Disability and Accessibility Student Guidebook

Welcome! The purpose of this handbook is to give you the resources you need to make the most of your journey at Augustana College.

Disability & Access Resources (DARS) exists to help you find and put in place academic accommodations that help minimize the impact of your disability on your education so that you can learn with fewer barriers. We can help you work with your instructors to make sure you are set up for success in their class, help you develop self-advocacy tools, and support you while you navigate college. 

We’re not only here for students with life-long or long-term disabilities, we also help students with short-term disabilities like a broken arm, concussion, cancer, or surgery recovery.

The goal of Disability & Access Resources is to work with you to make sure you have the tools, resources, and support you need to be successful at Augustana. We know that having a disability makes college life challenging, so we’re here to cheer you on and make sure you get the access you need.
 

Disability & Access Resources supports students with disabilities through individualized accommodations and guidance. We champion holistic disability support through campus partnerships that reduce barriers and develop inclusive learning environments. We foster a climate of empowerment and acceptance through education and communication that encourages students to maximize their potential.
 

Rachael Souhrada (she/her)

Rachael is the Coordinator of Disability & Access Resources and works with all students needing accommodations in the classroom and campus activities. 

Rachael has a Bachelor’s degree in American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting and a Master’s degree in Disability Services for Higher Education. She has a passion for advocacy and making sure students have an equitable college experience.

• Office: Olin Center, Room 320
• Phone number: 309-794-8818
• Email: disabilityservices@augustana.edu
• Calendar: calendly.com/augustana-dars

Amanda Tumbarello (she/her)

Amanda is the Assistant Director of Residential Life. She works with all students needing accommodations for housing.

• Office: Residential Life, Andreen Hall
• Phone number: 309-794-2686
• Email: amandatumbarello@augustana.edu

Sarah Persico (she/her)

Sarah is the Learning Commons Administrative Assistant. She helps answer questions, connect students with on-campus resources, and schedules appointments.

Sarah is an Augustana Alumni with a Bachelor’s degree in History. She is currently working towards her Master’s degree in Library Science and is passionate about ensuring equitable access to resources and information.

• Office: Olin Center, Room 320
• Phone number: 309-794-8818
• Email: sarahpersico@augustana.edu

Accommodations for the Classroom

• Complete the Accommodation Request Form to apply for academic accommodations
• Submit documentation of your disability from your healthcare provider
• Check your Augustana email for an invitation to schedule your first appointment
• Schedule your first appointment with your Accessibility Provider by booking online or calling the office at (309) 794-8818
• Attend your first appointment with your Accessibility Provider
  • In your meeting, you’ll talk about how your disability impacts your education, the accommodation process, and your accommodations
• Connect with your instructors and email them your Accommodation Letter
• Check in with your Accessibility Provider as needed and at the beginning of each new semester if any changes are needed.
  • Your classes will change every semester, and so might your accommodation needs! Make sure to connect with DARS to discuss your new classes.

Accommodations for Housing

• Complete the Housing Accommodation Application form to apply for housing accommodations
• Have your medical provider complete and submit the Housing Accommodation form. This form is emailed to you within 48 business hours after you submit the accommodation application.
• Attend an intake meeting with the Assistant Director of Residential Life.
  • This may or may not be necessary depending on your request and documentation submitted.

The most common types of housing accommodations are:

• Air conditioning
• Rooms on the ground floor or elevator-accessible
• Non-lofted beds
• Private or non-communal bathrooms
• Single rooms
• Emotional Support Animals

The Office of Residential Life works to meet all students' accommodation needs with the space available.

 

Your accessibility needs may change during your time at Augustana. You may start with only a little support and then realize you need more, or start with a lot of support and end up only needing a little. Different classes can also affect the accommodations you need.

If you need to make changes to your academic accommodations at any time, just email DARS or schedule a Support meeting with Rachael.

New to college accommodations? We've created this quick reference guide to help you navigate the unique terminology.

Adaptive Furniture in Classroom – The student may need a classroom modification such as a different desk and/or chair.

Allow Audio Recording of Class – The student may audio record lectures. The student must sign a recording agreement with their instructor and is responsible for providing their own recording device (e.g., SmartPen, tablet, phone, notetaking software). Any electronic text, notes, or recordings made from any recording, as well as any other materials provided for accommodation purposes are for personal use only and cannot be shared or posted.

Allow Short Breaks During Class or Exams – The student may need a short break during class or exams. How the break is used and what it will look like will depend on the student's needs. The student may not leave a proctored area unless arranged with the instructor.

Alternatives for In-class Presentations – The student should be provided alternative assignments to making in-class presentations unless presentations are part of the goals or learning outcomes for the class.

Alternative Format Textbooks or Materials – Students may need a textbook in a different format such as a Braille, audio, or etext. They may also need materials to have large fonts or in an electronic format that can be enlarged.

Break Down Large or Complex Assignments – Students may need large assignments or readings broken down into more manageable chunks.

Captions – Videos and audio material should have captions turned on. PowerPoint and Slides also have options for live captions during lecture.

Class Notes – Class Notes accommodation makes sure that students with qualifying disabilities have notes similar to what they would take if their disability did not interfere with note-taking. This accommodation does not replace attendance. 

Notes can be provided in many ways. The method is decided by DARS and the student, depending on how the disability impacts note-taking. Students can use LiveScribe Smart Pen, a smart pen that audio records and computerizes handwritten notes; Instructor-provided or classmate-provided notes; or notetaking software.

Deadline Modification - Occasionally, a student may need flexibility for a specific assignment. The student is expected to adhere to all deadlines as per the syllabus unless discussed with the instructor at least 24 hours before the original deadline.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Accommodations – Accommodations for Deaf/Hard of Hearing students may include ASL interpreters, Captioned videos, transcriptions of audio materials, and Assistive Listening Devices.

Modification of Attendance Policy (MAP) – This accommodation provides flexibility for students whose disabilities occasionally prevent class attendance. While MAP extends the standard attendance policy, it has specific limitations and requirements:

1. Instructors do not need to change important parts of the class
2. Work due on absence days is not automatically extended
3. Students must still try to complete and submit assignments on time
4. Students are responsible for making up all missed work, including quizzes and tests

Grammar and Spelling – If the student has a language-based disability and correct grammar and spelling are not an important function, their grade is not affected by incorrect grammar or spelling.

Testing Accommodations – Students may be given extra time for tests and quizzes. Students who use extra test time will need to take their test in the Testing Center. Students may also need to take tests in the reduced-distraction environment of the testing center or take them at a different time of day. They may need to have their test read to them or have someone write their tests for them while the student says the answer out loud.

Text-to-Speech Software – Text-to-Speech software (e.g., Read&Write, JAWS, Narrator, VoiceOver) allows digital materials to be read aloud to students.

Memory Aid – A memory aid is a tool used to help students remember information they studied but may have a hard time processing or recalling. The memory aid does not list all the facts or concepts but helps the student remember. The information on the aid must be approved by the instructor.

Paper Materials Instead of Digital – Students may need PowerPoints, readings, or other materials provided on paper as available.

Preferential Seating – Students may need an assigned seat in the classroom. Where the seat is located depends on the student’s needs.

Priority Registration – The student will be the first in their class cohort to be able to register for classes. They still have to follow registration windows, but will have first-choice within their window.

Qualitative Reasoning Substitution – Changes the accepted classes that fulfill the Quantitative Reasoning degree requirement, as long as there is an acceptable alternative based on the student’s major.

Second Language Substitution – Substitutes specific culture classes for language classes to fulfill the Second Language degree requirement, as long as there is an acceptable alternative based on the student’s major.

Use of a Computer – Students may need to use a computer in the classroom for reasons like typing instead of handwriting, using a screen-reader program, using a voice-to-text program, or using a screen magnifier.

Academic Advisor – A person who is trained to help students plan their academic journey related to classes and majors, as well as connect them to other campus resources

Cohort – A group of students who are expected to graduate or go through a program at the same time.

Credit – Classes taken in college are measured in credit hours. Credits are based on the number of hours spent in class per week.

Financial Aid – Financial help in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, and part-time work at the school that is given to the student by the government, school, or private sources based on a variety of factors such as financial need, major, grades or test scores, or student statuses and identities.

Full-time vs Part-time Enrollment – A Full-time student is enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester. A Part-time student is enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours.  

Grades/Grade Point Average (GPA) – Classes are graded with the letter grades A, B, C, D, and F. Instructors can choose to include a + or – in addition to the assigned letter. GPA is an average of the grades of the classes you have taken on a 4.0 scale. GPA can show the average for one semester (Term GPA) or all of the classes you have taken at the college (Cumulative GPA). At Augustana, students are required to keep their cumulative GPA above 2.0.

Peer Academic Coach – Students who are trained to help other students with studying, time management, communication, and other soft skills needed for college.

Peer Mentor – Students trained to help other students adjust to college life and connect students to campus supports and resources when necessary.

Prerequisite Class – A class that must be completed with a specified grade before taking a more advanced class. For example, Spanish 1 must be taken before Spanish 2.

Syllabus – An outline of the important information about a class. The syllabus is written by the instructor and usually includes important dates, assignments, expectations, and policies for the class. They are important and typically used all semester. Students should read the syllabus carefully and refer to it often.

Transcript – An official list of a student’s classes, grades, credits, honors, and degrees at a school. An official transcript has an official school stamp and/or signature, but an unofficial transcript does not have a seal and can be printed from Arches.

Tuition – The cost of taking classes at a college. Tuition for one academic year at Augustana covers 34 credits taken during Fall, J-term, and Spring semester (one academic year). Students who live and eat on campus also pay room and board. Tuition, room, and board charges do not include books or fees.

Tutor – A person who is skilled in a subject and provides extra teaching or learning support to a student. This can be an instructor or another student.

Withdrawal – dropping or removing one or more classes from your student schedule. This must be done before certain deadlines on the academic calendar.

So, you registered with Disability & Access Resources and have an Accommodation Letter…now what? Clear, written roles make it easier to understand each person’s responsibilities and can be referred back to later.

Student Responsibilities

• Know the accommodations you have and the rights you are entitled to.
• Email your instructor(s) a copy of your Accommodation Letter and set up a meeting to talk about it as early as possible each semester
• If you are using testing accommodations, let your instructor know at least 5 business/school days before the test.
• Contact DARS if you need any changes made to your accommodations or if you have any problems receiving them.
• Check in with your instructors and DARS at least once every semester.

Faculty Responsibilities

• Provide accommodations after receiving the student’s Accommodation Letter. Do not provide accommodations without receiving the student’s accommodation letter.
• If the student is using testing accommodations, submit the testing accommodation form at least 5 business/school days before the test.
• Contact DARS with any questions or concerns about implementing the student’s accommodations.

Accessibility Provider Responsibilities

• Determine the accommodations that are reasonable and needed based on collaboration with the student and the classes being taken.
• Write the accommodation letter and email it to the student.
• Work with faculty regarding accommodation concerns or challenges.
• Work with the student to make sure accommodations are being provided and meet their needs.
• Investigate and resolve concerns about accommodations not being provided to the student appropriately.
• Provide support or coaching to students.
• Listen to student concerns or complaints and manage them accordingly.
• Provide professional development opportunities for faculty and staff related to accessibility.

Several different laws affect you, as a college student with a disability. People with disabilities have legal rights and certain protections from discrimination that are set by the law. College students also have laws protecting their right to privacy.

The rights you are entitled to can depend on the situation and your environment. It’s important to know your rights so that you can protect them and use them to benefit you.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act bans discrimination against people with disabilities in programs that receive money from the federal government. The passing of this law was an incredibly important moment in disability rights history and made it so that people with disabilities could access government-funded buildings and services, which includes colleges, however, the protections in this law are limited.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The ADA covers more general accessibility than Section 504. Section 504 was limited to organizations that were government-funded, but the ADA bans discrimination and requires accessibility in all public spaces. 

The ADA is separated into 5 titles that cover Employment, Public Entities, Public Accommodations, Telecommunications, and Provisions. The most important bits for you as a student, are summarized below. 

Title 1, Employment – Employers must provide you the same opportunity as people without a disability and they must provide you with reasonable accommodations to help you do your job (unless it causes “undue hardship” and is difficult because of resources available). This includes paid internships.

Title 2, Public Entities – All buildings designed, constructed, or modified after September 1969 must be accessible!

Title 3, Public Accommodations – People with disabilities cannot be discriminated against and have the ability to experience full and equal use of the goods, services, and facilities of any public space. This means that all public spaces must remove accessibility barriers. 

Title 4, Telecommunications – ensures people with disabilities have access to functionally equivalent internet, radio, and phone.

Title 5, Provision – If you use your rights provided by the ADA or help someone else use their rights, you are protected from a person or organization retaliating or getting back at you.

How is College Different from High School?

If you used accommodations in high school in the U.S., they were probably set up by a team at school in either a plan called an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) or a 504 Plan. You may have been in a Special Education program or just had some changes to general high school classes. 

K-12 students with an IEP are protected by IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) from ages 3-21 and have more government standards for support through special education classes. Some general education classes can be included too. 

K-12 students who have a 504 Plan are protected by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which is one of the laws that protects disabled people for their entire lives, but it has special rules for the K-12 setting. It has less strict criteria to be used and usually means small changes to general education classes.

Your Disability documentation and information is considered confidential (as per Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title I of the ADA). Your information will be kept in the Disability & Access Resources office, and it is secured, with limited access, to be shared only on a need-to-know basis.

FERPA is a federal law that started in 1974 to protect students’ personal education information. It prevents all information except basic “directory” information like your name, address, contact information, dates of attendance, and enrollment status from being released to anyone without your written permission. This includes family members or anyone else outside of Augustana employees. 

You can choose to prevent the school from releasing even your basic directory information. You can also grant specific people access to learn about some or all of your records. FERPA also gives you the right to view your educational records at any time.

All Augustana employees must follow FERPA. We generally keep your information private, even from other Augustana employees, but we can share information with each other if the information is necessary to do our job.

If you have any questions about FERPA, want to allow specific people to have access to your records, or prevent any access, you can contact the Registrar’s office at registraroffice@augustana.edu or in Bahls CLC, Room 109.

If you feel you have been treated unfairly in the classroom or a campus office, because of your disability or otherwise, you have the right to make a complaint. Augustana has procedures to make sure your complaint is heard and taken care of appropriately.

Disability Discrimination or Accommodation-Related

If you have an issue relating to disability discrimination, accommodations not being properly provided, or an issue with Disability & Access Resources itself, you can lodge a complaint. This starts with an informal process by contacting Disability & Access Resources.
If you can’t find a solution or are not satisfied with the solution, you may formally appeal in writing by submitting an Accommodations Appeal Form. The Civil Rights Director will review your appeal and provide a final decision within 10 business days.

Instructor or Classroom-Related

If you have a non-disability-related complaint relating to an instructor or a class and have not been able to resolve it by talking with your instructor first, you should contact the faculty member’s Department Chair. If you are not sure who their Department Chair is, you can ask the instructor, DARS, or the Office of Academic Affairs.

Augustana has many offices and resources that exist to cheer you on and help you be successful. Keep in mind that there are more resources than the ones listed here. You can always talk to your advisor, DARS, or other members of your Success Team to get connected with more support.

More resources

Transportation

Augustana partners with the Rock Island County bus system, MetroLINK to provide free bus services when you show your current Student ID. The Route 53 and Route 10 buses stop on campus every 30 minutes and you can be picked up/dropped off anywhere along the route. You can see the full bus routes and times on the QC Metrolink website or by downloading the ETA SPOT app.

Augustana College Express Service (ACES) is a free student-run shuttle service that runs in the evenings to transport students around campus and the surrounding neighborhoods, similar to Uber or Lyft. It runs 6:00 pm-12:30 am every night. To request a ride, call 309-794-7550 or use the ACES app on iPhone.

A direct bus to Chicago central station runs daily by Burlington Trailways bus company. The bus picks up at 5:25pm in front of Carlsson Evald Hall and arrives in Chicago at 8:30pm. Tickets can be purchased online at burlingtontrailways.com.

Mental Health

Not only do we have the Counseling Center on campus, but we also have a partnership with a telehealth resource, Uplift, for ongoing care and providing medical documentation for accommodations as needed.

Physical Health

Augustana Convenient Care provides basic medical care to the campus community at low to no cost through the MercyOne Health system. The clinic is located in Baldur House and is open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm and Sat 9am-1pm. We also have Telehealth services available through Teladoc.

Technology Resources and Spaces 

If you need a laptop to use for a couple of weeks or the semester, you can check out one from the library by going to the circulation desk on the second floor. You can also check out headphones, adapters, USB drives, and DVD players.

Computers for open student use are available in the Tredway Library and almost every academic building on campus. If you’re not sure where it is in a building, feel free to ask the building administrative assistant.

Students can download Microsoft Office 365 for free. Instructions to download the programs are on the ITS webpage.

Clubs and Organizations

Get involved! The more you are connected to your school and other students, the better your support system will be. Club and event fairs are hosted once a semester. You can see the full list of active student organizations online at augustana.edu/student-life/groups-and-activities.

Study tips

• Work with the class material every day.
• Take in the material in as many different ways and formats as possible. This is the difference between memorization and actual learning.
• If possible, write or rewrite notes by hand. Handwriting is linked to memory.
• Create or find a separate space to study. It could be a different room, a different chair, or a place outside your dorm entirely. You can even reserve a study room at the library.
• Spend more time on subjects you struggle with, rather than spending equal time on all classes or focusing more on the ones you like.
• If you have access to old tests or quizzes, look back at them to see what your struggle topics were. Study these more.
• Find study groups who understand the material differently or at a different level than you. If someone understands it better, they can help you learn. If someone understands it less than you, you can learn by teaching them.
• Dedicate time to studying and take short breaks; it’s good for your brain to step away every 20-40 minutes!
• Work with a peer academic coach. They’re trained to help you succeed with this.

Time Management Tips

• Set reminders, alarms, and put deadlines and meetings on your calendar to keep you on track. You can even try setting the time on your clock or phone fast so that you’re early to everything.
• Add the Augustana Academic Calendar to your Google calendar to keep track of important college deadlines.
• Schedule class and studying time on your calendar and give it the same importance you would for a job or a doctor’s appointment.
• Be realistic about how your commitments to work, family, and friends impact your time for school.
• Think about how work, your family, or disability-related needs impact your time when making your class schedule.

Testing Tips

• Take deep breaths or spend a few minutes meditating when you get overwhelmed.
• Think positive thoughts. Manifest success and hype yourself up. Do a Power Pose. Anything you can do to feel more confident (even if it’s false confidence) will help you think through the test more clearly.
• Spend a few minutes before your test looking over the topics you struggle with most
• When you get into the testing area, but before you even look at the test, use a scratch piece of paper or a whiteboard to write down everything you remember, especially the hard topics you might forget. This gets it out of your brain so you don’t have to focus on remembering it, just using it.
• Read the whole test before starting. Some questions may help you answer others.
• Tackle the hard questions first. Those will take the most time and mental energy.
• If the whole question is overwhelming, break it down into parts. Don’t be afraid to write notes or draw sketches of ideas.
• Double-check the units and that the answer makes sense
• Use elimination on multiple choice questions to rule out answers you know aren’t right.

Communication Best Practices

• Check your Augustana email at least once every day, maybe even a few times a day.
• Keep semi-regular contact with your instructors—especially if you’re struggling! It is their actual job to help you learn and they want you to do well in their class. They don’t know how to help you unless you ask.
• Don’t be afraid to talk to your instructors! They want to know how you’re doing and what you’re going through so that they know how to support you.
• All forms of communication are acceptable. If you need help, send an email or a Moodle message, stop by Office Hours, schedule a time to meet, or come early or stay late to class.
• Be professional in your emails or Moodle messages. Think about writing the message like writing a letter or putting on a suit.
• Keep in contact with Disability & Access Resources and let us know if your accommodations aren’t working for you.