Accessibility

Did you know that more than a billion people in the world today experience disability?

Did you know that, on average, 15.6% of adults age 18 and over worldwide experience significant functioning difficulties in their everyday lives?

The American Association of Community Colleges reports that about 12% of students at community colleges indicate that they have some type of disability.

Vol State is devoted to making campus resources more accessible.

"Accessible" means individuals with disabilities can independently acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services within the same time frame as individuals without disabilities, with substantially equivalent ease of use.

Accessibility vs. Accommodation

Accessibility is for everyone. It is proactive and is achieved by creating an inclusive environment and experience.

An accommodation is for a specific student. It is reactive and removes barriers when the student identifies them.

Whenever possible, we want to be proactive to remove barriers before they are an inconvenience for a student. Sometimes it is not possible to make something accessible on the front end, which is where accommodations come in alongside accessibility. For example, you can't give a student extra time on a test before it's given. Extended time on a test is always going to be an accommodation. It is for one student and must be done in response to the test.

For a more complete understanding of the differences, watch this Accessibility Vs. Accommodation video.

If you experience an accessibility issue on a Vol State website or during a Vol State campus activity, please contact our Accessibility Co-Chairs: Dr. AnneMarie McKee and Katrina Dubree.

Students who would like to request an academic accommodation, or community members who would like to request an accommodation to participate in a Vol State event, should contact the Access Center.