Services

  • Classroom accommodations—instruction in class, note-taking, and other individualized assistance
  • Peer tutoring
  • Assistance in arranging alternative test environment, such as extended time, reader, or low distraction environment
  • Assistance in arranging for recorded textbooks
  • Early registration options
  • General academic counseling and advisement
  • Student support groups
  • Advocacy with faculty and administration
  • Assistive technology (e.g. Kurzweil 3000)
  • Housing Accommodations – If you have special housing needs (ADA, 504, or other), you must contact the Disabilities Office for Support Services (DOSS) in order to start the review process for reasonable accommodations related to housing. Any requests for special housing accommodations must be made to DOSS by May 1 for fall semester, and by December 15 for spring semester. All special housing needs must be made known and resolved prior to arriving on campus. Housing accommodations cannot be guaranteed unless requests are made and approved in a timely manner.

Each semester students are required to re-enroll for services, and the DOSS staff will evaluate continued services according to each student’s needs.

Note-taking is arranged between DOSS and the professor to provide adequate notes from classroom lectures through either printed materials, PowerPoint presentations, lecture notes, or notes taken by a student.

Tutoring is initially provided for English and math for all Northwestern students through the ALPHA Center. DOSS provides specialized peer tutoring for a variety of other subjects as needed. The student and tutor arrange a contract for a time and place to meet.

Audio books on tape are available for students with visual impairments or dyslexia through Learning Ally (formerly RFB&D) or the MN State Services for the Blind. These books take time to order and must be requested with several weeks’ notice.

Services are provided with appropriate documentation. The services of note-taking, tutoring, and recorded textbooks may take 3–6 weeks to order and process. Your promptness in communicating with our office is critical.