have a disability, you should contact your doctor regarding testing for a disability of any type. If you do not have a regular doctor or if your doctor cannot refer you to someone who does this type of testing, you can stop by Disability Services. For a list of Disability Testing Referrals, please contact Disability Services.

Please keep in mind that although testing can be costly, testing may be available to you even if you don’t have insurance. Some community agencies such as the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission assist in paying for this kind of testing. In addition, some testing is offered on a sliding scale, based on your income.

Please note: Not all learning issues are associated with a disability. Bristol Community College (Bristol) offers free tutoring for all students, through the Tutoring and Academic Support (TASC). Tutors are trained to assist you in acquiring learning strategies.

In addition, Bristol offers a  where tutors can assist you in acquiring writing strategies. These strategies may or may not solve your learning issues.