Matthew Bentley, Counselor/Learning Specialist for the Access and Ability Center, or ACC, has helped dozens of students with disabilities reach their goals of graduation. Bentley has worked for the College of the Sequoias since the Fall of 2021. 

Maneuvering through college with a disability can be difficult. Sometimes students need accommodations to help finish tasks. ACC may be able to help and currently serves 2496 students with many different diagnoses, conditions, and/or disabilities. 

AAC was created to assist students in becoming successful in college. AAC has great resources to help students such as getting extra time to complete quizzes and exams, audiobooks, enlarged print, priority registration, and so much more.  

One of the setbacks that Bentley sees with a lot of older students is that most, if not all, of the coursework is online and in digital format.  One success story, out of many, that he was able to witness was a gentleman who was frustrated with not having the proper tools or knowledge of how Canvas worked. With AAC, the student was able to get one one-on-one help and was able to graduate.  

One device offered at AAC is Otterai, which is a program that allows you to record your professor’s lectures. When you stop the recording, the lecture is transcribed and summarized so that you can print out what was spoken. This not only saves students time but allows them to stay on top of assignments.  

One of the reasons Bentley supports his students is that he wants to break the stigma that comes with learning disabilities. Everyone learns differently. Some people need large print material, while others need audiobooks. The goal is to meet with students and come up with accommodations to help the learning process.

Any student wishing to apply for their services can visit the AAC at any of the three COS campus sites in Visalia, Hanford, and Tulare. The Visalia location is in Lodgepole 105, back of the library, first floor. Or, visit their website to set up an appointment here:

COS | Access & Ability Center

The Access & Ability Center at COS is here to support students in their college classes in a variety of ways, including more time on testing, priority registration, and more!