Elgin Community College opens expanded Student Access and Disability Services office

Elgin Community College celebrated the grand opening of the new Student Access and Disability Services space on Tuesday, Feb. 3, bringing students, employees, and community leaders together to mark the occasion.

Previously located in Building B, the department’s new space is now housed in Building F, Room 120, at 1700 Spartan Drive in Elgin. The office is open to students for the spring semester.

"I am thrilled to welcome students into our new Student Access and Disabilities office space,” said Vinny Cascio, dean of students at ECC. “This space represents more than a new location, but it reflects our deep commitment to access, inclusion, and student success. By creating an environment that is welcoming, affirming, and student-centered, we are strengthening our campus community and ensuring every student feels supported and empowered to thrive.”

The new office in Building F has evolved from a computer lab to a storage area, and has now been thoughtfully renovated into a student-centered environment designed to support access, inclusion, and success.

The space includes warm, welcoming décor, artwork throughout the office, and a comfortable waiting area for students. These elements were designed to create an environment that feels supportive and affirming, helping students feel comfortable from the moment they arrive.

The relocation allows the department to operate from a single centralized location and significantly expands its ability to serve students, particularly those who require testing accommodations. The new space includes three private testing rooms, compared to just one in the previous location.

Director of ADA and Student Access & Disability Services Pietrina Probst said testing rooms have been a challenge for students in the past. Previously, if two or three students needed to test at the same time, they would have to wait.

“This space is a lot more centralized and personable,” said Eric Jones, assistive technology and testing accommodations coordinator at ECC. He works directly with students to ensure their accommodations are in place. Before the new office space was available, students would be placed in empty rooms.

The testing rooms are equipped with assistive technology, readers, and scribes, and are designed to minimize distractions. One room includes a Braille embosser, an adjustable-height table, and additional privacy for students who need it.

Student Access and Disability Services works closely with faculty to ensure equal access for students, particularly during tests and quizzes, by coordinating individualized accommodations. These supports may include private or reduced-distraction testing environments, assistive technology, readers or scribes, sensory supports, and tools such as white noise machines or noise-canceling headsets.

“The beauty of our new space is that we’re all in one place,” Probst said. “We are really trying to ensure we create a space that’s accessible to people with a variety of disabilities.”

Probst added that the department will continue providing core services in the new space, including student success coaching focused on time management and study skills, while the centralized location also allows staff to collaborate more easily and host events.

The new office space measures approximately 1,400 square feet, a significant increase from the previous testing and assistive technology area, which was approximately 110 square feet. It was also intentionally created to be inclusive of neurodiverse students.

“We’ve made sure that our students feel comfortable,” he said. “We have comfortable couches and chairs, and it’s just a positive space, overall.”

For Probst, one of the greatest benefits of the relocation is having a front desk and waiting area for students.

Annually, more than 800 students work with Student Access and Disability Services to receive accommodations that help them succeed academically.

“The office helped me immensely when I first started at ECC in 2021,” said student Colby Doom, who has autism and ADHD. “They helped me request my accommodations and build confidence in my ability here at ECC, and to advocate for myself.”

Doom’s accommodations include extra time on tests, the use of a smart pen to record lectures, the ability to request PowerPoint presentations or copies of notes between tests or quizzes, and preferential seating in the front of the classroom.

The office’s design was also intentionally created to be inclusive of neurodiverse students.

“Working with our architect, we designed a space that’s visually very inclusive,” Probst said. “We have this tactile wall that really evokes the feeling of being in nature, like a pattern, which is really cool.”

Community leaders also attended the opening. Nan Kueller, community outreach coordinator for state Rep. Suzanne Ness of the 66th District, and a former special education teacher, praised the new space.

“It’s wonderful,” Kueller said. “What an amazing place for students at ECC to be able to come to, 800 students have a place that supports them, cares for them, and will make them successful in their education and in their future,” Kueller said.

For more information about Student Access and Disability Services, visit elgin.edu/student-services/student-access-disability-services.