Accommodation & Disability Services

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. 

 Step One: Let us know you plan to apply for accommodations 

Complete the Voluntary Declaration of Disability by clicking here. 

Step Two: Schedule an Access Meeting 

Schedule an appointment with the Accommodations Coordinator by clicking here. Appointment types include face-to-face, virtual, or by phone, and will last about 45 minutes. While documentation is not required to schedule a meeting, students are encouraged to submit documentation as soon as possible. Please review our Documentation Guidelines for more information. 

Step Three: Submit Documentation 

You can submit documentation in any of the following ways before, during, or after your initial Access Meeting: 

• Email ADS at ads@abac.edu 
• Fax: 229-391-4996 
• Drop off in person at the ADS Office. Located on the third floor of the Carlton Center, Suite 314. 

 Please review our Documentation Guidelines for additional information. All documentation is kept confidential. 

 If ADS has not confirmed receipt of documentation within two business days after submission, please contact us. 

Step Four: Decision and Accommodation Letter 

After the Access Meeting, students will receive a notification regarding their accommodation requests. Once approved, students will be provided an accommodation letter to provide their instructors and the option for a 15-minute meeting to ask questions about approved accommodations. Please note the approval process can take between 15 to 20 business days.

Students with no documentation 

ADS can work with students who have never been formally diagnosed with a disability or cannot afford to get documentation. We recommend these students make an appointment with our Accommodations Coordinator by clicking here to discuss their specific situation, explore options for support, and identify options to move forward with obtaining documentation. 

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

• Common accommodations with descriptions
• Flexibility in Attendance Guidelines and Agreement Form
• Class Participation Accommodations Guidelines
• Determining Essential Requirements for Courses
• Meal Plan Exemption Request (medical/dietary)

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 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: 

1. the student has a disability, 
2. the animal is necessary to afford the person with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling; and 
3. 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.

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.