ACCESS

Registration, Forms and Testing

To request curricular/co-curricular accommodations through Accessible Campus Community & Equitable Student Support (ACCESS), you will need to fill out a Student Intake Form. The Student Intake Form will provide information that is needed to help determine the appropriate curricular/co-curricular accommodations. Log in with your SIUE username and password to open the student portal. It is important that this form is filled out as completely as possible. Be sure to provide copies of your documentation. If you have questions, please contact 618-650-3726 or myaccess@siue.edu.

New Students

• Welcome and Information - The welcome packet will help you better understand the services offered by the ACCESS office
• Outline of Documentation - Please review this document with your qualified professional to determine what documentation is needed by ACCESS staff prior to approving services.
• Consent for Release of Confidential Information - Please complete this form in the event you need us to release copies of your documentation to another institution or organization.
• Request Accommodation - Please look into this document to know about steps to request your accommodation.
• Accessing Accommodate - Enclosed you'll find our PowerPoint module on how to use our online system, Accommodate, to schedule exams, submit semester requests, request appointments and more!
• Emotional Support Animal (ESA) form - This form will allow your physician to answer all necessary questions regarding your accommodation request for an ESA. If you have additional questions regarding ESA's visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. For further questions regarding this form, please arrange to speak to an ACCESS staff member.

Diagnosis Related Resources

The following documents were compiled and created to provide contact information for campus offices, community agencies, and organizations, as well as helpful articles and directories for individuals to refer to in relation to their specific diagnosis. Please feel free to utilize these resources as often as needed.

• ADHD ( Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) Resources
• Anxiety Resources
• Autism Resources
• Depression Resources
• Dyslexia Resources
• PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) Resources

International Students

ACCESS for International Students - Please look at this document to understand how ACCESS might be able to help while attending SIUE. 

Veteran Students

ACCESS welcomes our military-connected students to the SIUE and values your experiences and perspectives that you bring to our community. In partnership with the Office of Military and Veteran Services, we are here to support students by providing reasonable accommodations which meet your individual needs. There are laws in place that protect veteran students who may experience medical or mental health diagnoses such as traumatic brain injuries (TBI), hearing or vision loss, chronic pain or other physical or non-apparent diagnoses.

Even if you have not been determined to have a disability through the military or VA, you may still be eligible to receive services through ACCESS and we encourage you to speak with us to see what accommodations may be available based upon the functional impacts experienced and how it may create barriers to your educational pursuits. To begin the process, please apply today and fill out our application to the best of your ability. Once received, a member of the ACCESS staff will reach out for further dialogue regarding your concerns and ways in which we can help.

What if I don't have any documentation?

There are several resources available identified by Vance and Miller (2009) as being helpful for veteran students to gain access to their medical records and other documentation that could be requested by a postsecondary educational institution:

• Standard Form SF-180, Request Pertaining to Military Records - This form provides a student with the opportunity to obtain missing records. A student veteran may submit this form to The National Personnel Records Center, Military Personnel Records, 9700 Page Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63132-5100.

• Recent student veterans can use the following link to request their records: http://www.va.gov/vaforms/search_action.asp
• VA Form 105345a (May 2005). The form is the individuals’ request for a copy of their own health information. It allows a veteran to request his or her medical records. The form can be found at: https://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/VHA%20Form%2010-5345a%20Fill-revision.pdf. This form should be submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Records Management Center, P.O. Box 5020, St. Louis, Missouri 63115-5020.
• ACCESS Accommodation Request - again, the best first step is registering with ACCESS. Every university has their own university-specific disability self-disclosure process. Ours is accessible 24/7 from any electronic or smart device connected to the internet. Once your request is received, a member of the ACCESS staff will reach out to schedule a follow up appointment to discuss your accommodation needs.

For more information, we also encourage you to visit the following links:

• ADA: Know Your Rights, Returning Service Members with Disabilities
• Accommodating Service Members and Veterans with PTSD (askjan.org)
• Office of Military and Veteran Services

Testing

Students who schedule tests through the Student Accommodate Portal will receive a confirmation once their test has been scheduled. Approved test times, dates, class information and accommodations are entered into our system and sent as a notification and reminder to both the student and the professor.

In order for ACCESS to effectively facilitate scheduling your exams, you must provide ACCESS with two working/business days’ advanced notice when scheduling your quizzes, exams, and finals with accommodations at ACCESS. Please review the following chart to better understand your scheduling deadlines:

To ensure the easiest experience, you should submit your test booking request through Accommodate no later than 48 hours prior to when your class will be taking this quiz or exam. If you submit your request within the 48-hour window BUT before 4:30 p.m., please select the earliest times available on the day of the exam, select “No” when asked “Is this the same time your class is taking the exam?” and provide a note stating what time you will actually be at ACCESS.

To know more details about test scheduling please look into the Test Scheduling documentation provided.

48-Hour Policy

Our policy dictates the time span within which tests must be scheduled.

“If I receive testing accommodations arranged through ACCESS, I will schedule examinations with this office not later than two business days (48 business hours) before the examination date. If I have extenuating circumstances, I will notify ACCESS as soon as possible.”

This policy will be strictly enforced. Tests must be scheduled 48 hours ahead of the test time—not after business hours via phone and not on the day of the exam or the day before. If you are coming to schedule an exam in person and it is beyond the 48-hour period, we advise you to schedule the rest of your tests in advance at this time. If you have not scheduled your test in advance and within our 48-business-hour window, the only option is to take the test in class with the professor.

Our regular business hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

All tests scheduled online through the Student Accommodate Portal will be followed by an email confirmation/receipt as proof of you scheduling the exam. These confirmations will only be sent to your SIUE email address. The confirmation will also be sent to your instructor as an FYI and request for the exam. When you schedule your exam, please let the staff member scheduling the test know the necessary information about your test and accommodation needs.

If you have any further questions, comments or concerns associated with this policy, please schedule an appointment to speak with an ACCESS staff member.