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Rock Valley College > Student Services > Disability Services > Chapter 6: Requesting Accommodations

Chapter 6: Requesting Accommodations

Accommodations may not be available until requested by a student registered with DSS. In order to ensure sufficient time to provide accommodations, the student must submit their requests online (via the DSS Accommodations Portal) within the appropriate time frame each term. Students are encouraged to request accommodations within 48 hours after registering for classes.

Please note that accommodations are not retroactive. In addition, some accommodations, such as interpreting, captioning, and alternative format materials require significant processing time. Therefore, it is important that students submit their accommodation requests online as early as possible.

If a request is submitted after the relevant deadline, reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate the request. However, it cannot be guaranteed that such a request can be met. Untimely requests may result in delay, substitutions, or (in some situations) denial of accommodation.

Be sure to read DSS notices, reminders, and agreements in order to most effectively receive and utilize your accommodations.  Most correspondence will be provided via the Accomodations Portal and E-mail.

Personal Services
 

Postsecondary institutions are not required to provide “personal services” to students with disabilities. The following are some examples of personal services:

  1. Private tutoring
  2. Personal Care Attendant (PCA)
  3. Personally prescribed medical devices (eyeglasses, wheelchairs, hearing aids, etc.)
  4. Personal transportation/mobility services
  5.  Personal assistance to transport books or other personal items
     

Students in need of personal services can contact DSS for referrals to resources that are available to  students, or available within the community, such as campus tutoring resources, Rockford Mass Transit District (RMTD), Department of Rehabilitation Services, etc.

Suggested Lead Time for Accommodations

 

TYPE OF SERVICE TIME REQUIRED
Interpreting, Real-time Captioning, Real-time Transcribing, Video Captioning, Classroom Relocation, Braille materials Immediately upon registration
Tables, Chairs, Footstools, Podiums, Lab Assistants/Library Assistants At least six (6) weeks prior to the beginning of the new term
Alternative Format Course Materials (ex., E-text, Braille, Large Print, Tactile Graphics, etc. ) At least six (6) to eight (8) weeks prior to the beginning of the new term
Note-Taking Services Upon registration or one (1) week prior to the new term
Alternative Testing

Minimum advance notice required for scheduling exams with Testing Center: Quizzes and Exams - 3 business days

*One (1) business day prior to a quiz or exam students should call the Testing Center to confirm appointment and delivery of exam
Reasonable Flexibility of Attendance Reasonable flexibility of attendance details should be discussed with your instructor by the end of the 1st week of the term
Reasonable Extension of Assignment Deadlines Reasonable extension of assignment deadlines should be discussed with your instructor by the end of the 1st week of the term
Assistive Technologies or Software At least 2-4 weeks