OUR COMMITMENT TO ACCESSIBILITY

City Colleges of Chicago is committed to creating learning environments that meet the needs of our diverse student body and the city of Chicago. Learn more about our resources and ACCESS Centers, and how we support students and community members with disabilities, below. You can also read more about how City Colleges complies with all federal laws to create inclusive work and learning environments here.

Our Accessibility Plan

Accessibility Plan of City Colleges of Chicago
Accessibility Plan

To achieve our goal of disability equity, City Colleges convened a committee in June 2021 to create an Accessibility Plan. The committee consists of five subcommittees to address accessibility in the following areas:

  • Culture
  • Technology
  • Infrastructure
  • Curriculum
  • Policy

The committee relied on the expertise of staff with input from students and faculty to evaluate the current state of accessibility at City Colleges and propose recommendations. Those recommendations and more are outlined in the Accessibility Plan linked below.

Download the plan here.

If you have any questions regarding City Colleges’ Accessibility Plan, please email accessservices@ccc.edu

ACCESS Centers

Mission

We provide students with ACCOMMODATIONS that help to eliminate barriers to COMMUNICATION. With student’s COOPERATION, we foster an environment of EQUITY and SUPPORT in order to ensure quality SERVICES.

We are the ACCESS Centers.

Student Resources


 

Your Transition from High School to College

The law changes drastically for individuals with disabilities as soon as you graduate from high school, whether that is at the age of 18, or when you age out at 22. It is important to understand how your rights and responsibilities will shift when you enter college and beyond. This document provides an overview of your transition from high school to college, including things you can do to help make your college experience a successful one.

Download the Student Rights and Responsibilities Guide


 

Accommodations and Support Services

Accommodations and support services provide students with documented needs equal access to course materials and extracurricular activities.

Access-Image-02

Our services include but are not limited to:

  • Classroom accommodations
  • Extended time for testing and in-class assignments
  • Notetakers
  • Exam proctors
  • Readers
  • Transcribers
  • Sign language interpreters
  • Recording devices
  • Adaptive software
  • FM system
  • Screen-reading (JAWS, zoom-text)
  • Information and referral to campus and outside agencies

 

How to Request Accommodations

City Colleges’ ACCESS Centers use a system called Accommodate to collect, verify, and implement accommodate requests for students with documented disabilities.

You can begin the process with an ACCESS Center at any point in the semester to inquire about services, complete an intake, or request accommodations. We recognize that circumstances are constantly changing, but we encourage you to reach out early.

If you have never requested accommodations at City Colleges, follow these steps:

First, you need to complete an intake form at www.ccc.edu/accessintake. After you complete the form, an ACCESS Center Director will reach out to you to schedule an intake interview, where you will discuss your disability and your education. At the end of the intake process, you will know your approved accommodations, and you can request accommodations in your classes.

You will use Accommodate to view your accommodation letters, renew your accommodations each semester, and more. Go to www.ccc.edu/accommoate to get started. Select “Student” and enter your City Colleges username and password.

This video will walk you through the process of starting your request for accommodations and using Accommodate:

If you have previously requested accommodations at City Colleges follow these steps:

You will use Accommodate to view your accommodation letters, renew your accommodations each semester, and more. Go to www.ccc.edu/accommoate to get started. Select “Student” and enter your City Colleges username and password.

This video will show you how to navigate Accommodate:


 

Testing

For college-specific information about testing policies and procedures, contact your college’s ACCESS Center.


 

Other Accommodations and Assistance

Placement Test Accommodations

  • If you plan to take a placement test at one of the City Colleges, please contact that college’s ACCESS Center prior to taking your exam and provide supporting documentation of your disability. Documentation guidelines can be found below.

Evacuation Assistance

  • Students with disabilities who need assistance exiting the building in the event of an evacuation should connect with the ACCESS Center to make sure their class schedule is on the ACCESS Centers’ Evacuation List. Locations of students with disabilities are kept in the Security Office so the Fire Department can locate and assist students during an evacuation.

SUCCESS Coaching for CPS Grads

  • City Colleges also provides SUCCESS coaching for recent Chicago Public Schools graduates who have an IEP or 504 Plan. This service is offered in partnership with the Chicago Roadmap. To sign up to be contacted by a SUCCESS coach, please fill out this form. For more information, please contact the Manager of Accessibility Support at AccessRoadmap@ccc.edu.

 

Documentation Guidelines for Accommodation Requests

Supporting documentation must include:

  • Diagnosis determined by a licensed physician or primary health care provider, psychologist, audiologist, speech therapist, learning disability specialist, or other appropriate professional.
  • An evaluation of the impact on the individual of both the diagnosed condition and any prescribed medications.
  • Specific details regarding the disability(s) and in the manner and degree in which any functional limitation(s) impede performance (e.g., reading, writing, walking, speaking, seeing, and abstract reasoning) in order for the ACCESS Center Director to approve appropriate accommodations.
  • Dated original letterhead including contact information of the appropriate professional diagnosing the disability that should include whether the condition is short-term (less than 90 days) or long-term (more than 90 days).

Individualized Education Plans and 504 Plans are acceptable documents. If you have any questions about document eligibility, reach out to your college’s ACCESS Center for assistance.


ADDITIONAL STUDENT RESOURCES

The ACCESS Center is one of many student resources at City Colleges. We encourage students to seek support from other offices as well. Click the links listed to the right to find out more.

If you make an appointment for support at one of the places below and need accommodations, reach out to your college’s ACCESS Center for assistance.

icon-arrow Visit the Wellness Center website here.
icon-arrow Visit the Tutoring Center website here.
icon-arrow Visit the Academic Advising website here.
icon-arrow Visit the Transfer Center website here.
icon-arrow Visit the Career Services website here.

How to Request an ASL Interpreter

Faculty & Staff Resources

Implementing Accommodations

While instructors do not determine accommodations, they assist with the implementation of accommodations in the classroom. The collaboration between the ACCESS Center and faculty is key to supporting educational access while simultaneously respecting academic integrity.

Instructors support the ACCESS Center mission by performing certain duties that support educational equal access to students with disabilities.

These duties include three core areas:

  • Supporting the implementation of reasonable accommodations as determined by the ACCESS Center.
  • Ensuring that course handouts, other print and electronic materials, and videos are accessible.
  • Adhering to rules established by the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Illinois law regarding compliance of nondiscrimination and confidentiality.
Black Man Reading Braille Book in Library

If a student in one of your classes needs accommodations, you will receive an automated email from Accommodate. Click on the link in the email or visit www.ccc.edu/accommodate. Select “Faculty” and enter your City Colleges login information.

This video will show you how to sign accommodation letters and use Accommodate:

Tools for Accessibility

Visit this knowledgebase for more information about accessibility in Brightspace and creating accessible materials: Accessibility Resources.

Helpful Insights for Faculty and Staff

Parent Resources

The law changes drastically for individuals with disabilities as soon as they graduate from high school, whether that is at the age of 18, or when they age out at 22. It is important to talk with your child about how their rights and responsibilities will shift when they enter college and beyond. This document provides an overview of your student’s transition from high school to college, including the things you can discuss with your child to help make their college experience a successful one.

Download the Parent Rights and Responsibilities Guide

ADA/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT

In accordance with our commitment to equal access and opportunity for students with disabilities, City Colleges of Chicago will comply with all requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and will not discriminate against individuals on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities.

City Colleges of Chicago will make reasonable modifications to policies, practices and procedures related to their programs and services to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all programs, services, and activities.

  • Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity of  City Colleges of Chicago should contact the office of Student Accessibility Services at accessservices@ccc.edu as soon as possible, but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event.
  • The ADA does not require City Colleges of Chicago to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services or impose an undue financial or administrative burden.
  • Complaints that a program, service, or activity at City Colleges of Chicago is not accessible to persons with disabilities should be directed to the district director of Student Accessibility Services at accessservices@ccc.edu or the district’s equal opportunity officer at eeofficer@ccc.edu.
  • City Colleges of Chicago will not place a surcharge on a particular individual with a disability or any group of individuals with disabilities to cover the cost of providing auxiliary aids/services or reasonable modifications of policy.

Additional Resources

icon-arrow Read City Colleges’ Equal Opportunity and Title IX Policy Statement here.
icon-arrow Submit an Equal Opportunity/Title IX complaint here.
icon-arrow Submit a discrimination and harassment complaint here.

NEURODIVERSITY STATEMENT

City Colleges of Chicago values diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility of all. We recognize that neurodiversity* among the students, faculty, staff, trustees, and the community is critical to supporting a more inclusive learning and working environment.

We believe that, when neurodivergent people are understood, valued, and empowered, we all stand to benefit from their important and unique contributions. This statement represents our commitment to providing appropriate supports based on each person’s individual needs and a culture that recognizes human diversity.

*Neurodiversity is defined as a strength-based approach to viewing differences in individual brain function and behavioral traits and as part of normal variation in the human population.

Disability pride means that I no longer need to hide who l am or what I do. I can speak up loudly and proudly about my disability.

Susan Actaboski

City Colleges of Chicago alumna and Wright College notetaker