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To make an appointment, please contact us atÌýowbs@ccga.eduÌý´Ç°ù 912-279-5806.

The Office of Student Well-Being and Support is dedicated to ensuring nondiscrimination and equitable access to programs, courses, and activities for qualified students with disabilities. The office 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 Request for Accommodations form by going to your MYCCGA and navigating to the Student Well-Being section, then to Well-Being.

Step Two: Schedule an Access Meeting.

Schedule an appointment with the office by emailing owbs@ccga.edu. Appointment types include face-to-face, virtual, or by phone, and can last up to 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 your documentation to: owbs@ccga.edu
• Drop off in person at the OWBS Office, located on the second floor of the Campus Center (Suite 232).
• Upload it directly to our system by logging into your MYCCGA and going to “Student Well-Being,” then to “Well-Being,” then “Uploads.”

Please review our documentation guidelines for additional information. All documentation is kept confidential. If OWBS 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 to their instructors and the option for a 15-minute meeting to ask questions about approved accommodations. Please note the approval process can take up to 30 business days.

Students with no documentation:

OWBS 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 office by emailing us to discuss their specific situation, explore options for support, and identify options to move forward with obtaining documentation.

Students who are requesting accommodations must provide complete and current documentation of their disability to Student Disability Services as required by the .Ìý

The University System of Georgia (USG) general documentation guidelines include the following aspects: appropriate evaluators with identifying credentials and signatures on letterhead; documentation of a physical and/or mental impairment, which include a diagnostic statement based on the most current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and/or International Classification of Diseases (ICD); documentation of a current substantial limitation in a major life activity; identifying information of the evaluating professional.

Documentation for Specific Disability Categories

Acquired Brain Injuries

Brain injury can result from external trauma, such as a closed head or an object penetration injury, or internal trauma, such as a cerebral vascular accident or tumor. Additionally, individuals may acquire brain impairment as a result of neurological illnesses, such as epilepsy or multiple sclerosis. ABI can cause physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and vocational changes that can affect an individual for a short period of time or permanently. Depending on the location and extent of the injury, symptoms can vary widely. Understanding functional changes after an injury and resulting implications for education are more important than only knowing the cause or type of injury.

Acquired Brain Injuries Verification Form

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ADHD is a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that is more frequently displayed and more severe than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development. By definition, the disorder is developmental in nature, and therefore, diagnosis requires the manifestation of several symptoms prior to age 12 years. Furthermore, a diagnosis of ADHD is not sufficient, in and of itself, to determine appropriate accommodations. Therefore, objective data provided in a comprehensive assessment of cognitive processing and academic functioning may be required to establish the nature and severity of the student’s functional limitations. Such data may include, but are not limited to, the following: rating scale information, performance on continuous performance tasks, cognitive processing test results, and/or the results of achievement tests.

The ADHD Verification form can be provided to an evaluator to elicit information needed to document ADHD. Please note that this verification form, although helpful in the documentation of the diagnosis of ADHD, may not be sufficient by itself in determining functional impairment. If this form is used, it is requested that the evaluator fills out the form in its entirety and provides the functional impairment in the academic setting.

ADHD Verification Form

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism Spectrum Disorders are characterized by impairment in several areas of development including social communication and social interaction across contexts, and the presence of restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests or activities.

Autism Spectrum Disorder Verification Form

Communication Disorders

Communication disorders is a general term that refers to a heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in language, speech and, communication. This includes difficulties in receptive and expressive language, including the production of sounds, articulation and fluency deficits, difficulty in the acquisition and production of language across modalities (i.e., spoken, written), and difficulties in the social use or verbal and nonverbal communication.

Communication Disorders Verification Form

Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing experience a reduction in sensitivity to sound. Amplification may not assist the individual in interpreting auditory stimuli. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing from birth may experience lags in the development of speech and most often have language-based deficiencies.

DHOH Disorders Verification Form

Learning Disabilities

Learning disabilities is a general term that refers to a heterogenous group of disorders manifested by significant difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing, reasoning, or mathematical skills. These disorders are intrinsic to the individual, presumed to be due to central nervous system dysfunction, and may occur across the life span. Problems in self-regulatory behaviors, social perception, and social interaction may exist with learning disabilities (e.g., sensory impairment, intellectual disability, serious emotional disturbance), or with extrinsic influences (such as cultural differences, insufficient or inappropriate instruction), they are not the result of those conditions or influences. (National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities, Learning Disabilities: Issues on Definition).

Learning Disabilities Verification Form

Mobility Disorders

Mobility impairments refer to conditions that limit a person’s coordination or ability to move. Some mobility impairments are congenital while others are the result of illness or physical injury. The functional abilities and limitations resulting from the impairment will vary from individual to individual.

Mobility Disorders Verification Code

Psychological Disorders

Many different psychological disorders can interfere with cognitive, emotional, and social functioning and may negatively impact a student’s ability to function in an academic environment. Some individuals experience significant disruptions in mood, thinking, and behavioral regulation that are secondary to a psychological disorder. The symptoms and associated impairment may be either chronic or episodic. Complete descriptions and diagnostic criteria for psychological disorders are available in the current version of the DSM or ICD. Test anxiety by itself is not considered a psychological disorder.

Psychological Disorders Verification Form

Systemic Disorders

Systemic disabilities are conditions affecting one or more of the body’s systems, including the respiratory, immunological, neurological, circulatory, or digestive systems. Systemic disabilities may change over time. Therefore, the need for – and type of – reasonable accommodations may require updated documentation.

Systemic Disorders Verification Form

Visual Disorders

Visual impairments are disorders in the function of the eyes that cannot be adequately corrected by medical or surgical intervention, therapy, or conventional eyewear. Individuals with visual disorders may not have any usable vision or the vision may be significantly limited.

Visual Disorders Verification Form

What is NOT Documentation

• Pictures of Emotional Support Animals or Service Animals
• Pictures of medication
• Prescription notes
• An entire medical file from birth
• A screenshot of diagnosis or medical provider portal

Regents Center for Learning Disorders

If your documentation does not meet the University System of Georgia requirements, or if you have never been tested for a learning disorder before, it is your responsibility to obtain the additional testing/evaluation. Below are some options to proceed:

Students who decide to be tested at RCLD should contact the Office of Student Well-Being and Support’s (OWBS) Director at the º£½ÇÉçÇø for the intake packet and schedule an appointment to have it reviewed. The packet is not available online. Complete the RCLD packet in its entirety. The packet includes the instructions for completion.

The total cost of the evaluation will be $500. Return the completed RCLD packet along with a check for $500 made payable to Georgia Southern University or you may have a payment link emailed to you once the completed packet has been received by the RCLD. The initial appointment will not be scheduled until payment has been made.

Once the completed packet has been returned, OWBS will submit it to the Regents Center for Learning Disorders. A representative from the Regents Center will review the packet and contact the student to schedule an appointment. The Regents Center for Learning Disorders is located on the Statesboro campus of Georgia Southern University, Cone Hall Bldg. Their phone number is 912-478-0100.

Potential Accommodations

Below are some examples of possible academic and programmatic accommodations offered by Student Disability Services. Please note that any accommodation is granted on a case-by-case and highly individualized basis based on the functional limitations described in the documentation paperwork and by the student.

Possible Academic Accommodations

• Relaxed Attendance Policies
• Note-Taking Software
• Reasonable Extended Deadlines
• Preferential Seating
• Assistive Technology
• Extended Testing Time
• Distraction-Reduced Testing Environment
• Accessible Classroom Furniture
• Lab Assistance
• Text Materials in Alternative Formats
• Word Processor with Spell Check
• Test Scribe
• Oral Testing
• Large Print
• Braille
• Closed Captioning
• Sign Language Interpreter

Possible Program Accommodations

• Priority Registration
• Classroom Access (if physical location is inaccessible)
• Reduced Course Load (less than 12 credit hours per semester)
• Adapted Physical Education Requirement
• Adapted Foreign Language Requirement
• Accommodations for Clinical, Internships, and Field Experience

What is Not an Academic Accommodation

• Individual Instruction
• Class Specific Tutoring
• Personal Care Attendant
• Changing Course Content, Structure, or Teaching Style
• Pregnant or Parenting? (For accommodations related to pregnancy or parenting, please contact the Title IX Coordinator, Dr. Michael Butcher at 912-279-5815 or via email at mbutcher@ccga.edu.

Housing Accommodations

Disability-Related On-Campus Housing Requests

The º£½ÇÉçÇø believes that the residential experience for students encourages active participation and engagement in the campus community; provides opportunities to develop intellectually, socially, physically, and spiritually; teaches accountability for decisions and actions; and challenges students to express their individual and unique voices while respecting and valuing the voices of others. The residential experience at CCGA offers students a variety of living arrangements in a number of distinct communities with varying amenities and support services. You are encouraged to make the most of this opportunity and to fully engage in your residential experience and all the outstanding resources that are available to you. For more information, visit the Residence Life and Housing webpage.

A student who desires to live on campus but requires some level of accommodation because of a medical, psychological or physical disability may request consideration of those accommodations through the following process. Applications for housing are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, so timely requests are critical to meeting individual needs. Every effort will be made to provide reasonable accommodations that allow a student the opportunity to participate in the residential experience in the most inclusive manner possible.

Housing accommodations are considered reasonable when – they address issues that a student cannot manage through typical strategies. These strategies include preparation, practice, counseling, coaching, professional guidance, adjusting expectations and routines, and implementing other common approaches that all successful CCGA students, whether living on or off campus, utilize.

Housing accommodations are not reasonable for the following reasons:

• Solely to ensure the student is successful at CCGA
• Concerns about living independently for the first time
• To increase comfort by making it easier to manage an academic schedule or to avoid addressing typical roommate conflicts
• To ensure a quiet, solitary place for studying or for virtual appointments
• Due to limited transportation options
• To alleviate discomfort with living off campus (such as having to plan when to come to campus, where/when to eat, the number of daily trips needed to campus, etc.)
• Due to financial concerns (whether related to disability or not)

• Testing Services
• Presentations
• Consultations
• Accessibility/Resources/
  Instruments

Accommodation Testing

Students who would like to take their exams with the OWBS Office will need to register online at least two business days before the exam. Below are the steps of how exam requests are received and handled by OWBS:

1. The student submits the Exam Request via the no less than two business days (excluding holidays and weekends) before the scheduled date of the exam. In the portal, click on “Student Forms,” then “Disability Services Forms,” and select the appropriate form.
2. The faculty member will submit their exam to OWBS no less than one business day before the scheduled date of the exam through the Exam Accommodation form. There are two forms available for student use. The Individual Exam Accommodation form is for a single exam and will need to be completed for each class in which a student has an exam that is announced. The Semester Exam Accommodation form is to be used when students have an exam schedule for the entire semester provided by their professor.
3. The student will receive a confirmation email of the arrangements made by our office. They should review the information for accuracy and notify OWBS 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 Exam Accommodation 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 OWBS (for example, your in-class exam has been postponed), please contact us at owbs@ccga.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

Until 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 the Office of Student Well-Being and Support, but are not required since the use of a service animal is a civil right. Email owbs@ccga.edu for more information.

Emotional Support Animal

The º£½ÇÉçÇø 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 the º£½ÇÉçÇø’s 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 the Office of Student Well-Being and Support. The student will provide documentation saying:

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.

Email owbs@ccga.edu for more information.

• Accessibility Services
• Asperger’s Disorder
• Documentation Request Form for Assistive Animals
• Service and Assistive Animals on Campus Policy

Useful List of Ted Talks for Understanding Neurodiversity

To report an accessibility concern, please emailÌýowbs@ccga.edu.