16 Sep Columbia University 504 Accessibility Services
Brooklyn Letters
1139 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn
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We would highly recommend Ally! Our son always asks about her, so very thankful to Brooklyn Letters for introducing us.
~ Emily, mom of Brooklyn 2 year old -
Nicole has been an amazing therapist!! She played a tremendous role in our daughter’s speech progress and overall development. She has come such a long way and we are so happy with the therapy she received!
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I cannot express how grateful and rewarding my experience with Brooklyn Letters has been. Her tutor Ms. Daria is so knowledgeable, amazing, kind and awesome. My daughter has made so much progress in Literacy and Math and it's all … More thanks to Ms. Daria. I know my daughter is sad that she can no longer work with Ms. Daria, as she looked forward to their sessions every week. Thank you again!
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Excellent services, caring therapists.
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Christina was absolutely wonderful. She went out of her way to win my son over and it worked. He looked forward to her visits and his speech improved so much under her care. She was super flexible and it’s clear she truly cares. We adore … More Christina and we’re going to miss her. Almost sad he improved so much! She’s simply amazing and we can’t say enough how great she is. I would recommend her services to anyone and everyone, without hesitation. Thank you so much for connecting us with her!
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We could not be happier with the services Valerie provided! She is very thoughtful and knowledgeable and provided significant guidance to support our daughter's speech development outside of our scheduled sessions. She established … More a great working relationship with her, and she will definitely be missed! Your business model is amazing and it was an absolute pleasure working with Valerie. I've referred your organization and Valerie to the Executive Director of our daughter's school and friends/colleagues who are in need of speech therapy services.
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We cannot say enough good things about Effie, the ASL teacher, who was so engaged and effective with our 2 year old daughter from the very first session! Effie gladly included our whole family in the sessions! Her expertise and fantastic … More personality gave our daughter a way to communicate that she was so desperately seeking. The coordinators at Brooklyn Letters were so helpful and communicative…I would highly recommend their services!
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The company is great with outstanding customer service. They keep my horses protected. I have recommended them to other horses trainers as well that are going to get service early next year. Very professional an honest too. Respectfully … More submitted Christopher
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Ron and Ken did a fantastic job with our security system today. Installed everything very quick. Both of them were very polite and asked us throughout if the installation met our needs. Simply fantastic!
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I called Cornerstone Protection to get a Security system at a relatives out of state property, within a week it was installed! The installers worked with the client to help understand her new system and she was happy! Our relative said … More they were courteous, professional and patient! I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection for all of your security needs!
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Had blink cameras; Car was broken into multiple times so I called CornerStone & they were able to install multiple cameras very quickly & for a reasonable price. I am so happy with the app & getting alerts that are not superfluous, … More like they were with Blink. Highly recommend CornerStone & the tech Ronnie.
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Ron and Ken are great guys to work with.
Both were very knowledgeable and got our system back up and running.
Thanks to both for a job well done... -
Samantha Dalmas was fantastic! We saw her for a feeding therapy evaluation and while she doesn’t think my daughter needs more feeding therapy sessions at this time, but she gave me lots of tips to try. If my daughter's doctors want … More to see more progress at her next appointment, I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Samantha again.
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Amazing assistance provided by Shannon today on my security system. I’m so grateful for your prompt, efficient, professional, and courteous service. Put me down as a customer for life!
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One of the most painless experiences I've had. They came on time and was over the moon professional with still keeping a level of personability to it. The gentleman also went out of his way to say that my husband and Mines business … More was appreciated. Which is actually rare to be appreciated by such a great company. So thank you and we look forward to continuing services with this company.
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I am so happy we decided to go with cornerstone. They were quick and efficient. Shannon and the installer we very friendly. We got a lot of equipment and it was still within our budget. 10/10 would definitely recommend! Thank you
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Love the customer service and Shanon and his team go above and beyond for my restaurant. Couldn't of asked for a better security system and level of service that his team provides.
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I have been using Cornerstone Protection service for over 5 years and I'm really happy with the service and state-of-the-art equipments and it's futures are so much in advance and friendly, I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection … More Service any and all business that need a security protection days and nights specially after business hours(Cornerstone Protection is perfect solution for your business). Owner of Cornerstone Protection is proactive with their customers and their equipments. Good experienced with Cornerstone Protection!!!
Kanu Patel -
We had a very positive experience with Alissa as a tutor for our pod of 5th grade boys from January - June 2020. She cared a lot about the boys and worked hard to create meaningful activities for them. The pod experience was invaluable … More for all of our families during a difficult year and we were so grateful to have found this partnership! We also want to appreciate Craig for helping to match us with a tutor on very short notice after we had cycled through a few folks who were not able to see the commitment through. Thanks for sticking with us!
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Dusty was the exact person we needed to help our child finish out the school year. So grateful to him for the way he steadily encouraged her and helped her stay on track and organized. He is flexible, responsive to our needs/schedule as … More a family, and a delight to be with. We are also thankful that Craig at Themba Tutors really "gets it" and partnered us with such a wonderful tutor who was a great fit for our girl.
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My child worked with Gillian D virtually for math enrichment. She is an excellent teacher. She took time to understand my child's specific learning style and provided tools that would be engaging. She was kind and empathetic- really … More made it her goal to connect with my child and build trust and rapport. My child started the school year with confidence and without the typically "brain-drain" that occurs over the summer, thanks to Gillian.
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I am going into my second year as a Themba tutor. I have met so many great individuals while working for this company. Craig and the rest of the Themba team do such an excellent job picking and choosing Themba tutors that suit each client's … More individual needs! I look forward to meeting new tutors and clients in the 2021-2022 school year!
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Our son started in a new high school, 100% remote, and was really struggling with Latin and Physics. I found Themba Tudors online and had an initial call with Craig, who was very knowledgeable, responsive, and found 2 amazing tutors for … More us. Both the Latin and the physics tutors were fantastic, connected with my son really well and helped him go from 'failing' grade to 'honors'! I will for sure continue using (and recommending!) Themba Tutors. Thank you, C, K, and W!
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Brian is a fantastic executive functioning coach. Super helpful, flexible with hours, and tailored the experience to our needs.
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Giulia Mercuri is a great Italian tutor! She was very responsive and accessible. Giulia put a ton of effort into preparing for each session and really helped our son with test preparation and projects. We are grateful that she was able … More to help, especially since our son did not receive any live teaching during COVID. We are happy that she was referred to us!
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As an adult student diagnosed with a learning disability during grad school, I knew I needed help dealing with my Master's program's demanding workload. I was seriously considering dropping out when I was referred to Themba Tutors. … More I was paired up with a wonderful tutor, Julie, who was a total lifesaver. I learned many techniques that I can utilize in the future as I embark on the next phase of my career.
I can wholeheartedly say after working with Themba for two years that I would not have finished my program without this organization. And I am so thankful I selected them. -
We were introduced to a wonderful tutor: Mcedwyn. He and our son, a freshman in college, worked well together. As a result, our son’s grades significantly improved. The tutor taught our son subject content and various methods to effectively … More study for quizzes and exams. Our son was also taught time management and organization. My son’s experience with the tutor made the first year of college a less intimidating experience.
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We have been with our tutor, Cailin Schiller, for two years, from 5th - 7th grade. She started as an executive functioning tutor with my daughter. From the start, she demonstrated a depth of expertise and a selective use of techniques skillfully … More adapted to my daughter’s ADHD and Math disability. Cailin made Math accessible and understandable to her in a way that even her teachers had not been able to do. She differentiated reading, writing and math tasks and assignments to tailor them to my daughter’s unique learning differences. Not only did it have an effect on her grades and her work efficiency, but she finally could do her work with less anxiety. Even my daughter’s teachers used Cailin’s guidance to modify their work with her. But most importantly, she became my daughter’s favorite resource. I can’t say how invaluable Cailin has been to my daughter’s progress and well-being. I’d recommend her a million times over. She is a gem.
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Victoria is a superb tutor. She helped my high school age daughter with her writing. Victoria's skills as a tutor, as well as her sense of humor and her engaging personality went a long way with my daughter.
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Themba Tutors provided a leaning specialist that was a perfect fit for my daughter. I told them what we were looking for and they delivered. Our tutor is responsive and flexible and makes it easy for my daughter to reach out to her own … More her own, which gives her an added sense of responsibility over her learning. As a therapist myself, I now regularly recommend Themba to my patients. A much needed and well provided service to the community!!
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The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
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I'm so glad we were referred to Themba Tutors. After a great initial conversation to learn our needs, we were connected with an excellent tutor, Felicia, who is helping our high school daughter learn better organizational and executive … More skills. Highly recommended.
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We had a wonderful experience with our tutor Micaela. She helped our son not only academically but at every level. We will be forever grateful to have her in our lives.
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The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
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Paul Smith at Themba has been an exceptional tutor for my son, both in terms of teaching the subject matter and teaching how best to approach the process of learning math and executing assignments. We feel very fortunate to be working with … More Paul.
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We were very lucky to have found Edwouine Swift, my son's therapist through Themba Tutors. Thomas is 12 years old, and it is extremely difficult to get him to write. Edwouine just works her magic with him, he adores her and is so … More eager to follow her guidance. I have no doubt she will be a positive driving force in his academic future.
Understanding 504 Accessibility Services for ADHD at Columbia University
Columbia University is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible educational environment for all students, including those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, students with ADHD are entitled to reasonable accommodations to support their academic success and participation in university life.
Overview
Columbia University is committed to creating an inclusive learning environment for all students. In alignment with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the university provides reasonable accommodations to ensure that students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have equal access to academic resources and opportunities. This commitment reflects Columbia’s broader mission to support diverse learning needs and promote an equitable academic experience for all students. Through its 504 Accessibility Services, Columbia University aims to address the unique challenges faced by students with ADHD and facilitate their academic success and full participation in university life.
How to Access Services
Students seeking accommodations for ADHD must first register with Columbia University’s Office of Disability Services (ODS). The process involves the following steps:
- Submit Documentation: Provide current and comprehensive documentation of ADHD from a qualified healthcare professional. This documentation should detail the diagnosis and the functional limitations experienced due to ADHD.
- Complete an Intake Form: Fill out and submit an intake form available on the ODS website. This form collects necessary information about your disability and accommodation needs.
- Schedule an Appointment: Arrange a meeting with an ODS counselor to discuss your documentation and accommodation needs. This appointment will help determine the appropriate accommodations and support services required.
Types of Accommodations Available
Columbia University offers a variety of accommodations to support students with ADHD, including but not limited to:
- Extended Time on Exams: Additional time may be granted to complete exams and quizzes.
- Reduced Distraction Testing Environments: Separate rooms or quiet areas for test-taking to minimize distractions.
- Note-Taking Services: Access to lecture notes or the option to use note-taking assistance.
- Flexible Deadlines: Adjustments to assignment deadlines to accommodate the impact of ADHD symptoms.
- Assistive Technology: Tools and software that aid in organization and focus, such as speech-to-text programs or electronic organizers.
Special Procedures
- Initial Evaluation: An evaluation of your needs will be conducted to tailor accommodations appropriately. This may include additional assessments or consultations.
- Accommodation Plan: An individualized accommodation plan will be developed and updated as needed based on ongoing discussions with your ODS counselor.
Steps to Get Accommodations for Students Without an ADHD Diagnosis
If you are a student at Columbia University seeking accommodations but do not have a formal ADHD diagnosis, you may still be eligible for support services under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Here are the steps to take to explore and request accommodations:
Step 1: Self-Assessment and Documentation
- Identify Needs: Reflect on your academic challenges and areas where you may need support. This could include difficulties with focus, organization, or other issues that impact your academic performance.
- Gather Documentation: If you have any existing documentation from healthcare providers, educational assessments, or psychological evaluations that might indicate learning or cognitive difficulties, gather these documents. Even if you do not have a formal ADHD diagnosis, relevant documentation can help provide context for your request. If you need to be formally diagnosed, here is a list of low-cost neuropsychological evaluation sites in NYC.
Step 2: Contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS)
- Reach Out: Contact the Office of Disability Services to discuss your situation and request an initial consultation. The ODS team can provide guidance on the process and help determine the best course of action.
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (212) 854-2388
Step 3: Complete the Intake Form
- Fill Out the Form: Complete the intake form available on the ODS website. This form will ask for details about your academic difficulties, any documentation you have, and the types of accommodations you believe would be helpful.
Step 4: Schedule an Appointment
- Meet with an ODS Counselor: Schedule a meeting with an ODS counselor to discuss your needs in detail. During this meeting, you will have the opportunity to explain your challenges and review any documentation you have provided.
Step 5: Assessment and Plan Development
- Evaluation: The ODS counselor may recommend additional evaluations or assessments to better understand your needs. This might include academic assessments or consultations with medical professionals.
- Develop an Accommodation Plan: Based on the assessment and discussion, an individualized accommodation plan will be created. This plan will outline the accommodations and support services that are appropriate for you.
Step 6: Implement Accommodations
- Coordinate with Faculty: Work with your professors and the ODS to ensure that your accommodations are implemented effectively in your courses.
- Regular Follow-Up: Maintain communication with the ODS to address any issues or adjustments needed as you use the accommodations.
Step 7: Review and Adjust
- Monitor Effectiveness: Regularly assess how well the accommodations are supporting your academic performance and overall well-being.
- Request Adjustments: If needed, request adjustments to your accommodation plan through the ODS to better meet your evolving needs.
This guide aims to assist students who may not have a formal ADHD diagnosis but still need academic accommodations. Adjustments can be made based on specific policies or procedural changes at Columbia University.
Maximizing 504 Accessibility Services for Students with an ADHD Diagnosis
At Columbia University, students with an ADHD diagnosis can significantly benefit from the 504 Accessibility Services provided by the Office of Disability Services (ODS). To maximize these services, start by thoroughly understanding your accommodation options.
- Engage with your ODS counselor: Engage in open dialogue with your ODS counselor to tailor accommodations specifically to your needs, whether that includes extended time on exams, reduced distraction environments, or note-taking assistance.
- Regularly review: Regularly review and adjust your accommodation plan based on your academic experiences and any changes in your needs.
- Communicate with your professors: Proactively communicate with your professors to ensure they are aware of and implement the accommodations.
- Utilize available resources: Utilize available resources like academic coaching or assistive technology to enhance your organizational skills and focus.
- Regular follow-up with ODS counselor: Additionally, take advantage of regular follow-up meetings with your ODS counselor to address any challenges and refine your support plan.
By actively engaging with these services and maintaining open communication, you can better manage your ADHD symptoms and optimize your academic performance at Columbia University.
Tips for Academic Success
For students with ADHD and other learning differences, implementing effective strategies and tools is crucial for academic success.
Effective time management is essential. Break tasks into manageable chunks, use planners or digital calendars, prioritize tasks, and limit distractions. Tools like Google Calendar, Todoist, and StayFocus can help.
Enhance study skills through active reading, the Cornell note-taking system, visual aids, and regular self-testing with flashcards or apps like Anki. These methods help organize and understand complex information.
Managing stress and maintaining mental health is vital. Practice mindfulness meditation, deep breathing exercises, regular physical activity, and good sleep hygiene. Seek professional support and build a support network with friends and family.
Leverage technology like text-to-speech and speech-to-text applications, organization tools like Evernote and OneNote, study aids like Quizlet and Khan Academy, and time management apps like Trello and Asana to aid learning and organization.
Implementing these strategies and tools can greatly enhance the academic experience for students with learning differences.
External Supports and Services
Executive Function Coaching
Executive function coaching is crucial for students with ADHD and other learning differences, as it helps them develop key skills in time management, organization, and study habits. Coaches assist students in creating structured schedules, breaking down tasks, setting realistic deadlines, and organizing materials, which reduces stress and ensures that academic responsibilities are met. They also provide tailored study techniques to improve understanding and retention.
Themba Tutors offers specialized executive function coaching with a personalized approach to support academic success. Their experienced coaches work individually with students to identify their unique challenges and strengths, crafting customized strategies to address specific needs.
Services from Themba Tutors include planning and prioritization, goal setting, task initiation, and self-monitoring. They also help students develop effective study routines, enhance focus and concentration, and build self-confidence. This holistic approach improves academic performance and equips students with skills for overall life management.
Psychiatric Services:
About Dr. Michael Roman
Dr. Michael Roman, a leading psychiatrist, provides specialized services through his practice, Transform with Roman. With extensive experience treating ADHD and other learning differences, Dr. Roman offers comprehensive care tailored to each student’s unique needs. His approach integrates medication management with psychotherapy, ensuring a holistic and personalized treatment plan.
Dr. Roman prioritizes building strong therapeutic relationships with his patients. By working closely with students, he develops personalized strategies that enhance their executive functioning skills and academic performance. Utilizing cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness techniques, Dr. Roman helps students effectively manage their symptoms and develop long-term coping strategies.
In addition to individual therapy, Dr. Roman offers family therapy sessions. He understands the critical role of family support in a student’s academic journey. These sessions educate families about ADHD and related conditions, fostering a supportive home environment that aligns with the student’s treatment plan. Dr. Roman ensures comprehensive patient support by involving families in the therapeutic process.
Dr. Roman’s dedication to providing high-quality, individualized care makes his practice an excellent choice for students seeking psychiatric services. His compassionate and holistic approach helps students with ADHD and other learning differences reach their full potential.
Quantitative Electroencephalography (QEEG)
Quantitative Electroencephalography (QEEG) is a neuroimaging technique that measures brain activity to identify patterns associated with ADHD and other learning differences. This technique assists in accurate diagnosis and developing targeted interventions, such as cognitive training and neurofeedback. QEEG also tracks changes in brain activity, helping to assess and adjust treatment plans as needed. More information on QEEG is available at Themba Tutors.
Conclusion
Navigating the process of obtaining academic accommodations can be a crucial step in ensuring your success at Columbia University, especially if you are facing challenges related to attention, focus, or other cognitive difficulties. Whether or not you have a formal ADHD diagnosis, the Office of Disability Services (ODS) is committed to supporting all students in accessing the resources they need to thrive academically.
By following the outlined steps, you can initiate a dialogue with ODS and work collaboratively to identify and implement the accommodations that best support your educational goals. Remember, the ODS team is here to assist you every step of the way, from the initial consultation to the ongoing management of your accommodations.
We encourage all students to make full use of Columbia University’s resources and external support services. Our accessibility services are designed to provide you with the tools and resources needed to navigate challenges and excel in your academic journey.
For additional information or to get started with the accommodation process, please visit the ODS website or contact the office directly. Your academic success and well-being are important, and the university is dedicated to providing the necessary support to help you achieve your full potential.
For more details on the 504 Accessibility Services for ADHD at Columbia University, visit: https://thembatutors.com/columbia-university-504-accessibility-services
Craig Selinger
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