Disability Support Services (DSS)

Disability Support Services (DSS) is dedicated to empowering students with disabilities by ensuring they have access to appropriate support and services that minimize academic and physical barriers. You can find out how to request an appointment, accommodations, records, and services, as well as obtain many of the forms and information you may need below.

Virtual Chat

Thank you for visiting the Southwestern College (SWC) DSS Web page. We are delighted to support you! You can virtually chat with DSS Staff during DSS business hours. We may be assisting other students when you enter the DSS lobby so please wait momentarily to be served. Thank you for your patience.

DSS Virtual Lobby

DSS provides services for students with disabilities at SWC mandated by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. These civil rights legislation prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities.

Operating under these mandates, DSS provides students who qualify with specialized services to support maximum participation in SWC programs and activities.
In order to be eligible for DSS Services, you must be a SWC student with a documented disability.
1. Log into your My SWC Account to complete the SWC DSS Application (English); SWC DSS Application (Spanish). If you do not have a My SWC Account, you may complete a PDF version of the SWC Application (PDF - English); SWC DSS Application (PDF - Spanish).
2. Email your completed, signed, and dated DSS Application to dss@swccd.edu
3. Provide disability verification documentation to DSS. Your disability verification documentation may come from your high school, a healthcare practitioner or a social service agency.
4. Once disability verification documentation has been received, you will be scheduled for an Eligibility Appointment to meet with a DSS specialist to determine what services can be approved for you.
Note: Please be aware it may take up to 2-3 weeks to schedule an Eligibility Appointment with a DSS specialist. We recommend applying for services as soon as possible to make sure that DSS services and academic accommodations are approved well ahead of the classes that you plan to take.

For recent High School Graduates - "Disability Verification" Includes:
- A copy of your IEP and Psychological Report; OR
- A copy of your 504 Plan.
Other Applicants: Disability Verification can be submitted by having a healthcare professional or agency complete and sign Part "C" of the Disability Verification Form (PDF - English); Disability Verification Form (PDF - Spanish).
If you have a SWC student ID number you can submit documents to DSS via the Document Dropbox for Students, a secure application available through your MySWC Account.

Login to your MySWC Account to electronically submit documents to DSS Student Dropbox.

The DSS Student Dropbox also includes detailed instructions on how to use the dropbox. You can also view instructions in our Student Dropbox instructional video.

When DSS has received your application and disability documentation we will contact you to schedule an appointment with a DSS Specialist. We will discuss appropriate accommodations, support services, and academic programs through an interactive process with you at this appointment.
For Summer 2026 classes, DSS students can use this Request for Authorized Academic Accommodations form to request their AAA letter. Follow the instructions on the form to have your accommodations emailed to you.

Beginning in mid-August for Fall 2026 classes and beyond, students can request for their AAA letters to be sent to their instructors using the new DSS Service Portal! Keep checking your Southwestern College email account in August for more information.
No information will be released from SWC DSS without a signed Consent to Release Confidential Information form on file. Students must complete this form and submit the form to the DSS office by emailing dss@swccd.edu with a current valid photo ID. This release form pertains only to records originated by the SWC DSS office.

Records originated from health care providers, social service agencies and other educational institutions will not be released to outside parties. We recommend you request these records from their original source.

To obtain disability verification records from an agency or health care practitioner for SWC DSS, you must complete and sign the DSS General Verification form.

To obtain records from another educational institution or previous school you must complete and sign the DSS High School Consent to Release Confidential Information form (PDF).

Submit these release forms to the DSS Office and we will fax them and follow up with the agencies or institutions you indicate.
- Disability Management: Verify disability documentation, provide Academic Accommodations Plans (AAP) and collaborate with community agencies for referrals
- Write Student Education Plans (SEP)
- Provide semester-by-semester plans
- Assist with academic advising/planning & career counseling
At SWC, the Disability Support Services office proudly provides Deaf and hard-of-hearing students with access to services including Sign Language Interpreting, Real-Time Captioning, note-taking services, and an Assistive Listening Device (ALD) loan program in an effort to promote language equality, empower students, and assist them in the attainment of their academic and vocational goals.

The Disability Support Services provides services in State supported activities and classes, as well as with related academic requirements that are directly related to the student's educational process.

If interpreting services and/or captioning are requested for student activities that are part of the college, but not related to the educational process, the services will be provided and will be funded by the respective SWC department, using resources other than Disability Support Services.

For such requests the student typically meets with their Disability Support Services Specialist to determine the most appropriate accommodation(s) and the service request is provided to the DSS Interpreter Coordinator.

Requesting Services:
Complete the DSS Application and provide disability verification. Once your DSS Application is complete and you have met with a DSS Specialist to review appropriate academic accommodations, you may request sign language interpreting services or real time captioning.

Please submit your request for sign language interpreting or real time captioning using the American Sign Language / Real Time Captioning (RTC) Request Form and the Interpreting/Captioning Contract Form immediately after registering for classes each semester. Students who register early will have more open classes to choose from. Turning in interpreting/ accommodations requests early will also help the DSS Staff to support your language access needs most successfully.

Requests for interpreting/captioning services with less than four weeks notice for on-going classes, may result in delayed services. At least 5 business days are required for special requests or one time services, such as interpreting for extracurricular activities.

Contact Information:
Email: jnominni@swccd.edu

Video Phone: 619-207-4480