Frequently Asked Questions
Documentation and Accommodations
Do I need to tell anyone else about my diagnosis?
How do I know if I’m eligible for accommodations?
Do you have a list of accommodations?
Who has access to my documentation once it’s provided?
When do my accommodations officially start?
Do you provide housing accommodations?
Do you provide accommodations for English Language Learners?
International students with disabilities are provided equal educational opportunities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which is the law that defines disabilities and the general principles that guide accommodations. Under the ADA, international students who have disabilities are entitled to general accommodations in school, such as wheelchair access to school facilities, service and support animals and personal devices (e.g., hearing aids) to help overcome a disability.
For testing accommodations, this is also true. There are many diagnoses for which extended time may be approved or assistance such as a reader or scribe may be warranted. However, language proficiency is not sufficient rationale for accommodations to be extended through ACCESS. ADA Accommodations are not to lower expectations but to level the playing field for students with disabilities. If you are an international student and have appropriate documentation justifying the need for accommodation under the ADA, please proceed through the intake and accommodation process.
International students who have questions or concerns about academic issues may review resources on the Office of International Affairs website. International students may also request an appointment with the International Student Program Advisor for additional academic and campus resources by contacting: isss@siue.edu.What if I add or drop a class?
How do I apply for accommodations?
Emotional Support Animals (ESA)
What is an Emotional Support Animal (ESA)?
According to the ADA, Emotional Support Animals are often used as part of a medical treatment plan as therapy animals, but they are not considered service animals. ESAs provide companionship, relieve loneliness, and sometimes help with depression, anxiety, and certain phobias, but do not have special training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities. Emotional support animals are usually dogs and cats, but they can be any animal that provides comfort during times of sadness, anxiety, or emotional stress.
What are ESA Registration Letter Scams?
Under the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Fair Housing Act, a housing provider may request reliable documentation when an individual requesting a reasonable accommodation has a disability and disability-related need for an accommodation that are not obvious or otherwise known. Some websites sell certificates, registrations, and licensing documents for assistance animals to one who answers certain questions or participates in a short interview and pays a fee. In accordance with HUD, such documentation from the internet is not, by itself, sufficient to reliably establish that an individual has a non-observable disability or disability-related need for an assistance animal.
By contrast, many legitimate, licensed health care professionals deliver services remotely, including over the internet. One reliable form of documentation is a note from a person’s health care professional that confirms a person’s disability and/or need for an animal when the provider has personal knowledge of the individual. If you already have a professional looking after your mental health, that is the best person to talk to regarding your interest in an emotional support animal. Our Emotional Support Animal (ESA) form will allow your physician to answer all necessary questions regarding your accommodation request. If you have additional questions regarding this form, please arrange to speak to an ACCESS staff member.
How do I Know if an ESA Letter Provider is Legitimate?
A legitimate ESA letter can only come from a licensed healthcare professional, such as a therapist, counselor, social worker, psychiatrist, psychologist, nurse, physician’s assistant, or doctor. If you didn’t talk to a board-certified doctor or licensed mental health professional, you are being sold an unenforceable document.
Beware of sites that:
- Approve you for an ESA letter after only asking a few questions online.
- Have you message or talk with a mental healthcare professional who is not located in your state (often overseas).
- Register your emotional support animal and tell you registration is sufficient for protecting your rights. Registration is NOT the same as getting an ESA letter.
If you have additional questions, comments or concerns about an ESA accommodation, please register with ACCESS and schedule an appointment to speak with an ACCESS staff member to provide more information.
Testing Accommodations
How do I register/signup/submit a request to take a test/quiz/exam in the ACCESS Testing Office?
How do I get my extended time on a test/quiz/exam?
Where is the ACCESS Testing Office located?
Who determines how much time I get on a test/quiz/exam?
What do I do if I miss the 48 hour time frame to schedule my test/quiz/exam?
How late is the ACCESS Testing Office open?
Textbook Accommodations
How do I get my textbooks in an alternate format?
What formats are available to students?
If you are eligible to receive your textbooks in an alternative format as an accommodation, you must complete the Alternative Format Textbook Agreement. Select the appropriate format based on the approved accommodation to access your assigned readings. The following digital formats are available: e-book, PDF, doc, RTF, txt, Daisy and mp3*. These files may be placed on your personal e-reader, tablet, or computer or you may receive a Kindle on loan from ACCESS for the semester.
The form also includes an agreement which must be signed stating that you understand that these are copyrighted works and cannot be shared with other parties under any circumstances.
* File type is determined based upon the device utilized.
How long will it take to convert my textbooks?
How will I know when the alternative textbook process is complete?
How often do I need to fill out the Textbook Agreement form?
What is RedShelf?
Pregnancy Related Accommodations
Pregnancy Related Accommodations
If you are pregnant, recovering from childbirth or have a condition related to pregnancy, you have the right to ask for a reasonable accommodation. This includes bathroom breaks, assistance with heavy lifting, a private space for expressing milk or time off to recover from your pregnancy.
Additionally, you can continue working during your pregnancy if a reasonable accommodation is available which would allow you to continue performing your job. More information can be found at Pregnancy and Your Rights in the Workplace. For information concerning pregnancy related accommodations, please contact Jamie Ball in the Equal Opportunity, Access & Title IX (EOA) office at jball@siue.edu or by phone at 618-650-2333.Graduate Student Accommodations
Graduate Student Accommodations
Your accommodations as a Graduate Student will still be facilitated through the ACCESS office, however they may look very different than at the undergraduate level. Depending on the program, instead of testing or exam accommodations, there may be a need for more discussion around accommodation in a practicum or clinical environment. Please plan to discuss with an ACCESS representative what program you’ll be entering and what sort of support you may need prior to the start of your graduate program to develop effective and reasonable accommodations.
For students with a Graduate Assistantship needing work related accommodations, please contact Jamie Ball in the Equal Opportunity, Access & Title IX (EOA) office at jball@siue.edu or by phone at 618-650-2333.