Disability Services
Any student with a documented disability is entitled to reasonable accommodations both in and outside of the classroom in order to have the opportunity to obtain a college education. Students who request an accommodation, must have disability documentation on file with the Student Assistance Office.
Requesting Accommodations
Students who request an accommodation based on a documented disability are advised to make the request known as soon as possible to ensure timely service.
- CONTACT THE STUDENT ASSISTANCE OFFICE - After being admitted into IWCC, you must contact the Student Assistance Director to complete an Accommodations Request Form.
- SUBMIT DISABILITY DOCUMENTATION - In order to determine if a student is eligible, documentation, including medical and psychological reports and other records, are examined to determine whether or not a student is disabled. Review the Disability Documentation Guidelines for College Students to determine what documentation is needed.
- DETERMINE ACCOMMODATIONS - With the Director, you will determine which accommodations will be appropriate for your individual needs. You will then receive an Accommodation Letter for each instructor indicating which accommodations are available to you. It is important for you to give this letter to your instructor(s) and discuss your learning needs with them EARLY in the term. Instructors have office hours and are often available before or after class. It is YOUR responsibility to keep instructors informed of your needs.
If, at any time during the semester, you have difficulty receiving appropriate accommodations, please contact the Director.
Testing Accommodations
Student Assistance Office administers academic tests, quizzes, and exams that require the accommodation of extended time, private room, adaptive equipment, readers, scribes, and/or alternative test format. Student Assistance Office, however, may not be able to provide scribes or readers in some technical fields (e.g., foreign language, mathematics, science, and computer courses). Consequently, faculty may need to provide personnel to administer these tests, quizzes, and exams.
Test Accommodation Process for Classes
- After enrolling at Iowa Western Community College, the student must contact the Student Assistance Offices in Clark Hall (Room 006) in order to receive accommodations.
- During the first week of each semester/session, the student should meet with instructors to discuss accommodations/accommodation letters and tests for the semester. The student and instructor should agree on an accommodation plan. The instructor should inform the student of what type of tests will be given (i.e., multiple choice, essay, short answer, etc.).
- If the student needs special adaptive equipment and/or special services (i.e. an interpreter, test reader or scribe), he or she will need to fill out a Test Accommodation Request form. This needs to be done at least three (3) days before the student is scheduled to take the test. Please make sure the information put on the request is accurate.
- It is extremely important that the student be on time for tests. A staff person or trained volunteer may administer the test, if necessary, as an accommodation to you. Please be considerate of the time that the volunteers devote to this service.
- Students must provide their own tools for testing (i.e. pencil, pen, calculator, etc.).
Test Accommodation Procedures
- One week before the test: Student notifies the instructor that he/she is going to use testing accommodations.
- Three business days before the scheduled test: Student c ompletes the Testing Request Form and submits online or delivers in person to the Student Assistance Office (C-006).
- One business day before the scheduled date of the test: Instructor completes an Instructor Test Accommodation Form and uploads an electronic copy of the test.
Placement Testing
All students who wish to enroll as a student at Iowa Western Community College must take a placement exam. If a student requests to take a placement exam with accommodations, he or she needs to contact the Student Assistance Offices prior to scheduling a testing time. We must have disability documentation on file before the test is taken in order to allow accommodations for the placement exam.