Message from ADS Leadership-
Welcome to Summer 2026!
We hope your summer is off to a great start! Please enjoy the information below, carefully cultivated by our dedicated team. We hope you have a supported, accessible, and rewarding experience this summer!
-ADS Leadership
TimelyCare: Welcome to a new semester, Riverbats! A new semester can be exciting — and a little overwhelming. Between classes, work, and life outside school, your well-being matters more than ever.
That’s why Austin Community College gives college credit students free, 24/7 access to TimelyCare — virtual medical and mental health support you can use anytime, anywhere.
Please review ACC Launching Healthcare Pilot Program for Students This Fall for more information..
TimelyCare is also designed to be accessible, so you can get secure, reliable care without running into common barriers. Learn more at timelycare.com/accessibility.
Getting started is simple — just download the TimelyCare app or visit timelycare.com/austincc click “create an account” to login with your ACC email.
Student Reminders:
Submit Your Semester Accommodation Requests!
Each semester you must submit your accommodation request(s) for each course you are enrolled in if you want the Faculty Notification Letters issued to your instructors. Since accommodations are not retroactive, it’s important to submit your requests at least 3 weeks before the start of each semester.
Review the guide on how to request your Faculty Notification Letters (FNL).
Take some time to review our webpage! We are in the process of updates to much of our content, so continue to check in and familiarize yourself with all kinds of helpful information!
We suggest:
-Student Rights and Responsibilities
– If you need to connect with someone virtually or in-person for any reason, please visit: Contact SAS | Student Accessibility Services to find the direct contact information to connect directly with an Advocate or someone else on our team!
Student Spotlight!
SAS Students do incredible things! Here are a few recent ones we’d like to shine a spotlight on!
Suha Kavakli is a current SAS student who earned her GED at ACC, completed TSI Prep courses and the ESOL program, and is now taking college credit pre-requisite courses to pursue a health sciences degree. Suha leveraged support from SAS, Adult Educaiton, ESOL, tutoring and other ACC support systems to overcome setbacks and meet her goals. She was recently celebrated for her drive and tenacity as a featured student speaker during this May’s National Adult Educaiton Honor Society (NAEHS) Ceremony held at ACC’s Eastview Campus (listen to her share her inspiring story, and words of wisdom, starting at minute 17). Suha’s story was also featured on NPR’s Marketplace podcast – you can read the article here, or start listening for Suha’s story about 15 minutes in.
In April 2026, our very own ACC student, Mark Olaiz, led an engaging presentation entitled Disability Pride as Resistance. He taught us about the changing models of disability, relevant laws, and how to advocate for yourself and others. More about Mark in his own words:
I am on a mission to show the world that ‘unique abilities’ are not barriers—they are powerful perspectives that make our communities stronger. My journey began in Granbury, Texas, a small town where resources for someone living with Cerebral Palsy and visual impairment were almost non-existent. I learned early on that when the system isn’t built for you, you have to be the one to unlock the door.
I moved to Austin because I refused to let a lack of resources define my potential. Since then, I have dedicated my career to breaking glass ceilings and creating paths for others. From serving as the first visually impaired front desk worker at the Greater Austin YMCA to my extensive work in the Texas education system—supporting students from preschool through high school—I have seen firsthand where our systems succeed and where they fall short.
Most recently, I have taken my advocacy to a larger stage, appearing on Austin’s local news for ‘Medicare Mondays’ to speak on healthcare accessibility and policy. Currently, I am advancing my studies in Vocational Rehabilitation to further my goal of educating schools, employers, and public spaces on the necessity of universal design. I don’t just advocate for a single diagnosis; I advocate for a world where every individual, regardless of their disability, has the tools, the access, and the community support to live independently and build the life they want
Find him on tiktok: blindeducatedmartinez and instagram: daredevil_blind_2.0
AIM Version 5- IT’S HERE
We’re excited to share that our accommodation management system, AIM, will transition to Version 5 in 2026. While the core structure of the student profile will remain familiar, this updated version introduces several enhancements designed to improve the user experience for students, faculty, and staff.
- Review the guide on how to request your Faculty Notification Letters (FNL).
- Review information on Students- Using AIM for Testing
Coming Soon! Flex Plan module.
This Summer, SAS has launched a pilot of a new interactive tool within AIM Version 5 called Flex Plan.
Flex Plan is integrated into the AIM Student portal and supports the interactive process by outlining how flexibility with attendance and assignment deadlines will be implemented in a course. It is used when a student’s disability may periodically impact their ability to attend class or meet deadlines during the semester, helping establish clear expectations for both the student and instructor.
- More information will be provided on a district-wide launch in the upcoming semester.
CHOSEN NAME in AIM Student Portal
With the update to AIMv5 we are changing the way your first name appears on your accommodation letters. We will now be using your chosen first name from your ACC record along with your last name. If you previously had a chosen name in AIM but haven’t updated it with ACC, please do so! If you go by your legal first name, no action is required.
How to request a chosen first name:
- Go to the MyACC Student Portal.
- Click on My Profile in the upper right-hand corner.
- Click Change next to Chosen First Name.
Once your chosen name is updated, you can request a change to your ACC email username (if desired). Students – Request ACCmail Username – Name Change
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this new process please reach out to your SAS Advocate or [email protected]
About SAS Testing
At the start of the semester
- Request your accommodations for your courses and select the Alternative Testing Accommodations that you will need.
- Please note: if you do not select your Alternative Testing Accommodations, you cannot request exams in AIM.
- Discuss accommodations with your professors, and decide where exams will take place for the semester.
- If you are testing in a Testing Center or SAS Virtual Proctoring, it’s recommended to submit exam requests at least 5 business days in advance.
- SAS highly recommends students submit all exam requests for their courses at the start of the semester.
- Submit one Exam Request per exam.
Using AIM for Testing
- Log in to AIM
- Visit the Students- Using AIM for Testing page for exam instructions
- Student Guide to Making Exam Requests in AIM Version 5
For assistance with AIM and testing accommodations throughout the semester, please contact SAS Testing: [email protected] (preferred) or 512-223-5247.
Sign Language Interpreting & Captioning:
Did you know that if you are a deaf or hard of hearing student, you can request an interpreter to be present at an upcoming campus meeting or event?
Reminder: Please submit a SLIC request for all Communication Access services within 5 business days of the service!
Please visit our new and improved webpage and learn more about our important work!
Adult and Continuing Education:
- Our SAS team has two Accessibility Advocates dedicated to working with Adult Education and Continuing Education students across the ACC district.
- Emily Perhamus and McKenzie Van Cleave support students needing accommodations or other disability-related support to participate in any Adult Education or Continuing Education course. We are available by appointment to meet with you in-person at any ACC campus, or by phone/virtually.
- Please email [email protected] to make contact with our Adult/Continuing Education SAS Team – we look forward to supporting you!
- Adult Education
- HSE/High School Equivalency Students: Accommodations for GEDReady (official practice) and official GED tests can only be approved by GED.com. HSE students take GED Ready at the end of each term. While we cannot approve/deny these requests, Emily and McKenzie from the SAS Adult/Continuing Education team are here to assist you along the way. Contact [email protected] to let us know how we can help!
- TSI Prep Students: Please remember that TSI testing with accommodations requires that an appointment be made in advance. Contact [email protected] as soon as possible (at least 5 days before you plan to test) for support with making an appointment to take TSI with accommodations.
- ESL and Career Pathways Students: We’re here to support you, too! Contact [email protected] to discuss your disability-related needs.
- Continuing Education
- Yes, accommodations are available for Continuing Education (CE) courses, too! Contact [email protected] if you have questions about making use of your accommodations for current/upcoming CE courses.
Alt Text & Media:
The Alt Text & Media team works alongside faculty to ensure course materials are accessible for students with disabilities who use assistive technologies and require specialized formats like braille or large print. If you need support accessing your course materials, please work with your advocate to schedule an Accessibility Action Plan meeting as soon as possible.
Welcome to the Summer 2026 Everway Pilot!
The Offices of Academic Technology and Access and Disability Support are inviting ACC students enrolled in summer courses to participate in the Everway Pilot, available through August 3, 2026.
During the pilot, students can explore three tools designed to support learning and accessibility:
- Read&Write – Supports reading, writing, studying, and research with text-to-speech, word prediction, translation, and study tools.
- OrbitNote – An accessible PDF reader and editor that allows you to highlight, annotate, and interact with digital documents.
- Equatio – Makes creating and working with math and equations easier by allowing you to type, speak, or draw mathematical expressions.
We encourage students to spend some time trying all three tools and share your experience on the Everway Pilot Student Survey. Your feedback will help ACC determine whether these products should be offered more broadly in the future.
Installation Links
- Read&Write Google Chrome installer link
- OrbitNote – web app address
- OrbitNote extension installer link
- Equatio Chrome installer Link
Getting Started Guides
- Getting Started with Read&Write for Google Chrome
- Getting Started with OrbitNote
- Getting Started with Equatio for Google Chrome
Additional Learning Resources
- Everway Academy includes tutorials, feature tours, training videos, and how-to articles for Read&Write, OrbitNote, and Equatio
- Read&Write & OrbitNote Reading and Study Strategies for Higher Education includes videos demonstrating practical study and reading strategies
- Using Equatio Inside Your Blackboard LMS Course includes a tutorial for using Equatio in Blackboard
Share Your Feedback
After using the tools, please complete the Everway Pilot Student Survey by August 3, 2026.
Need Help?
For questions about the pilot or assistance using the tools, contact:
Sara Schulz
Academic Technology
[email protected]
(512) 223-7011
For installation assistance on an ACC-managed device, contact the ACC IT Help Desk.
Follow us on Social Media!
Austin Community College’s Access & Disability Support/Student Accessibility Services (SAS) is excited to announce we are now on Instagram and Facebook!
Let’s keep the conversation going—connect, learn, and empower together!
Follow and share:
Instagram: @accdisabilityservices
Facebook: ACC Access & Disability Support
