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Accommodation & Disability Services

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Accommodation & Disability Services (ADS) is dedicated to providing students living with a disability equal opportunity to participate in ABAC programs, courses, and activities through reasonable accommodation services. The office, a part of Academic Support, supports students, staff, and faculty with accommodation requests, implementation, guidance, and general information. Finding support while attending college does not have to be a challenge. Don’t hesitate to contact ADS if you have any questions or to set up an appointment to discuss accommodations needed due to a disability, learning disorder, or temporary medical condition.  

Mission

The mission of Accommodation & Disability Services is to provide confidential services that meet the emotional, psychological, and physical needs of all ABAC students.  

Accessibility Statement 

The Institute’s vision is to create a culture of access for an inclusive learning and working environment. The commitment to accessibility for all is demonstrated in the numerous teaching and support on campus for students and employees with disabilities.  

 If you would like more information on our accessibility practices, please contact Accommodation & Disability Services at 229.391.5132.  

 If you are having issues with this website’s accessibility or if you need additional information, email webmaster@abac.edu. 

Register with ADS

Accommodation & Disability Services (ADS) is dedicated to ensuring nondiscrimination and equitable access to programs, courses, and activities for qualified students with disabilities. The Accommodations Coordinator works with students, faculty, and staff in developing reasonable accommodations and strategies for a successful learning experience while maintaining classroom rigor and academic standards.  

Accommodations Information and Guidelines

Be sure to check out the following links for more information on common accommodations and guidelines for specific accommodations:

Common Accommodations with Descriptions

Common Accommodations with Descriptions

Flexibility in Attendance Guidelines and Agreement Form

Flexibility in Attendance Guidelines and Agreement Form

Class Participation Accommodations Guidelines

Class Participation Accommodations Guidelines

Determining Essential Requirements for Courses

Determining Essential Requirements for Courses

Meal Plan Exemption

Students who are interested in exempting the meal plan due to medical/dietary reasons are able to complete the exemption form online. The Meal Plan Exemption Request Form must be completed online every semester, within the first two weeks of the semester.

Only students with medical/dietary reasons are eligible for exemption. All other housing residents must have a meal plan.

Meal Plan Exemption Request

Accommodation Testing

Students who would like to take their exams with the ADS Office will need to register online at least one business day before the exam. Below are the steps of how exam requests are received and handled by ADS: 

  1. The student submits the Exam Request no less than two business days (excluding holidays and weekends) before the scheduled date of the exam. 
  2. The faculty member will submit their exam to ADS no less than one business day before the scheduled date of the exam through the Accommodation Online Exam Submission form or by dropping it off at the ADS office location (Carlton 314).   
  3. Both the student and professor will receive a confirmation email of the arrangements made by our office. They should review the information for accuracy and notify ADS immediately if any changes need to be made.   
  4. The student should plan to arrive 10 minutes before the start of the exam.  
  5. Once completed, the office will return the exam to the faculty member as indicated on the Accommodation Online Exam Submission form.  

A note about time conflicts: If receiving extended time on an exam will cause a time conflict with another class, you must notify your professor as soon as possible so they can work with you on making appropriate arrangements.  

To reschedule an exam with ADS (for example, your in-class exam has been postponed), please contact us at ads@abac.edu.  

Service & Emotional Support Animals

Service Animal  

A service animal, defined by Title II and Title III of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Examples of animals that fit the ADA’s definition of “service animal” because they have been specifically trained to perform a task for the person with a disability:  

  • Guide Dog or Seeing Eye® Dog  
  • Hearing or Signal Dog  
  • Psychiatric Service Dog  
  • SSigDOG (sensory signal dogs or social signal dogs)  
  • Seizure Response Dog  

 Under Title II and III of the ADA, service animals are limited to dogs. However, entities must make reasonable modifications in policies to allow individuals with disabilities to use miniature horses if they have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for individuals with disabilities.  

 Students utilizing a service animal as defined by Title II and Title III of the ADA are strongly encouraged to register their animal with Accommodation & Disability Services, but are not required since the use of a service animal is a civil right. Click here to schedule an appointment or email ads@abac.edu for more information.  

 Emotional Support Animal  

ABAC provides reasonable accommodations to students living on campus with documented disabilities. The Fair Housing Act (FHA) does not limit the rights of a person with a disability to the ADA definition of a Service Animal. Instead, it identifies Comfort or Emotional Support Animals as an accommodation. The Department of Justice considers residence halls to be dwellings under the FHA definitions, so this guideline applies to students with disabilities living in ABAC residence halls.  

For a Comfort or Emotional Support Animal to be permitted to reside on campus, the student applying to bring the animal to campus and the Comfort or Emotional Support Animal must register with Accommodation & Disability Services. The student will provide documentation verifying: 

  • the student has a disability,  
  • the animal is necessary to afford the person with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling; and  
  • there is an identifiable relationship between the disability and the emotional support the animal provides.  

 To qualify for this accommodation, a student must meet the federal definition of disability and must provide supporting documentation, such as a letter, from a physician or other medical professional, stating that the student has a disability and that the Comfort or Emotional Support Animal provides a benefit for the individual with the disability.  

 Click here to schedule an appointment or email ads@abac.edu for more information.