Mission

The mission of AccessAbility Services (AAS) is to ensure educational equity for students with disabilities by providing reasonable and appropriate accommodations and services. AAS is guided by the following principles:

• RESPECT: AAS fosters a welcoming environment of mutual respect that treats all people as individuals in a courteous, friendly, fair, helpful, and respectful manner.

• VALUE: AAS works to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities by providing an environment that values each person we serve.

• AWARENESS: AAS strives to identify and remove barriers that prevent individuals with disabilities from being full and equal participants in the University experience.

• RETENTION: AAS is attentive to the importance of retention of individuals with disabilities at the university.

• ADVOCACY: AAS works to ensure educational equity for persons with disabilities in programs and services at the university. AAS works with students to develop their own self-advocacy skills. AAS works with faculty and staff throughout the university in a collaborative service effort for persons with disabilities.

Philosophy

Western Connecticut State University AccessAbility Services (AAS) office is founded on the premise that there are endless patterns of learning styles of strengths and challenges. In addition, the functional development of an individual with a disability is neither uniform nor linear but is punctuated by numerous variables.

We believe that every student enrolled at Western Connecticut State University is entitled to an education and that Western Connecticut State University not only has a legal but moral responsibility to embrace students with disabilities at the university. We invite students with disabilities to participate fully in the college experience and explore all that the University has to offer.

The primary goals of AAS are to ensure equal access to programs and activities at WCSU and to assist individuals with disabilities in reaching their maximum, educational potential.

It is the philosophy of AAS to view each person as an individual with distinct educational aspirations, needs, goals, and potential which they are entitled to pursue. AAS calls upon the entire Western Connecticut State University Community to facilitate and advocate for the best university environment possible for persons with disabilities.