Accommodations FAQ

You should not assume that accommodations provided in high school will be provided in college. Requested accommodations must be consistent with the academic goals and standards of your program of interest and Iowa Lakes; courses are not modified, and accommodations will be approved on a case-by-case basis. Your disability documentation and learning history determine accommodations approval. 

504 Plans and IEP's are useful in understanding the student's prior academic experiences, but they are not in themselves sufficient documentation. A professional psychological evaluation, including all test and subtest scores, must be provided. Documentation must be current, comprehensive, and administered by a qualified professional. 

Documentation may be mailed or faxed to the Accommodations and Disabilities Office at the campus near you. Please note that all documentation is kept strictly confidential and is not released without your written consent. 

Emmetsburg Campus
Iowa Lakes Community College
Accommodations & Disabilities Office
3200 College Drive
Emmetsburg, Iowa 50536

Fax: 712.852.2152

Estherville Campus 
Iowa Lakes Community College
Accommodations & Disabilities Office
300 S. 18th Street
Estherville, Iowa 51334

Fax: 712.362.8363

Spencer Campus
Iowa Lakes Community College
Accommodations & Disabilities Office
300 S. 18th Street
Estherville, Iowa 51334

Fax: 712.262.4047

Any student requesting accommodation services from Iowa Lakes Community College must apply for services and documentation of the disability to verify eligibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act of 2008 (ADA) defines a person with a disability as any person who

1. has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities;

has a record of such an impairment; or

2. is regarded as having such an impairment.

Major life activities include, but are not limited to, caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working. “Major Life Activities” also include the operation of a major bodily function, including but not limited to, functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, and reproductive functions.

The diagnostic report must document a disability. Reasonable accommodations cannot be implemented until the student’s documentation is complete.

Accommodations cannot be granted until the application is completed and accompanied by supporting documentation.

Documentation Defined

• Documentation refers to written professional evaluation that identifies mental health, medical, physical, or learning disability to determine appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities that ensure equal access.
• Documentation is required from a professional such as a school psychologist, psychologist, psychiatrist, mental health counselor, social worker, or other specialists in the disability area.
  • The documentation should clearly specify the disability, DSM-IV diagnosis along with a summary of present symptoms and medications/treatment modalities, WAIS-III, Woodcock-Johnson (cognitive, reading, math), Stanford-Binet, Kaufman Intelligence Test, Test of Written Language (TOWL), and other similar assessment instruments should be reported.
• The documentation should indicate the impact of the disability and the academic accommodations used in the past.
• The documentation should recommend the types of accommodation(s) the student needs.
• The documentation should be current.
• If the documentation is inadequate in scope or does not address the student’s current functioning level and need for accommodations. In that case, the Accommodations/Disability Resources Coordinator may require further evaluation. Other significant changes in the student’s functioning level related to medication changes, etc., may warrant an updated evaluation.

The Use of an IEP, a 504 Plan, or Support for Accommodation Request (SAR)

An Individualized Education Plan (IEP), 504 Plan, or SAR form validates that the student is an entitled individual and would qualify as professional documentation. However, these documents may not provide enough information regarding the specific disability; the IEP, 504, or SAR should include evaluation information from the school psychologist or another source.

If a student has tested out of the Special Education program and is no longer receiving services before graduation, the IEP may not suffice as current, valid documentation.

Documentation procedures components are consistent with standards set by the Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD) and The Educational Testing Service Network (ETS).

Our Education and Disabilities Services Counselors can meet with you to discuss and access your needs, what documentation is needed, and provide community resources referrals. 

Our Education and Disabilities Services Counselors can meet with you to discuss and access your needs, what documentation is needed, and provide community resources referrals. 

If you qualify for reasonable accommodations, you are encouraged to register with the Accommodations & Disabilities Office at Iowa Lakes. This will allow your needs to be on file, should you need to access them later.