Northwest College

Disability Support Services

Getting Started

First, and most important: make an appointment – at the beginning of every term – with Disability Services. Disability Services can help you arrange the accommodations you will need to get started successfully. The accommodations you are entitled to are important; they may spell the difference between academic success and academic failure. Too often, new students are anxious to “try out” college on their own terms, without the accommodations that helped them successfully reach their goals in the past. It’s not worth the chance. Take advantage of all the accommodations and services you are entitled to; education should be challenging – not daunting. NWC faculty and staff are here to help you meet the goals you have established for yourself.

New Student Registration Process

1. Complete the online registration.
2. Make an appointment with Disability Support Services by calling 307-754-6135.
3. Meet with Disability Support Services to discuss disability/medical information and accommodation needs.
4. Provide documentation of disability or medical condition.  Disability Support Services can review acceptable types of documentation during your meeting.

MEETING WITH YOUR INSTRUCTORS

You are encouraged to make an appointment to talk privately with each of your instructors in his or her office during the first week of class. Disability Services can help you prepare to talk with your instructors and complete paperwork to request taped lectures, note takers, scribes, tutors, or test taking accommodations. If you are new to school and feel uncertain about talking with your instructors alone, you may request the disability coordinator to attend your initial meeting or make a call to the instructor before your meeting to break the ice. We also can practice role-playing and assertiveness skills. Some things to think about before your meeting:

• Talk to your instructor honestly about your strengths and weakness.
• Talk to your instructor about your needs and the services you will receive.
• Take all the necessary forms so your instructor will have all the information on file.
• Ask the instructor to read the forms while you are in the office, so he or she will know what accommodations and services you will be entitled to during the term.
• Keep in mind that the instructor has academic freedom or has constraints in standards set by the college. Depending on the course structure, the accommodations may be implemented differently that what you requested. If you have a problem with an instructor contact Disability Services.
• Be an active self-advocate
• Present yourself as motivated and hardworking – do not appear demanding, hostile, or unpleasant.

Resist the urge to talk about accommodations during an impromptu hallway meeting or in the classroom. You will feel rushed to explain your situation and the instructors will not have the opportunity to give you their full attention. It is better to set an appointment to talk with your instructors privately. This provides you the opportunity to express yourself clearly and helps the instructor consider everything you have to say.