2024 - Support Opportunities Strategies from ECC Accessibility Specialists

At this point in the semester, you may be screaming, “Help!” as you look ahead to the final projects to complete and the tests for which to study. Reach out to our excellent staff on campus, including our Accessibility Specialists/Student Success Coaches through our Student Access & Disability Services office. These staff members can assist students with disabilities in building their schedules, so they have time for all the important things in life (school, work, family, friends, and fun!). They can discuss disability-related accommodations for which you may be eligible. They can also show you ways to study most effectively as you aim to earn better test scores.

Are you interested in ways to speed up the writing process by typing your papers hands-free and increasing your understanding of the textbooks and articles that you’re reading? Use ReadSpeaker, which is built into D2L to allow you to listen to text, highlight text, and translate the text into another language. Check out this short 45-second video on the great benefits of ReadSpeaker.

There are even more cool tools within Google and Microsoft to talk instead of typing into your computer and listening to the text that you have typed:

• Dictation feature in Microsoft Word.
• Google Dictate in your Google Docs.

• Read Aloud feature in Microsoft Word.
• Select-to-Speak/ChromeVox feature in Google Docs. (This is only available on Chromebooks.)

If you have a disability and need help with using different assistive technology on the computer or iPad, contact our Assistive Technology and Testing Accommodations Coordinator.

Finally, consider joining ADAPT Club. At our gatherings, we celebrate our disability identity and our achievements. All students with and without disabilities are welcome.

ECC’s Student Access and Disability Services staff are on your SOS team. Contact us at sds@elgin.edu or 847-214-7717.