Submit an Application & Upload Documentation

Services and accommodations are available at no cost to qualifying Mesa Community College students.

After you have been admitted as a student at Mesa Community College, your first step in applying for services is to complete the online New Student application. Click on the DRS Connect icon on the right side of this page or visit the DRS Connect website. Be sure to provide an email address you check on a regular basis when completing this application.

To qualify for accommodations you must meet MCCCD eligibility requirements and provide disability documentation. Documentation is confidential and will be used for the purpose of determining reasonable accommodations. The student reserves the right to self-disclose their disability to peers, professors, and campus staff. The DRS promotes self-advocacy and we are available to discuss any self-disclosure questions or concerns students may have. See MCCCD Administrative Regulations 2.8.1 and this FAQ from the U.S. Department of Education regarding your rights and responsibilities.

If we need additional or current documentation it is the responsibility of the student to seek out the relevant professionals and incur any fees related to evaluations.

Once DRS has reviewed your documentation, you'll be asked to schedule an intake meeting.

What do I do if I do not have documentation?

Per MCCCD policy, students may be provided provisional accommodations while they collect appropriate documentation to support their eligibility for accommodations/academic adjustments. Such provisional accommodations must not exceed thirty (30) days, unless such extensions are granted due to extenuating circumstances. In these cases, an additional thirty (30) days of provisional accommodations may be granted. Any extension request beyond the additional thirty (30) days must be reviewed by the District ADA/504 Coordinator. Such extension must be based on extenuating circumstances beyond the control of the requesting student and is not guaranteed.

Policies, Procedures and Regulations: Disability Rights provides additional information about Maricopa Community College District policies and federal guidelines.

Intake Meeting

The purpose of an intake meeting is to engage in an interactive process with a DRS Access Specialist. The specialist will review the submitted documentation and conduct a conversation about the student’s experience living with a disability. The goal will be to identify appropriate accommodations and/or auxiliary aids that can be implemented to create equal access in the areas where there are barriers caused by a disability. You should come prepared to describe your disability, what specific barriers are created in a learning environment, and identify any accommodations needed. This appointment is essential to establishing eligibility and beginning the interactive process to determine accommodations.

The DRS Access Specialist will work with each student to determine appropriate accommodations on an individual, case-by-case basis based on a combination of the following:

• the documentation provided by the student;
• the intake interview with the student;
• academic policies of the student’s college;
• the policies and practices set forth in the program of study handbook;
• consultation with course faculty regarding the essential course elements and the manner in which student mastery of course material is to be evaluated.

When accommodations are established, the DRS Access Specialist will share how each accommodation is requested and facilitated each semester. Academic accommodations will be approved on a case-by-case basis and are individually designed to create equal access for a student. They can be approved on a provisional and/or permanent basis by DRS and additional accommodations can be requested/reviewed at any point in the semester or whenever a barrier arises. Be sure to request your approved accommodations using DRS Connect each semester.

Requesting Accommodations Each Semester

Students are required to request accommodations from DRS each semester using DRS Connect. Please note that it may take up to 10 days for DRS to process an accommodation request. Some accommodations require faculty and/or departmental consultation before they can be fully implemented or approved. Your Access Specialist will work with you and the instructor on these specific accommodations. Faculty notification letters are released during the week of faculty accountability each semester, which is typically the week before classes start. DRS may not be able to reach individual faculty members to coordinate accommodations until this time. If a student experiences any difficulties in requesting or receiving accommodations, or if any additional accommodations are needed, the student should follow up with their Access Specialist right away for assistance.

Updating Accommodations

Sometimes finding the right accommodations can be a trial-and-error process and they can be adjusted at any point in the semester if they are not meeting your needs. You are encouraged to connect with your Access Specialist if something is not working, not being provided, or your condition or needs change. Instructors should contact DRS if they have questions or concerns about accommodations in their course; it is typically not appropriate to deny the accommodation without speaking to the assigned Access Specialist or put a student in a position to negotiate their accommodations. While DRS makes every effort to avoid this situation, should it occur, one or both parties should contact DRS immediately. Students served by Disability Resources and Services have the right to engage in this process free from retaliation for seeking redress under this or other district policy.