Accommodation Services assists students through an interactive process to identify reasonable accommodations to ensure students have equal access to educational opportunities.
Accommodation Services is here to provide advocacy, quality services, and support to students, faculty, and staff. The College is committed to creating an environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and accessible.
Advocates provide support for students with disabilities enrolled in credit classes, taking classes while in high school, and continuing education courses.
Accommodations Access Advocates support students by:
Start here if you are a student who is seeking accommodations for the first time. You are considered a new student if you have never sought academic accommodations before. Accommodations are available for students enrolled in credit classes, continuing education courses, or are taking a licensed exam through Kirkwood.
Are you a current student needing to renew your accommodations, or need to know how to schedule your tests? Find out more about the next steps to receiving academic accommodations.
Access to resources and information to answer questions about accommodations and how to support students with disabilities.
Colleges and universities have an obligation to provide access to students with disabilities in all institutional programs and activities. This obligation is articulated in the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Dear Colleague Letters issued by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, and/or the U.S. Department of Justice and numerous state and local laws [Excerpt from www.ahead.org].
Kirkwood Community College has established policies and procedures to implement provisions of the above cited legal documents. These policies and procedures are used to determine reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities to meet academic and technical standards required for their educational program. Policies can be found in the Kirkwood Community College Credit Catalog.
The College provides reasonable accommodations, as required by law, to individuals whose sincerely held religious beliefs, practices, and observances conflict with work or class requirements, unless the accommodation could create an undue hardship.
Title IX provides equal educational opportunities for pregnant and parenting students. If you are in need of accommodations related to a pregnancy, visit www.kirkwood.edu/titleIX and connect with a Deputy Title IX Officer.
Kirkwood provides American Sign Language Interpreting for Deaf/deaf and hard of hearing prospective students, community members and visitors for college sponsored events. If you are in need of interpreter services for a college event (e.g. orientation, meeting with faculty or staff, performance) click the button below to request a sign language interpreter.
Request A Sign Language Interpreter
If you are a new or currently enrolled Kirkwood student who will need on-going interpreting services for scheduled classes, please complete the Application for Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities and schedule a time to meet with an Accommodations Access Advocate to arrange on-going interpreting services for your classes.
| High School | College |
|---|---|
| IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) ensures free and appropriate public education for children with disabilities in the K-12 Education system. Primary focus is on a student’s success. |
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 protect college students from discrimination by providing equal access to programs and services. Primary focus is on access to education. |
| High School | College |
|---|---|
| IDEA provides a list of disabilities and includes specific learning disability. | A person with a disability is a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity. A disability can include (but is not limited to): Learning disabilities, ADHD, Autism, mental health, physical condition, and/or temporary injuries. |
| High School | College |
|---|---|
| Parents and teachers identify students needing assistance. Schools pay for needed accommodations and testing. | Students must self-identify as needing assistance due to a disability. Institutions are responsible for providing equal access. |
| High School | College |
|---|---|
| Documentation focuses on determining whether student is eligible for services based on specific disability categories in IDEA. The IEP team develops the IEP to define educational goals, supports and services that will be provided to the student. Teachers and parents are a part of this meeting. |
Current documentation must provide information on specific nature of condition or disability, functional limitations, and demonstrate the need for specific accommodations. Students need to self-identify and request accommodations. Students provide documentation that verifies eligibility for accommodations specific to a functional limitation. |
| High School | College |
|---|---|
| Parents are actively involved in their student’s educational planning and decisions. Parents can discuss their student’s progress with teachers. Parents sign documents for their student who is under the age of 18. |
Parents cannot make requests or decisions on behalf of the student. Students are responsible for making decisions related to their education and are expected to advocate for themselves. Parents do not have access to a student’s educational records or the ability to communicate with instructors unless a student grants permission for information to be released. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law designed to protect the privacy of education records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records, and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate and misleading data through informal and formal hearings. A student must sign a written release to request their records be shared with parents or other supports. FERPA takes effect once a student enrolls in a college credit course, even if under the age of 18. Students sign documents for themselves. |
| High School | College |
|---|---|
| Students may be assigned a personal aide as part of their IEP or 504 Plan to provide assistance with mobility, organization, or behavior. Services are provided at no cost to the family by the school district. Students are often assisted by paraeducators directly in the classroom with academics, behavior, and transitions as outlined in an IEP or 504 Plan. |
Students must request and have approval for a personal aid or paraeducator support on campus and in class. Colleges will not modify essential course requirements to accommodate an aide. If a student needs a personal aide, students must arrange and fund this type of support privately. The College does not provide paraeducator or 1:1 support. Students must make their own arrangements if the support services are needed. The College does not provide accommodations for behavior. FERPA takes effect once a student enrolls in a college credit course, even if under the age of 18. Students sign documents for themselves. |
Accommodation Services
319-398-5540
Fax: 319-398-7788
sas@kirkwood.edu