Full-Time, Tenure-Track, Instructor - Disabilities Specialist

El Camino College is seeking a knowledgeable, full-time, tenure-track Disabilities Specialist to join its Special Resource Center faculty team in its commitment to supporting students with disabilities!

The primary duty of a Disabilities Specialist shall be to assist students with disabilities to identify, request, and effectively utilize support services and accommodations to mitigate educational limitations imposed by their verified disability. Under the general supervision of the Director of the Special Resource Center (SRC), the Disabilities Specialist provides a variety of professional services for students with a broad range of physical, visual, and psychiatric disabilities. Provides disability verification through analysis of documentation; facilitates the interactive process to identify functional limitations, fundamental requirements, and reasonable accommodations to ensure equal educational access; provides and documents appropriate services; maintains timely and accurate records; discusses with students compensatory learning and disability management strategies; refers students to other appropriate campus and community resources; and authorizes educational accommodations. Communicates effectively with campus faculty, staff and administration and community entities (Department of Rehabilitation, Regional Centers, Independent Living Centers, etc.); compiles data and prepares reports; conducts campus and community liaison activities on behalf of the Disabled Student Programs and Services; advocates for students by providing expertise and consultation in collaboration with faculty, staff, other campus personnel, and off-campus agencies; serves on college and community committees; maintains a current knowledge base by participation in professional development activities; performs other related duties as assigned. The Disabilities Specialist may also instruct courses designed for students with a variety of disabilities and develop instructional materials to meet the diverse learning needs of students with disabilities.

The position requires participation in a variety of campus and division activities such as department meetings, committee meetings, student activities, and office hours, when appropriate.

This position is part of a team of professionals providing coordinated and comprehensive academic support designed to meet legal mandates and success for students with disabilities in community college.

Applicants should demonstrate experience examining and remediating their instruction, interactions, and/or practices to more effectively engage and support diverse students. Selected candidates will be invited for an interview, which will include a teaching demonstration on an assigned topic.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Master's in the category of the disability, special education, education, psychology, educational psychology, or rehabilitation counseling and 15 upper division or graduate semester units in area of physical disabilities, visual disabilities, adaptive computer technology, developmental disabilities, learning disabilities; deaf and hard of hearing; OR

The equivalent - Candidates not possessing the required qualification(s) as stated on this announcement must complete the Request For Equivalency Form as part of the application process to explain in detail how their qualifications are equivalent to those above; OR

Valid California community college instructor credential in appropriate subject issued prior to July 1, 1990 (per California Education Code 87355); AND

Evidence of responsiveness to and understanding of the racial, socio-economic, academic, and cultural diversity within student populations, including students with disabilities, as these factors relate to the need for equity-minded practices.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience evaluating disability documentation and determining reasonable accommodations based on functional and educational limitations for students with disabilities.
• Working knowledge of Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, California Community College Chancellor's Office Implementation Guidelines for Title 5 DSPS Regulations, and other Federal and State legislation affecting the provision of disability services.
• Knowledge of universal design and innovative teaching methodologies, and have an equity minded, culturally responsive teaching approach as a framework for achieving equity.
• Knowledge of and ability to utilize a variety of technology tools, assistive technology, and online resources to enhance learning and independence for students with disabilities.
• Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively as a member of a team which includes faculty, classified personnel, and paraprofessionals.
• Commitment to the community college mission in understanding issues of equity, culturally responsive methodologies, gender identities, sexual orientation, religious and ethnic backgrounds, racial/ethnic, socio-economic, academic, and cultural diversity.
• Demonstrated experience examining and remediating one's instruction, interactions, and/or practices to more effectively engage and support diverse students.
• Ability to teach educational assistance courses for students with disabilities, with preferred experience teaching in a California Community College within the past four years.
• Experience developing/reviewing curriculum and assessing learning outcomes.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS

Please limit each response to 300 words.

1. How do you support student success, particularly for students from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized communities?
2. How have you demonstrated culturally responsive practices in the classroom?