Office of Accessibility

Contact Us

Room: M-Building, Room 102
Phone: 718-482-5279
OSD@lagcc.cuny.edu

Monday- Thursday 9 a.m.- 8 p.m.

Whether you have a physical disability, learning disability, chronic health issue, temporary injury, difficult pregnancy, or other condition, the Office of Accessibility is here for you. We’re focused on helping you transition to college life, providing access to programs and services, and supporting you throughout your college journey — all in a supportive, confidential setting. Come meet with us to discuss your needs and concerns, and feel free to bring a parent or guardian. They’re welcome here, too!

Consider us your advocates. Under Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, LaGuardia Community College has a responsibility to make sure you have equal access and that your rights are not denied. And under Title IX, we work to prevent discrimination. (Find additional Title IX guidelines here.)

Now hiring tutors! Find out more

Tutor Job Description

Supplemental Academic Learning Aid (Tutor)

Roles & Responsibilities:

Facilitate student learning to individuals or small groups in assigned subjects.
Improve students’ study and note-taking skills and test-taking strategies.
Assist students with the College’s online academic resources (Blackboard, math programs like EducoSoft, ALEKS and others).
Assess students’ learning styles by using diagnostic instruments (LASSI).
Participate in training sessions to improve tutoring practices and learn new techniques.

Qualifications:

Minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA, plus a 4.0 GPA in the courses assigned to tutor
Have completed at least 24 college credits
Ability to tutor multiple subjects preferred (accounting, biology, chemistry, English/writing, math, physics)
Professional, punctual and dependable
Able to commit to a set schedule of at least 10-18 hours per week
Strong command of the subject and previous experience working with students preferred

Submit a resume, your unofficial transcript and a printed copy of your class schedule to Astrid Niebles at astridn@lagcc.cuny.edu or Room M-102.

Types of Accommodations and Services

Testing Accommodations

Testing accommodations may be provided to students who need more time on exams, assistance in reading or writing, a reduced-distraction environment or adaptive software and/or hardware. Tests are either administered in the OSD office or with accommodations provided by faculty.

Please schedule testing accommodations two business days prior to an exam. Please remember to sign in to the exam book at the OSD. Also, please remind your professor during the class before the exam that you will be taking it with extra time.

Online students with documented disabilities may be eligible for extra test time on tests and books in alternate formats.

Note-Taking Assistance

If you find it difficult to take notes in class, OSD provides a peer note-taking system. Students who are allowed this accommodation may use a tablet or duplicate paper from OSD and may ask another student in class to share their notes. If you don’t know whom to ask, go to your professor for suggestions and guidance.

Students using this accommodation are usually allowed to record lectures and discussions. Additionally, many faculty post PowerPoint presentations and other materials online for further help.

Textbooks in Alternate Formats

OSD offers textbooks in alternate formats to students — including online students — who have disabilities affecting their ability to read print or physically handle textbooks. Students must purchase print copies of textbooks before receiving alternate formats. OSD can provide textbooks in electronic formats for most books. The student will need to use text-to-speech, screen-magnification or screen-reading software to read electronic texts.

Please request texts in alternate formats at least eight weeks before the start of the semester to ensure you receive them in time.

Braille books may be provided for math, foreign languages and other technical areas for which audio formats are not appropriate or adequate.

Please request Braille texts six months in advance of the semester when you will need them.

Furniture and Room Accommodations

If you may need furniture and room accommodations, please use priority registration through OSD to ensure access to your classroom. As soon as you register, check your assigned classrooms to determine if the room and furniture will accommodate your disability. For instance, if you use a wheelchair, check the height of the tables or desks.

Contact OSD if a desk or chair needs to be added to the classroom. We will forward your request to Facility Services to provide appropriate accommodations.

Assistive Technology

OSD staff is available by appointment to assist with training on the use specific assistive technology. Adaptive equipment and various software available to students with disabilities include Dragon Naturally Speaking software, CCTVs, assistive listening devices, JAWS screen-reading software, ZoomText screen magnification software, and much more.

Hearing Accommodations

If you’re a deaf or hard-of-hearing student, please contact the Program for Deaf Adults in Room C-203 to obtain accommodations and services.

Learn how you can receive accommodations.

Delta Alpha Pi Honor Society

The LaGuardia Delta Alpha Pi (DAPi) International Honor Society celebrates and supports the academic achievements of our students with disabilities. We’re proud to be the first City University of New York (CUNY) college to establish an official chapter of the international honor society that changes that perception of students with disabilities by recognizing their academic accomplishments and facilitating development in leadership, advocacy and education for participating students.

What Delta Alpha Pi Stands For

Delta – D is for disability but is also the triangle, a symbol of strength. Members of DAPi demonstrate strength as leaders on campus to help break down the barriers of negativism. They serve as mentors and role models for other students with disabilities.
Alpha – A is for achievement and advocacy. Alpha is the beginning — academic achievement must come first, along with advocacy because students must advocate for themselves before they can advocate for others. Members advocate for themselves and for the rights of all individuals with disabilities to be included fully in society.
Pi – P is for pride in academic achievement and other accomplishments, not just as students with disabilities but as members of the College community. It’s also a symbol that we all learned in math classes. Members participate in activities that educate the community and society about applying principles of universal design to learning.

Joining Delta Alpha Pi

Membership requirements:

Must present a documented disability and work with one of the faculty/staff members in the Office of Accessibility
Must demonstrate an interest in disability issues
Must have completed a minimum of 24 credits
Must maintain an overall grade point average of 3.10

Membership benefits:

Formal recognition of academic accomplishments
Exclusive access to scholarship and other resources
Community service opportunities
Professional development in leadership and advocacy around issues that affect students with disabilities

To join DAPi and for more information, contact the Office of Accessibility (room M-102) at 718-482-5279 or OSD@lagcc.cuny.edu.

Voter Registration

Under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993, Office of Accessibility (OSD) is an Agency-Based Voter Registration Site where students with disabilities are provided with registration opportunities when applying for services or assistance. OSD offers students information, voter registration application forms and the opportunity to register to vote today and each time you visit the office. We can also help you fill out the form.

Voter registration information and application forms are also available from the State Board of Elections of the State of New York.

Meet Our Staff

Jhony Nelson - Director

718-482-5260
jhonyn@lagcc.cuny.edu

Jhony Nelson has been working at LaGuardia since September 1991. He came to the College from Andrews University, where he received a graduate degree in counseling. He has been an active member of Phi Delta Kappa since his initiation into the honor society in 1990 and is a certified instructor of the Phi Theta Kappa Leadership Development Program. He also received a certificate in assistive technology applications from the College of Extended Learning at California State University, Northridge. His motto? “Yes, it is possible!”

Astrid Adriana Niebles - Tutor Coordinator

718-482-5269
astridn@lagcc.cuny.edu

Astrid Adriana Niebles is a LaGuardia Community College alumna. She received an Associate of Arts degree in Human Services/Mental Health, and after graduating, she began working as a part-time tutor in the Office for Students with Disabilities. In February 1999, she became tutor coordinator, in which she is responsible for coordinating primary and secondary services for degree-seeking students who have disabilities and health conditions.

Laquon Johnson - Counselor

718-482-5253
lajohnson@lagcc.cuny.edu

Laquon S. Johnson Johnson serves as the disability specialist within the Office for Students with Disabilities. Previously, he was the CUNY LEADS (Linking Employment and Academics with Disability Services) Advisor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. LaQuon has also served as a Vocational Planner for Addicts Rehabilitation Center, skill builder for the Center for Human Development and Family Services (CHDFS) and peer educator/college assistant within the Counseling Center at Lehman College, and he has volunteered at the Low Vision Clinic at Lighthouse International. He holds a Master of Science in Education with a concentration in Rehabilitation Counseling from Hunter College and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Lehman College.

Resia Joseph - College Assistant

718-482-5279
rejoseph@lagcc.cuny.edu

Resia Joseph began working in the Office for Students with Disabiltiies in early October 2005. A former LaGuardia student, she graduated with an Associate of Arts in Mental Health, and she also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from York College. As a College Assistant for OSD, she makes sure everything runs smoothly during the evening shift. She also works for the Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State.