Welcome to Student Accessibility Resources (SAR), an office within the Disability and Accessibility Resources, an administrative unit of the Division of Academic Affairs at West Virginia State University.
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We strive to collaborate with and empower students who have disabilities to enable them to have equal access to an education and university life. WVSU is committed to ensuring qualified students accomplish their educational goals as well as assuring equal opportunity to derive all of the benefits of campus life.
Too often students with disabilities who are new to higher education struggle to make a successful transition to college. It is easy to understand why the transition can be so difficult when we consider how different the environments are. It also is important to understand how the laws regarding services for students with disabilities and the accommodation process are different Students who are accustomed to the IEP (Individual Education Plan) process may expect a similar experience but the law governing such a process does not apply to colleges and universities.
In higher education, in contrast to the K-12 educational experience where many of the responsibilities are assumed by the school, student responsibilities change. An IEP - a document and process managed by school system staff - is not provided for college students with disabilities. Rather the student is required to self-identify as a person with a disability to the responsible office, request specific accommodations, and then participate in an interactive process with the institution.
The university process is utilized to determine to what extent accommodations will be available to the student. In determining access options for a student with a disability, including under what circumstances the options will be provided and any parameters necessary, our staff will evaluate any disability-related requests the student makes on an individualized basis after engaging in an interactive process with the student and fully considering the disability and its impact, the request or stated need, and any unique characteristics of the program, course of study and classes.
To begin the interactive process to be considered for accessibility options including reasonable accommodations, the student will -
Once the access consultation is completed and the student submits any required documentation, the staff with the Student Accessibility Resources office will review the information received to determine if the student is a qualified student with a disability and what accessibility options for which the student is eligible. If additional information is required, the student and/or diagnostic professional will be contacted.
If the documentation substantiates the need for accommodations, the student will be provided with reasonable accommodations. During this process, the staff will meet with the student to complete the following:
- Review submitted documentation
- Discuss any questions or concerns
- Prepare appropriate forms to provide reasonable accommodations
- Provide guidance for utilizing services
NOTE: The determination for resources available through Student Accessibility Resources can take some time to complete. Specialized or complex resources may take longer to process.
It is recommended you contact our office approximately one month in advance of the semester, so we can accommodate you in a timely manner.