Harper College
Access & Disability Services

ADS Individualized Accommodation Plans

Each new student will be interviewed by an ADS Access Advocate who will create an individualized accommodation plan based on the student's documentation of disability and needs.

  • Request documentation of your disability from your high school, such as a 504 Plan, Summary of Performance, or copies of your IEPs.
  • For a medical or psychological disability, ADS can give or email you a DSM/Medical Release of Information form for you to sign and give to your doctor, psychologist or other diagnostic professional to record your diagnosis, and his/her recommendations for accommodations.
  • Upload your documentation to your application for services, email it to ads@harpercollege.edu, or fax to 847.925.6267.
  • Call ADS at 847.925.6266 voice, or 224.836.5048 VP (for D/HH students), schedule/attend your intake appointment.
  • Upload documentation to your AIM application prior to your intake appointment. The Access Advocate will review it and ask you questions about strategies you have used and how successful they have been.
  • Once you have your accommodation plan set, you must request your accommodations through your AIM portal.
  • Have a confidential discussion with your instructors about your accommodations at the beginning of the semester.
  • Discuss note-taking with the Access Advocate.  Some instructors provide handouts in class or post extensively in Blackboard.  We encourage students to attend the first week of your class to see if you feel a note-taker is necessary.
  • Request a note-taker through your AIM portal.  One week after your class begins, you will receive an email from the AIM system asking you to confirm  your need for a note-taker.  Confirm on-line with a link on that email. 
  • Download a copy of the notes from your AIM portal.
  • Contact ADS 847-925-6266 if you are unable to identify a note-taker or if your note-taker hasn't showed up for class.
  • Discuss audio textbooks with the Access Advocate.
  • Request audio textbooks and conversions through AIM portal. (Make Alternate Format Book Request)
  • Buy your textbooks and keep the receipts.

If the audio textbook is available through Learning Ally, an Access Advocate will call and tell you when the download is complete and the digital reader is ready for pick up at the ADS office.

  • If the textbook is not available through Learning Ally, an Access Advocate 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 syllabus/syllabi to the appointment with the Assistive Technology Specialist. Agree upon a schedule and timeline for converting your textbook(s) on to audio CDs.
  • All assistive technology equipment, including digital readers, must be returned before the end of the semester.  A reminder letter will be sent to you before the end of the semester requesting the return of the digital reader.
  • Discuss interpreter or captioning services with the Access Advocate.
  • Request sign language interpreters  through your AIM portal.
  • Contact the ADS office at least 24 hours in advance if you are going to be late or absent.

 

Last Updated: 11/17/25