Accommodation Plans: Harper College

“College is much more difficult. We have to do more stuff – homework, reading, and writing. It’s hard to get all of the reading done, and they don’t give you time in class or have a study hall to get it done like in high school. The reading is a lot harder to understand, there are more papers, the papers are longer, and the teachers expect better papers.”
“Teachers in college expect more. In high school, teachers remind you all the time and go over things you need to know. Here teachers say things once in lectures and expect you to remember them. Sometimes they go so fast I it’s hard to take notes.”
"College is much harder. You don’t spend as much time in school – you have to do more outside work. Tutoring helps me because I get more of my work done and be where I need to be with my work. I understand it better, and I’ve noticed it in my grades.”
"There is more information on tests here so it helps to have more time. If I take a test with extra time, I can take my time and not be the last person out.”

Your accommodation plan verifies that you have been approved for specific accommodations.
You must provide your instructors with a copy of your accommodation plan at the beginning of the semester.
You should have a confidential discussion with your instructors about your accommodations at the beginning of the semester.

Contact the ADS office at 847-925-6266 and ask about what kind of documentation is required and how best to obtain the documentation.
Request documentation of your disability from your high school, medical or psychiatric doctor or other diagnostic professional.
Contact the ADS office at 847-925-6266 and make an appointment for accommodation planning.
Bring documentation of your disability to the appointment with a qualified ADS staff person.

You are eligible to have another student take notes for you if this accommodation is written on your accommodation plan.

Discuss note-taking during the accommodation planning meeting with the ADS staff person
Get a flyer about the Orientation on Note-Taking procedures
Complete and submit a Note-Taker Request Form to the ADS office.
Attend a Mandatory Orientation where you will obtain a note-taker services packet which contains:
- A letter for your instructor
- A class announcement to recruit a note-taker
- A note-taker sign up sheet
- A note-taker’s note-book with no-carbon-required copy paper that makes two sets of notes
- Instructions for Note-Taker
Give the Letter and Sign Up sheet to your instructor on the first or second day of class.
Retrieve the Sign Up sheet from the instructor after class
Contact the note-taker of your choice
Give note-taker’s notebook and "Instructions to Note-Taker" handout to the note-taker
Get a copy of the notes from the note-taker after each class.
Contact the ADS office at 847-925-6266 if you can’t identify a note-taker or if your note-taker has not showed up for class.

You are eligible for the following testing accommodations if they are written on your accommodation plan.

Discuss testing accommodations during the accommodation planning meeting with the ADS staff person
Request copies of either the Testing Accommodation Request Form (Room A148) OR the Testing Accommodation Request Form (Room D119) during the accommodation planning meeting.
Give a Testing Accommodation Request Form to your instructor at least 5 days before the test.
Make an agreement with your instructor as to the day, time, and location of the test.
If taking the test in the Assessment and Testing Center, Room A148Complete and submit Student Services Request Form to the ADS office at least 3 days ahead of the date of the test.
- Go to the Testing Center at the designed date and time
- Take your Harper College Student ID
- If taking the test in the ADS Office (Room D119)
Sign up to reserve a testing room in ADS office (space is limited).

You are eligible for Textbooks on Audio CD if this accommodation is written on your accommodation plan.

Discuss textbooks on Audio CD during the accommodation planning meeting with the ADS staff person
Buy your textbooks and keep the receipts
Complete and submit to the ADS office the Books on Tape / CD Request Form.
- The information to complete this form is on your syllabus and in your textbook.
- ADS staff person will check to see if audio CD of your textbook is available through RFBD.
- ADS staff will call you to tell you if RFBD has the textbook on audio CD or if ADS must convert the textbook to an audio CD.

If the textbook is available on audio CD through RFBD, an ADS staff person will call and tell you to pick up the CD at the ADS office.

Sign the CD Log Sheet when you pick up the CD.
Pick up a CD player.
Complete an Equipment Loaner Form.
If the textbook is not available on audio CD through RFBD, an ADS staff person will call and tell you to make an appointment with the ADS Assistive Technology Specialist. It can take 3 to 4 weeks to process a request and produce an audio CD.
Bring your textbook(s), receipts for your textbook(s) and class syllabuses to the appointment with Eric Ross. Agree upon a schedule and timeline for converting your textbook(s) on to audio CD
- Pick up a CD player.
- Complete an Equipment Loaner Form.
A reminder letter will be sent to you at the end of the semester requesting your to register early, submit another request for Textbooks on CD, and return the CD player.

You are eligible for interpreter or captioning services if this accommodation is written on your accommodation plan.

Discuss interpreter or captioning services during the accommodation planning meeting with the ADS staff person.
Complete and submit a Request Form to the ADS office.
Complete, sign and submit a "Student Agreement for Use of Services" Form to the ADS office
Contact the ADS office at least 24 hours in advance if you are going to be late or absent.

Accommodation Plans