ACCESS Centers

City Colleges of Chicago is committed to creating accessible learning environments that reflect the needs of our diverse student body by dismantling barriers to accessible education.

Our Mission

We provide students with ACCOMMODATIONS that help to eliminate barriers to COMMUNICATION and with student’s COOPERATION, foster an environment of EQUITY and SUPPORT in order to ensure quality SERVICES.

Our Services

Each of our seven colleges has an ACCESS Center staffed by professionals who can guide you through the process of receiving accommodations based on your documented disability. If you don’t have a diagnosis of a disability, but you suspect that you might have one, our staff can advise you on next steps and make appropriate referrals.

All conversations and services through our office and any documents submitted remain confidential.

CCC Placement Exam Accommodations

Your accommodations also extend to the CCC Placement Exams. To receive accommodations for your Placement Exams, you must complete an intake prior to taking your exams. Please reach out to the ACCESS Center Director at your home campus at least two weeks prior to your placement exams in order to ensure you have time to complete the intake process.

Other services include

Enrollment assistance
Classroom accommodations
Extended time for testing and in-class assignments
Note takers
Exam proctors
Readers
Transcribers
Sign language interpreters
TTY (text telephone) or TDD (telecommunication device for the deaf)
Recording devices
Adaptive software
FM system
Screen-reading (JAWS, zoom-text)
Information and referral to campus and outside agencies

Emergency Evacuation Assistance

Students with disabilities who need assistance exiting the building in the event of an evacuation should connect with the ACCESS Center office to make sure their class schedule is on the ACCESS Centers Evacuation list. Locations of students with disabilities are kept in the Security Office so the Fire Department can locate and assist students during an evacuation.

Next Steps

You can begin the process with the ACCESS Center at any point in the semester to inquire about services, complete an intake, or request accommodations because we recognize that our circumstances are constantly changing, but we encourage you to reach out early. You can upload supporting documentation, complete your intake form, and request accommodations all from your my.ccc.edu profile. For step-by-step help, download this guide: ACCESS_Center_Process.pptx

If you need help keeping track of where you are in the process, download this checklist: ACCESS_Center_checklist.pdf

Please allow 1 – 2 weeks to complete the intake process. Contact your home college’s ACCESS Center Director for more information.