Communication to Students During COVID-19
TO ALL DSPS STUDENTS: As the spread of COVID-19 continues to be a growing concern across the country, Citrus College is taking extra precautions to protect students, employees and the surrounding community. All classes moved to remote/online instruction, effective March 18, 2020, and are subject to reassessment based on circumstances as they develop. The Student Services division including the employees in disabled student programs and services (DSPS) are working remotely/off-campus in order to provide continued services to students. Updates provided below regarding the transition to remote services.
For New Students
All interested individuals are encouraged to apply to DSPS - Getting Started. It is recommended for high school students and recent high school graduates to also review the
New Student Information.
For Continuing DSPS Students
Appointments for advisement, discussion of accommodations, update file/priority registration, or alternate media requests may be scheduled by contacting DSPS at (626) 914-8675. Your call will be forwarded to a staff member to answer the call. If unanswered, please leave a voice mail with your full name, student ID number and phone number. Our staff will return your call within 24 hours. Students may also contact the department at
dsps@citruscollege.edu to schedule an appointment. Be sure to include your full name, ID number and Citrus College email.
Prepare yourself for remote/online appointments by completing the following steps:
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Set-up and check your Citrus College student email account
A counselor will be sending students an invitation (with instructions) at the time of the scheduled appointment to conduct a web/video conference call via Zoom. Please review the
student email accounts page for more information.
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Keep your cell phone close by at the time of your appointment
If the counselor cannot reach you via Zoom, they will call you at the phone number listed on record. If you do not recognize the number and it is your scheduled appointment time, it is probably the counselor calling you. Two attempts to call you will be made.
- Review the
New Student Information link if you are in high school or are a recent high school graduate.
Be Prepared! All course content will be delivered temporarily through remote instructional methods.
At a minimum:
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Instructors may contact students via
Citrus College email.
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Instructors may also include announcements, messages, and post course content via
Canvas.
It is very important to check your student email account frequently and to access your canvas to complete your coursework online.
Please refer to the Student Resources section below for links on how to access your email and Canvas account.
DSPS students requesting accommodations are responsible for providing their DSPS
Academic Accommodation Plan (AAP) to their instructors via email. The AAP outlines each student's approved accommodations. This form is emailed to the student after they meet with a DSPS counselor to review accommodations.
Please note:
The AAP is sent to students electronically. Keep your AAP in a safe place as you may need it to request accommodations for subsequent terms.
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Update File/Priority Registration
Continuing DSPS students may now make their appointment to
update their file and receive priority registration for summer/fall 2021. In this appointment students obtain their Academic Accommodation Plan (AAP) for the new 2021/2022 school year which covers summer term 2021 up through the end of spring semester 2022. The AAP is an important form for students to show their instructor(s) when requesting accommodations. Additionally, eligibility for priority registration will be determined in this same appointment. Please contact DSPS at (626) 914-8675 or email dsps@citruscollege.edu to schedule your "Update File/Priority Registration" appointment.
View the summer/fall priority registration dates for deadlines.
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Adapted Testing
In the event that instructors need to deliver exams online, students are responsible to contact the instructor via email to request extended time, along with presenting their Academic Accommodation Plan (AAP). Reasonable notice must be given to the instructor when making such request. Instructors have been provided information with how to make adjustments to the timer on Canvas.
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Reader/Scribe
Reader for online exams can be accessed through screen reading programs. If you have reader as an accommodation, you may schedule an appointment with the alternate media specialist, Laks Floriano at
lfloriano@citruscollege.edu, for training. Scribe services are determined on a case-by-case basis. Please schedule an appointment with a DSPS counselor to review your circumstances.
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Notetaking Assistance
If you have an approved accommodation for note taking assistance, notify your instructor via email along with presenting your Academic Accommodation Plan (AAP) to request access to any PowerPoint, lecture notes or recordings of lecture. If you have questions regarding ways of accessing notes, please schedule an appointment with a DSPS counselor.
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Interpreters
The ASL interpreter specialist will be in contact with students who have an interpreter as an accommodation and their instructors to coordinate service delivery.
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Alternate Media and Assistive Technology
The alternate media specialist has contacted all who have checked out a smart pen or audio recorder via their Citrus College email account. Check your email for updates. Students who need additional e-text or smart pen training, have an e-text or other alternate media request, or who have questions about online accessibility may schedule an appointment with Laks Floriano at
lfloriano@citruscollege.edu.
Given these unprecedented circumstances, students are encouraged to make an appointment with a DSPS counselor if guidance regarding academic progress in current classes is needed. Students may also contact DSPS with questions regarding the provision of approved accommodations. The DSPS team is committed to working with our students to problem-solve through different accommodation situations during this challenging and uncertain time. We are learning from these situations to help us evaluate and possibly implement additional measures as they emerge.
DSPS Contact Information
dsps@citruscollege.edu
(626) 914-8675
If you prefer, feel free to contact your counselor directly with any questions. Counselors are available during regular business hours on the following days below. Please note, counselors respond to emails only during their scheduled work days.
- Virtual Online Events
- Financial Assistance
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CARES Emergency Financial Aid Grants
The Coronavirus Aide Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act Higher Education Relief Fund (HEERF) provides funding to institutions to distribut emergency financial aid grants to students whose lives have been disrupted and are facing financial challenges. Learn more about the student eligibility requirements for CARES and HEERF.
- Programs and Services Assistance
- Technology On-Campus
- Withdrawals
- Off-Site Web-Based Resources: Assistive Learning Technologies
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Ally Quick Start for Students and
Alternative Formats
Available to all students using Canvas, this program allows students to select a file in their course to be made in a different format, such as ePub, Audio, or BeeLine Reader. -
Freedom Scientific: JAWS, ZoomText, and Fusion
These programs assist blind and low vision individuals with access to reading information on the internet or any digital documents in Microsoft Word or PDFs. Free license through June 30 with any email address, or free for a full year with a qualified school email. -
Kurzweil 3000
Online software with text to speech reading capability and a variety of study tools to assist with writing and reading comprehension. Free 90-day trial to all during the COVID-19 crisis. -
Otter Voice Meeting Notes
A free app that can help students with note taking by recording class lectures and presentations and converting that information into text. The free basic version allows up to 600 minutes per month. The premium version is $8.33 per month is for 6,000 minutes. Students may receive 50% off the regular subscription price by using their school email address upon sign-up.
- Off-Site Web-Based Resources: Coping Strategies and Your Mental Health
- Off-Site Web-Based Resources: Learning Online/Remotely
- Off-Site Web-Based Resources: Los Angeles County and California State
At Citrus College, we are committed to providing students with disabilities an accessible educational environment that allows each student the opportunity to reach their academic goals and participate in a full range of campus programs and activities.
Once we receive verification of a student's disability, we provide support services to compensate for disability-related educational limitations. Such support services are essential components of the educational program as they help students with disabilities realize their educational potential in the mainstreamed academic programs.
Don't delay, book an appointment with a DSPS counselor. Please call our office at (626) 914-8675 to inquire about appointments for each semester.
