Access Center

The Access Center provides support and specialized services to students with documented physical disabilities.

The goal of the Access Center is to assist students in reaching their individual potential, to promote their independence, and to ensure their access to the educational experience at Augsburg College.

How We Work

Areas of service and assistance include but are not limited to:

Individual meetings with the Physical Disabilities Specialist on a regularly scheduled basis
Assistance with organization and time management issues
Academic advising and registration
Registration and orientation assistance
Housing assistance
Advocacy with faculty and staff
Assistance with community support services and other non- academic issues

Testing Accommodations

Extended time
Private rooms
Use of voice activated software
Reader and/or scribe

Academic Accommodations

note takers
taped textbooks
language alternatives
typing of papers
adaptive PE courses
sign language interpreters

Access to the Groves Computer lab and adaptive technology

Braille translating software and printer
CCTV
TTY
Speech recognition software
Kurzweil 3000
Jaws
ZoomText software

Policy on Documentation of a Disability

Students with disabilities who are requesting support services in the form of academic accommodations or auxiliary aids from the Access Center are required to submit documentation to verify eligibility under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. All information obtained by the Access Center is kept strictly confidential and will not be released without written consent of the student.

The guidelines that follow are intended to assist the Access Center in determining appropriate accommodations for all students. The Access Center reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of submitted documentation.

All documentation must appear on letterhead and be typed, signed and dated, clearly stating the assessor's name, title and professional credentials.

Assessors must have appropriate qualifications

Qualified professionals, in a manner consistent with prevailing professional standards, should administer the diagnostic assessment. The professional qualifications of the assessors will vary depending on the disability:

Head Injury/Traumatic Brain Injury: physicians, neurologists, licensed psychologists, neuropsychologists, and psychiatrists
Physical Disabilities and Systemic Illnesses: physicians whose medical specialties relate to the particular disability area
Psychiatric Disabilities: psychiatrists, licensed psychologists, licensed clinical social workers (LICSW), and neurologists
Deafness/Hearing Impairment: physicians and audiologists
Blindness/Low Vision: ophthalmologists and retinologists (primary diagnosing professionals) and optometrists (additional information about visual functioning)
Disabilities that are sporadic or degenerative in nature may require more frequent evaluation as needed for accommodation changes. Pending receipt of adequate documentation, it may be warranted in some circumstances to provide accommodations on a provisional basis. The Access Center will evaluate these situations on a case-by-case basis.

The documentation must include a comprehensive narrative summary

Documentation of a disability must include a complete narrative summary that provides both qualitative and quantitative information that supports the diagnosis. Such a summary should:

Report and interpret diagnostic interview
Describe the current symptoms that meet the criteria for the diagnosis
Outline the functional implications of the diagnosed disability in an academic setting

The presence of a disability must be clearly stated

The diagnostic report must include a clear statement that the student has a disability that interferes with a major life activity, along with thorough documentation for this diagnosis. If the disability is listed in the DSM IV, the specific diagnostic code should be provided.

Medication implications must be clearly defined

Prescribed medication needs to be identified and the diagnostic report should address the impact of the medication on the student's ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment.

Accommodations

With the proper documentation having been provided, staff from the Access Center will meet with the student to determine what academic or housing accommodations are needed to ensure fair and equal access to the educational, social and living environment at Augsburg College.

Academic accommodations are intended to ensure access to educational opportunities for students with disabilities. The mandate to provide accommodations does not, however, extend to adjustments that would "fundamentally alter" the basic nature or essential curricular components of an institution's courses or programs.

Housing accommodations are based strictly on physical disabilities

The nature of the disability and the amount of equipment and personal care needed are also considered in housing placement.

Contact:

Hours