Register with Accessibility Resources & Disability Services

  • Changa’s Center for Accessibility Resources & Disability Services helps community members with disabilities so that they have equal access and opportunities to succeed during their time here.

  • An individual with a disability is defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) as ‘’a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment.’’

  • Students at the college level are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

  • Changa’s Center for Accessibility Resources & Disability Services serves students with both visible and invisible disabilities. Some examples of eligible disabilities include, but are not limited to, vision/hearing impairments, mobility impairments, chronic illnesses, learning disabilities, and psychiatric disabilities. For more information about your specific situation and whether it rises to the level of being considered a qualified disability, you can also call the center or stop by.

  • The type of documentation we request from you will depend on your disability. Most students will need to provide documentation from a treating provider that follows our recommended disability documentation guidelines.

  • Students with a learning disability should submit formal testing that follows our criteria. Students can also submit their Individualized Education Program (IEP), 504 Plan, Summary of Performance (SOP), or a psychoeducational evaluation, if they have received services in high school.

  • Yes. We can help implement temporary accommodations to assist you during this time. Please be sure to submit documentation from your medical provider as part of your request. Please also know that any documentation faxed or mailed to our office will have a delay in processing. We highly recommend scanning and emailing documentation to cards@changainstitute.com for faster confirmation of receipt.

Welcome

Welcome to the Center for Accessibility Resources & Disability Services! Registration with our office is open to any Changa student living with a disability, be it temporary or permanent, visible or invisible. Disabilities include, but are not limited to, vision impairments, hearing loss/deafness, mobility impairments, chronic illnesses, learning disabilities/ADD, psychiatric disabilities, and substance abuse/recovery.

CARDS provides a wide variety of individualized support services for registered students (examples may include assistance in obtaining specialized equipment, test accommodations, academic coaching, etc.), as well as working with various campus constituencies regarding access for individuals with disabilities.

If you are a Changa student with a disability, we encourage you to register with us, even if you are not sure whether you'll need accommodations. Registration with CARDS is confidential and can serve as a type of "insurance policy" for you in the event of a flare-up or other disability-related need.

How to Register

To register with CARDS, you will need to complete the following steps:

  • Fill out a new student application. This brief application will allow you to give us some insight on your needs here at Changa.

  • Submit supporting documentation from your medical provider. Please know that any documentation faxed or mailed to our office will have a delay in processing. We highly recommend scanning and emailing documentation to cards@changainstitute.com. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

  • Schedule an intake appointment with a CARDS coordinator. Once at your appointment, your coordinator will spend some time chatting with you in order to get to know you and your needs. The coordinator will explain CARDS policies and procedures for accessing accommodations, complete an intake packet with you, and create a reasonable accommodation plan for you. More information on how to schedule your intake will be provided when you submit your application.

Rights and Responsibilities for Registered Students:

You have a right:

  • To reasonable accommodations in response to your disability-related needs.

  • To confidentiality. CARDS provides disability-related information to faculty and staff strictly on a need-to-know basis. In the vast majority of instances, we only share the accommodations that are to be provided. You can inform us of whom CARDS can speak to at any time in writing by sending an email to cards@changainstitute.com.

  • To timely responses to your disability-related needs.

  • To a grievance procedure if you feel that your disability-related needs have not been met.

  • To decline services and/or remove your name from the CARDS list of Registered Students at any time.

You have a responsibility:

  • To provide appropriate and timely documentation prior to registration with CARDS and to update as necessary.

  • To self-identify your disability-related needs to CARDS and your accommodation needs to faculty members.

  • To read and respond to communication from CARDS (emails/ phone calls/ letters) in a timely manner.

  • To complete a required check-in at the beginning of each course for academic accommodations.

Registration FAQ's