Continuing Education Program Disability Accommodation Policy
DR. PAULSON PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING LLC
Policy Director: Dr. Brian Paulson, Ph.D., LMHC-QS, LMFT-QS, MCAP, CGAC
Policy Mandate: This policy fulfills federal and state requirements to provide equal access to training activities and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
I. Purpose and Scope of Accommodations
Dr. Paulson designs and delivers all virtual continuing education programs to be fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. This means reasonable changes are provided to help students with auditory or visual limitations participate. The goal is to remove learning barriers so every student can complete their professional development. This policy applies to all prospective and active students who register for on-demand online courses.
Because courses are delivered as home studies, physical classroom access is not required. However, Dr. Paulson works directly with students to adapt online text and media. Accommodations are provided in a manner that does not alter the essential learning standards of the training.
II. Submission and Request Procedure
Students who need adjustments to participate in courses must submit a written request as early as possible. If a student needs complex technical changes, the request should be submitted fourteen business days before starting the course. This timeline allows sufficient time to prepare and test the files.
Requests are accepted through two main contact methods:
| Method | Contact Details |
| info@drpaulsoncounseling.com | |
| 7901 4th St N STE 300, St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, FL 33702 |
The written request must contain the student’s full name and contact details. It must also list the specific course title and describe the exact accommodations needed. Each request is reviewed personally, with a written reply confirming the plan sent to the student within five business days.
III. Website and Platform Accessibility Features
The learning website utilizes a modern WordPress system with the Masteriyo learning management platform. This platform has several built-in features that naturally support easier reading and general usability, helping students navigate training modules comfortably.
| Feature Type | How It Supports Usability |
| Focus Mode Layout | Focus Mode hides sidebars and extra headers to reduce visual clutter on learning pages. It isolates the text lessons so students can read without distractions. |
| Responsive Layout | The interface adjusts automatically to fit different screen sizes and works smoothly with web browser zoom controls so students can scale text size up or down. |
| SCORM Compatibility | The system supports standardized interactive learning files, allowing use of simple media files that can pause or repeat as needed. |
IV. Manual Adjustments and Remediation
The learning platform does not contain automatic accessibility checkers or built-in compliance tools. Website settings and media files are therefore manually adjusted, with regular audits to make sure materials work well for individuals with physical or sensory limitations. Manual reviews focus on several key areas:
Screen Reader Support: All text lessons are manually verified to use standard HTML headings, with descriptive alternative labels written for every image so screen reading software can read them aloud.
Captions and Text Transcripts: The system does not automatically caption video lessons. Captions are manually embedded into YouTube videos, and complete text transcripts are written and uploaded for all audio files.
Color Contrast: System settings do not control contrast colors, so external contrast checkers are used to review WordPress theme colors and ensure text is easy to distinguish from the background.
Because courses are asynchronous and on-demand, students can pause and resume their training whenever they want. If a student is waiting for a specific file adjustment, they can halt their work and continue lessons as soon as the adjusted files are ready.
V. Regulatory Compliance and Record Keeping
Once a student purchases a course, they retain lifelong access to the materials. This permanent access helps students study at their own pace and gives them ample time to utilize any assistive tools they need.
Detailed records of all accommodation requests and final responses are maintained and stored securely in an encrypted cloud drive. In line with the continuing education record system policy, these files are kept for five years from the date of the request, helping demonstrate full operational compliance during professional reviews.
Dr. Brian Paulson, Ph.D., LMHC-QS, LMFT-QS, MCAP, CGAC
Continuing Education Director and Owner
Dr. Paulson Professional Counseling LLC