Accessibility Services

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, students with disabilities are due reasonable accommodations in their academic pursuits. A student’s disability should not unfairly interfere with their educational experience. Through collaboration with institutional allies, networks, and community partners, Accessibility Services leadership contributes to the development of equitable higher education experiences for all students who have disabilities. Our goal is to encourage proactive consideration of the way in which environments are created and how we, as a campus community, think about disability. Accessibility is not an OAS matter; it is a Fairmont State University matter.

Students must request accommodation(s) and provide appropriate documentation in order to receive accessibility services. To learn more about the process and documentation requirements please choose the Students option below.

Students

Interested in information on how to request accommodation(s) or what documentation is required? Looking for instructions on how to use Accommodate, including requesting alternative format textbooks? Need to schedule testing in the LEAD Center, request an interpreter/transcriber, report an access issue or file a complaint? This page has more information on the accommodation process & everything else a student may need to know.

Faculty and Staff

Faculty/Staff

Looking for information on how to use Accommodate? Need to submit an exam for proctoring or request an interpreter/transcriber? Looking for transcribed academic videos? Check out this page for more information on the faculty/staff role as it relates to accommodations.

Resources

Looking for supportive resources to help you during your academic career at Fairmont State University? Need to figure out the accessible path on campus? Interested in checking out a disability related book from the OAS? Check out this page for more information.

Why You Should Register for Accessibility Services

Accommodations alone won’t guarantee success (you still need to go to class, keep up with readings, study effectively, and seek help when you need it), but they can be a tool to help you achieve success.

You should request accommodation(s), even if you think you won't need them, because accommodations are not retroactive. If you wait until the last minute it could be too late because the approval process can take several weeks.
If you didn't like being in the special education system before, don't let your previous experience keep you from registering. In college, the system is different. You don't have to take special classes, and no one else in class will check in or check up on you.
College disability services offices take your privacy seriously. The only people who need to know you have accommodations are the people who will be involved in them, like professors. However, professors are only provided with the accommodations and no disability information.

The decision to request accommodation(s) is yours, and the responsibility is, too. Consider how accommodations might help you and keep an open mind. It’s better to request accommodation(s) and find out you don’t need them than it is to find out the hard way that you do. Research shows that students who were successful both used their accommodations and sought help at tutoring centers, writing centers, etc. Remember – seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Mission

The Office of Accessibility Services will provide leadership and facilitate equal access in all institutional opportunities for students who have disabilities, so that they may achieve their academic, personal and professional goals.

To accomplish this mission, the Office of Accessibility Services:

Provides institution-wide advisement and consultation on disability-related topics like legal and regulatory compliance
Collaborates with students, instructors, staff, and administrators on removing barriers and fostering an all-inclusive campus that offers diverse, usable, and equitable learning environments
Facilitates accommodations and provides individual services for students with disabilities

Ethical Standards & Confidentiality

The Office of Accessibility Services recognizes disability as an important part of the educational experience and is committed to supporting students in achieving their academic goals. Accessibility Services personnel:

consider the needs of students with disabilities when working with others on campus to create welcoming and accessible environments at Fairmont State
recognize and apply the professional ethical standards to their role as a function at the institution
respect the privacy of our students and maintain confidentiality in communications and records, as delineated by privacy laws
confront and hold accountable other personnel who exhibit unethical behavior
exhibit proper behavior regarding research and assessment
expect scholarly integrity among students and staff

The Office of Accessibility Services does not discriminate on the basis of ability, age, cultural identity, ethnicity, family educational history, gender identity and expression, nationality, political affiliation, race, religious affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, economic, marital, social, or veteran status, or any other basis included in institutional policies, coeds and laws. The Office of Accessibility Services does not participate in nor condone any form of harassment that demeans persons or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.

The Office of Accessibility Services advocates for students with disabilities to have access to the same level of services on campus as is available to students who do not have disabilities, and to only receive services from our office that are not provided elsewhere from the institution. The Office of Accessibility Services fosters the development of a campus culture that values the uniqeness of disability and embraces it as an essential aspect of the campus community.

Report an Access Issue

Contact Info

Abby Franks, M.S., CRC (She/her/hers)
Accessibility Services Coordinator
303-O Turley Center
Abigail.Franks@fairmontstate.edu
Access@fairmontstate.edu
Phone: (304) 367-4543
Fax: (304) 367-4584
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