How to Register with Accessibility Services

Step 1: Submit disability documentation.

To better support you, we need to learn more about the nature and impact of your disability from a professional.

Disability Documentation Guide

What are we looking for?

Documentation should include confirmation of your diagnosis and information about its impact on you. Common forms of documentation include, but are not limited to:

• IEP/ETR or 504 Plan & Evaluation
• Psychological evaluation
• Medical records from a provider
• Disability Verification Form*

*The Disability Verification Form is NOT mandatory. You are not required to complete it if you have other sufficient forms of documentation.  

What won't work?

Your Access Advisor will email you if they need more information. Most often, this occurs when documentation lacks a specific diagnosis or information about your disability's impact. For example:

Accommodation/access plans from other institutions are insufficient on their own. You're welcome to send them to us, but please include the documents you used to register with their disability office.  

Other examples of documents that are NOT sufficient include:

• VA or SSA benefit determination letters
• Absence excuse notes
• Incomplete copies of documents (Ex: sending only the Prior Written Notice page of an IEP or only the recommended accommodations from a psychological evaluation) 

Step 2: Schedule your intake appointment.

Check your Columbus State email for a confirmation receipt of your documentation and either a request for additional information or an invitation to schedule an intake appointment. Intake appointments are available in-person or virtually via Teams.  

Your Access Advisor often needs a few days to review your documents, so don't worry if you don't receive an email from them right away. Review time can vary from less than a week to multiple weeks during peak times, including the start of Fall semester. 

Step 3: Attend your intake appointment.

Meet with your Access Advisor to create a college-level accommodation plan based on your disability and access needs. This informal appointment will give you an opportunity to share what you would like us to know about your disability and its impact. Once you and your Access Advisor have determined what accommodations will be appropriate, they'll go over all you need to know about requesting your approved accommodations and how to use them. This meeting is required for accommodations.

If you have questions about documentation or the intake process, feel free to call our Intake Specialist at 614-287-2570.

Confidentiality

Accessibility Services (AS) views all materials pertaining to a student’s disability as confidential. All disability-related information for students at Columbus State is housed in Accessibility Services. Only staff persons working at Accessibility Services have access to these files. Registration with AS will not appear on transcripts. 

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) do not allow faculty or others access to disability-related information (e.g. diagnosis, medications). AS will not share a student’s medical information with college faculty or staff without the student’s consent. Access Advisors will confirm registration and approved accommodations on a need-to-know basis. 

AS will not disclose any student’s medical or registration information to an employer or other outside organization without the student’s permission.