Our Process
The Center for Accessibility Resources & Services (CARS) schedules appointments Monday through Friday. To accommodate diverse student needs, meetings are highly flexible and can be conducted via Zoom, phone, in-person, or email.
Accommodations are not retroactive. They only apply moving forward from the exact date of your Semester Accommodations Meeting (SAM). Approved accommodations cannot be applied to any coursework, assignments, or exams required prior to this date.
To receive accommodations, students must complete the following steps:
- Submit an Application for Services: Download and complete the Application for Services (PDF) form. You can email the completed form to CARS at centerforaccess@necc.mass.edu or drop it off in person at one of our campus locations:
- Haverhill Campus: Behrakis Student Center, Room SC111
- Lawrence Campus: Dimitry Building, Room L106 or L128
- Note: A Spanish version of the form is available upon request. / La versión en español del formulario de Solicitud de Servicios está disponible si lo quiere solicitar. Comuníquese con la oficina de CARS.
- Attend a Request for Services Meeting (RSM): Once your application is received, CARS will reach out to schedule this meeting, or you may contact us directly to set it up. Schedule this meeting in advance of the start of the semester, if possible. Time is needed to review documentation as well as to determine assessment accommodations, if requested.
- Provide Disability Documentation: Submit copies, not originals, of your disability documentation.
- Schedule Semester Accommodation Meeting (SAM): Once you register for classes, contact CARS to set up this appointment. You must complete a SAM every semester you plan to use your accommodations.
Please Note: High school IEPs and 504 Plans are not sufficient documentation for college accommodations on their own. While college students are still protected under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, higher education institutions operate under a different section of the law than K-12 schools. However, these plans offer valuable background context and should be included as part of a compressive documentation package. Ultimately, your submitted documentation must include a formal, written form from a qualified professional, specifying conditions such as:
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- Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Brain Injury
- Chronic Illness
- Intellectual Disability
- Learning Disability
- Low Vision/Blind/Legally Blind
- Physical Disability
- Psychiatric or Neurobiological Disorder
- Seizure Disorder
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Once you complete your Request for Services Meeting and submit your paperwork, the CARS professional team will review your file to recommend a tailored accommodation plan. Following this review, you will receive an eligibility letter via email outlining your approved accommodations and services.
Differences Between High School and College for Students with Disabilities
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