Policy on Disability and Accessibility

The Synthesis Center and Synthesis Center San Francisco are committed to providing access to all individuals under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504). The term “disability” may include learning, physical, sensory, psychological, medical, and certain temporary disabilities.  Our programs offer students, team members of our organizations, and others with reasonable accommodations in accordance with the ADA/Section 504 and applicable state law.

Definitions

A disability is a physical or mental impairment that prevents the normal exercise of any bodily or mental functions or is demonstrable by accepted clinical or laboratory diagnostic techniques.  Under applicable law, individuals are protected from discrimination based on a disability if they have such an impairment; have a record of such an impairment; or are regarded as having such an impairment.

Accommodations are modifications or provisions made for an individual with a disability to provide access or enable them to perform the essential functions of a role.  Depending on the specific circumstances and the documentation received, accommodations may include:

  • Training accommodations;
  • Modifications to policies, guidelines and processes as applied to the individual;
  • Environmental adjustments when applicable to in-person offerings, such as the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers;
  • Accommodation for auxiliary aids and services;
  • Modified assignment schedules;
  • When applicable for in-person special events: Housing and dining accommodations.

Discrimination, harassment and retaliation are prohibited under this policy. 

We are committed to providing students with disabilities equal access to the educational opportunities and programs we provide. We provide students with reasonable accommodations in a timely manner when such accommodations are necessary to afford goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations to individuals with disabilities, unless providing the accommodation would fundamentally alter the nature of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations.

Students should submit all disability accommodation requests to the Program Lead. We use an interactive process of consulting with the student and will conduct an individualized assessment of each student to determine whether and what accommodations can be made to allow students with disabilities to be set up for successful participation in our programs.

We will apply our best efforts to make programs and events reasonably accessible to individuals with disabilities.  For special events , we request an individual contact the event planner at a minimum of two weeks in advance the event for any special accommodations regarding a disability.

A student who believes that we have not follow edits procedures in the determination regarding a disability accommodation or did not consider relevant information during the process may request a reconsideration of the decision through our “Complaints, Disputes, Resolutions Policy”.

Confidentiality

Individuals choose to self-identify as having a disability. A student seeking accommodations must register with the Program Lead. We respect the sensitive nature of the disclosure and work to provide appropriate accommodations for students while maintaining the highest level of confidentiality possible.

Digital Accessibility

We recognize the need to develop and provide digital resources and platforms that are useable and accessible for our participants and team members.

As we develop and offer programming we commit to making our resources and training work with accessibility in mind. To the maximum extent practicable, we strive to:

  • Create and update digital resources and programming in compliance with best practices to build in accessibility by design.
  • Respond to inquiries and complaints regarding difficulty accessing programming and resources due to accessibility issues with due speed.

Policy on Disability and Accessibility

The Synthesis Center and Synthesis Center San Francisco are committed to providing access to all individuals under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504). The term “disability” may include learning, physical, sensory, psychological, medical, and certain temporary disabilities.  Our programs offer students, team members of our organizations, and others with reasonable accommodations in accordance with the ADA/Section 504 and applicable state law.

Definitions

A disability is a physical or mental impairment that prevents the normal exercise of any bodily or mental functions or is demonstrable by accepted clinical or laboratory diagnostic techniques.  Under applicable law, individuals are protected from discrimination based on a disability if they have such an impairment; have a record of such an impairment; or are regarded as having such an impairment.

Accommodations are modifications or provisions made for an individual with a disability to provide access or enable them to perform the essential functions of a role.  Depending on the specific circumstances and the documentation received, accommodations may include:

  • Training accommodations;
  • Modifications to policies, guidelines and processes as applied to the individual;
  • Environmental adjustments when applicable to in-person offerings, such as the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers;
  • Accommodation for auxiliary aids and services;
  • Modified assignment schedules;
  • When applicable for in-person special events: Housing and dining accommodations.

Discrimination, harassment and retaliation are prohibited under this policy. 

We are committed to providing students with disabilities equal access to the educational opportunities and programs we provide. We provide students with reasonable accommodations in a timely manner when such accommodations are necessary to afford goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations to individuals with disabilities, unless providing the accommodation would fundamentally alter the nature of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations.

Students should submit all disability accommodation requests to the Program Lead. We use an interactive process of consulting with the student and will conduct an individualized assessment of each student to determine whether and what accommodations can be made to allow students with disabilities to be set up for successful participation in our programs.

We will apply our best efforts to make programs and events reasonably accessible to individuals with disabilities.  For special events , we request an individual contact the event planner at a minimum of two weeks in advance the event for any special accommodations regarding a disability.

A student who believes that we have not follow edits procedures in the determination regarding a disability accommodation or did not consider relevant information during the process may request a reconsideration of the decision through our “Complaints, Disputes, Resolutions Policy”.

Confidentiality

Individuals choose to self-identify as having a disability. A student seeking accommodations must register with the Program Lead. We respect the sensitive nature of the disclosure and work to provide appropriate accommodations for students while maintaining the highest level of confidentiality possible.

Digital Accessibility

We recognize the need to develop and provide digital resources and platforms that are useable and accessible for our participants and team members.

As we develop and offer programming we commit to making our resources and training work with accessibility in mind. To the maximum extent practicable, we strive to:

  • Create and update digital resources and programming in compliance with best practices to build in accessibility by design.
  • Respond to inquiries and complaints regarding difficulty accessing programming and resources due to accessibility issues with due speed.