Serving Students With Disabilities

Our Mission

The mission of the Office of Accommodations and Accessibility is to support students with documented disabilities in becoming empowered, independent learners by providing the appropriate accommodations and services necessary to access the educational opportunities at Marist College.

General Information

The Office of Accommodations and Accessibility provides a comprehensive range of academic support services and accommodations that promote the full integration of students with disabilities into the mainstream college environment. Services and accommodations are individualized to meet the needs of each student and may vary depending upon the disability and/or course content.

Marist College supports the concept of self-advocacy in all students. The Office does not provide faculty with prior notification of a student's enrollment. Requests for academic accommodations are made directly by the student.

About the Office of Accommodations & Accessibility > 

Who Is Eligible?

To receive services and accommodations, students must identify themselves to the Office and present official documentation of their disability. In general, a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, e.g., walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, caring for oneself, and/or performing manual tasks.

The Office serves students who have disabilities such as, but not limited to, the following:

• Attention deficit disorder
• Blindness or visual impairments
• Cerebral palsy
• Chronic illnesses (AIDS, arthritis, cancer, cardiac disease, diabetes, Lyme disease, etc.)
• Deafness or hearing impairments
• Epilepsy or seizure disorders
• Learning disabilities
• Psychiatric disabilities
• Orthopedic impairments
• Speech disorders
• Traumatic brain injury

Steps to Access Accommodations >

Available Services and Accommodations

Accommodations that may be provided as required by a student's specific disability include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Textbooks in an alternate format
• Notetakers
• Readers
• Scribes
• Testing accommodations
• Use of adaptive equipment

Other services provided by the Office include:

• Academic counseling (time management, organization and study skills, etc.)
• Advocacy and liaison with faculty/staff
• Assistance with course selection/registration
• Self-advocacy training
• Refer for career counseling
• Refer for peer tutoring
• Refer for personal counseling
• Refer to campus and community services

Service and Emotional Support Animals on Campus: Quick Facts >