Access Services

Access Services is now in Building 7 in the middle of the Campus.

Welcome to ACCESS Services for Student with Disabilities at TCC 

Congratulations on your decision to continue your formal education.  The staff of Access Services wants students with differing abilities to have a positive experience at TCC.  We are here to assist students with access and accommodation needs. We are also able to arrange personal, academic and career counseling services.

Prospective students are invited to contact the Accommodations Coordinator prior to the beginning of each quarter to arrange for an intake interview.  To assure an accommodation in any given quarter, arrangements should be made six weeks prior to the beginning of that quarter, but we encourage students experiencing difficulty to self identify and discuss possible solutions any time during the quarter. 

Services Available

Services are available without charge to all enrolled students with verified disabilities who register with the Access Support Services Office. All contacts and obtained information are confidential.

How to Access Services: 

Our goal is to provide reasonable accommodations in a timely manner to all students with disabilities currently enrolled or seeking enrollment. Accommodations for a documented disability should be requested through Access Services in Building 7.

A Disability Is . . .

Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and PL 101-336, a disability is: ...a physical, mental, or sensory impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. A person may have a record of such impairment or have a medical condition that is recognizable or diagnosable. 

A student may choose not to disclose his/her disability, and if the student does not request accommodations, the college has no obligation to provide accommodations in such a situation. 

To Receive Accommodations: 

• To assure an accommodation in any given quarter, arrangements should be made six weeks prior to the beginning of that quarter, but we encourage students experiencing difficulty to self identify and discuss possible solutions any time during the quarter.  Most auxiliary adjustments and aids require appropriate professional documentation. Call 253.566.5328 TTY/TDD 253.566.5319 or write:
  Access Services for Student with Disabilities
  Tacoma Community College 
  6501 South19th Street 
  Tacoma, WA 98466 

An “Appropriate Professional” Is . . .

A qualified professional for a medical condition is usually your doctor. A learning disability or ADD/ADHD is usually evaluated by a licensed  psychologist or neuropsychologist.  A mental health condition is best assessed by a mental health professional or a psychiatrist. An appropriate professional who evaluates a disability usually makes recommendations to help the person be successful at school. 

The following outline is intended to help students identify an appropriate professional. 

When you visit the appropriate professional, you may wish to give him or her the following: 

Instructions for Diagnosticians, School Psychologists and Other Professionals

Your diagnosis of disability should be clearly stated.

Each Diagnosis should be accompanied by supporting testing or studies.

DSM-IV Diagnostic notation or ICD-9  nomenclature should be included in the reports for ADD/ADHD and Learning Disabilities.

Documentation of  ADD/ADHD is prefered within the past 3 years. Please take the time to discuss your conditon with the office if the documentation is older. Our goal is your success in school.

Learning Disability assessment reports MUST include:

1. An IQ Test and an Achievement Test; both administered at the adult learning level. WAIS-III (In Lieu of  a WAIS-R two WISC-IV tests that are correlated within 15 IQ points of each other may be acceptable.) Woodcock Johnson or Woodcock Johnson-R. (The WRAT-R and the WRAT-III tests are not comprehensive measures of achievement and therefore are not appropriate for documentation.) 
2. Exact instruments used. 
3. Test results (including subtest score data) 
4. Written interpretation of the results. 
5. Name, title and professional credentials of the evaluator, and the dates of the testing. 
6. Clear and specific evidence which identifies specific learning disabilities and reflects the individual's  present level of adult functioning in processing and intelligence as well as achievement. 
7. Recommendations of educational/academic accommodation(s). 

Please Note: IEP's or ITP's, and 504 Plans do not meet documentation requirements, but may be included as part of a more comprehensive assessment battery as described in this document. Additionally, individual "learning styles", "learning differences" and "academic problems" in-and-of themselves do not constitute a learning disability. 

Each student's documentation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Following these guidelines will ensure proper consideration of each student's individual situation in the most timely manner. 

Tacoma Community College protects a student's right to privacy under the provisions of PL 90-247, the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Buckley Amendment). Documentation concerning a person's disability will not be shared with state agencies, medical persons, faculty, or other interested persons without written permission from the student.