Registered Students Disability Services

Renewing accommodations on AIM

1. Each semester, make accommodation requests by selecting classes from your course list. Keep in mind that you may not need the same accommodations for each course. 

2. Some accommodations, like notetaking, require additional approval and/or steps and may require a meeting with an ODS staff member. Others, like extended time on tests, will be approved without additional steps. You can check the status of each of your requests on your AIM profile.

3. ODS will review your requests and email your Letters of Accommodation (LOA) to your professors.

Academic Accommodations

Alt Format Request Form

1. Get accessible ebooks through Slingshot. Many textbooks on slingshot are available in an e-format, where you can use accessibility features. To do this, you must make e-books your textbook preference in your Slingshot account.

2. If the book you need isn’t available electronically on Slingshot, or doesn’t fit your needs, look on Bookshare, an accessible library. In order to make an account, you will need to provide a proof of disability form (POD) which we can fill out on your behalf.

3. If you are still unable to access a book in an alternate format, we can order the book through the publisher, but will need the information for the book and what format you need, as well as a proof of purchase of the original format. Please send a filled out form (linked above) to ODS@westmont.edu to request support. 

Schedule an Exam on AIM

Proctoring Hours: 8:30 AM-4:45 PM [Closed M/W/F 10:20-11:30 for chapel]

  • Exams must be completed by 4:45. We are closed during chapel.

  • You must schedule your upcoming exam(s) 3 school days in advance.

  • Late requests will be approved on a case-by-case basis, but there are no guarantees that your test can be proctored without appropriate notice.

What if my exam time conflicts with another class or proctoring hours?

You can:

  • Ask your professor to coordinate proctoring an exam for you with extended time and/or a distraction free environment.

  • Schedule the exam at a different time with professor approval*. Please write this down in the notes section on your exam request page and forward email approval from your professor. They are welcome to provide a one-time approval for the whole semester to take exams outside of normal class time. *If your exam time overlaps at all with the class time, you do not need professor approval.

  • In rare cases due to an unusually tight schedule, a test may need to be proctored on an earlier or later day. Please provide professor approval.

Scheduling Instructions:

  • Get to your AIM account through the my.westmont.edu portal.

  • Select Alternative Testing in the left hand sidebar, choose your class, and click Schedule Exam.

  • Enter exam time and day information accurately. Do not add your extended time. It will be calculated automatically. Usually, MWF classes are 65 minutes, and TH classes are 110 minutes. Make sure your exam doesn't overlap with chapel, another class, or is outside of our hours.

  • If you need to move your examination to a different time than the class, or if you are scheduling a late exam, state the reason in the notes section.

  • Click Add New Request. Check to see if it appears to be scheduled correctly by clicking on View My Exams.

  • You may edit or delete your exam request at any time.

Important: Final exams need to be scheduled 3 weeks in advance. 

  • Finals for all courses are pre scheduled by the Registrar. Finals are not at the same time/day as your regular courses time/day. For Finals information and schedule go here

  • If you have more than one final exam per day (and you are registered with ODS) you may petition to reschedule one or more exams to another day. Complete this petition, scan and return (with professor's approval) to ODS@westmont.edu. Your petition needs to have an alternate date/time for your final included before it can be approved.

ODS provides Glean licenses, Livescribe rentals, and peer notetakers free of charge to eligible students. Students are responsible for the costs of any other app/assistive technology. 

How to Request a Peer Notetaker:

1 . Select this accommodation for any class that you foresee needing a peer notetaker. 

2. Attend class for one week to confirm that you will need a notetaker. If you do, please go into AIM and click confirm for your request. 

3. We will assign you a notetaker as soon as possible. You will remain anonymous to them.

Other Apps

Agreement for Peer Notetaking

Agreement for Lecture Recording

Student Rights

Students have the right to equal access to all educational programs, services, and facilities.

Under FERPA, information regarding a student's disability is confidential, and its disclosure is limited to those with a legitimate educational interest. To release information to a party, please complete this form.

Students have the right to reasonable accommodations that ensure an inclusive learning environment, and that do not create an undue burden on the college or fundamentally alter a course/program/learning outcome. You may appeal an accommodation decision through our grievance procedure.

Students cannot be discriminated against based on their disability, and they have the right to file a complaint if they believe they have been treated unfairly.

Students have the right to clear and timely communication regarding disability-related matters, including accommodation processes and decisions.

Students have the right to participate without undue burden in the decision-making process regarding their accommodations.

Student Responsibilities

Students must initiate the accommodation process and advocate for themselves in requesting and implementing necessary accommodations.

Students must provide appropriate and current documentation of the disability to the disability services office if necessary.

Students must request accommodations in a timely manner to allow for proper arrangements. If you no longer need a certain requested accommodation, please inform ODS ASAP.

Students must maintain open and honest communication with instructors and ODS about needs and barriers.

Students must comply with the policies and procedures outlined by the college and ODS.

Students must provide feedback to the disability services office on the effectiveness of accommodations.

Office of Disability Services Responsibilities

ODS must maintain confidentiality of students' disability-related information in accordance with FERPA. Records will be maintained for 5 years after withdrawal or graduation from Westmont College.

ODS must ensure that all programs, services, and facilities are accessible to students with disabilities.

ODS must clearly communicate procedures for requesting and implementing accommodations to students and faculty.

ODS must coordinate and facilitate reasonable accommodations for students in collaboration with relevant faculty and staff.

ODS must advocate for the needs and rights of students with disabilities within the institution.

ODS must provide training and support for faculty and staff to create an inclusive and accessible learning environment.

ODS must seek feedback from students on the effectiveness of accommodations and continuously improve services based on this feedback.

ODS must ensure that the college remains in compliance with relevant laws and regulations related to disability services (including, but not limited to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act).