SWIC Special Services Center is now Disability & Access Center

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[In order to better serve the Southwestern Illinois College student body and the surrounding community, the SWIC Special Services Center has changed its name to the Disability & Access Center. The services offered will remain the same; however, a name change was needed to more accurately portray the center's mission.

After months of research and talking with SWIC students, the Special Services Center staff concluded a name change could improve the center's visibility. The staff wanted to include the word "disability" in the name in order to more clearly identify the center's purpose. It also helps the SWIC center be more consistent with other colleges across the county, as well as national disability organizations.

Disability accommodations and services typically begin with an individual intake appointment in the Disability & Access Center. Based on the interactive process with the student and a review of the disability documentation provided by a qualified professional, eligibility regarding the student's accommodations is made.

The Disability & Access Center can provide the following accommodations and services:

· Instructor Notification Letters identifying each student's eligible accommodations

· Accommodated testing

· Alternative format textbooks and classroom materials

· Readers, note takers and scribes

· Sign language interpreters/speech to text transcription

· Adaptive equipment and assistance

· Faculty/student consultations

· Agency/high school collaboration

· Early registration

· Loan equipment program

The Disability & Access Center serves students at four separate locations. Students can visit the Belleville, Sam Wolf Granite City or Red Bud campuses, or the East St. Louis Community College Center.

"The staff of the Disability & Access Center is a wonderfully dedicated and professional group of people committed to effectively serving students with disabilities," said Disability & Access Center Director Kelly Atkins. "In my 28 years of service in this department, SWIC has continually shown deep commitment to supporting the needs of students with disabilities and ensuring an accessible and positive college experience for all."

For more information about the Disability & Access Center, call 618-235-2700, ext. 5368 or 618-234-3347 (TDD); or visit SWIC.edu/disabilitycenter.