Office of Student Life

Student Access Services

Welcome to Student Access Services

Mission Statement

The mission of Student Access Services (SAS) is to provide equal opportunities and access to education, programs, and activities for students with disabilities by increasing campus accessibility and removing barriers. Disability is an aspect of diversity integral to society and supported by SAS, the Division of Student Life, and is guided by the University’s mission to foster a welcoming and inclusive community.

Who is eligible for Student Access Services?

To be eligible for services from the Office for Student Access Services (SAS), the student must be admitted to New Mexico Tech, and they must have a disability. The term “disability” is used frequently throughout our website because it is the language used in both the federal laws and New Mexico Tech policies that protect students with disabilities from unlawful discrimination and provide reasonable accommodations. SAS understands and respects the choice of people who do not readily identify with the term “disability” and prefer to use other terminology to describe their situation.

Definition of Disability

As defined in federal law, a person with a disability is someone who has a serious medical condition or a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

Major life activities are those functions that are important to most people’s daily lives. These include but are not limited to the following:

Caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working.
Major Bodily Functions, such as immune system functions, normal cell growth, and normal nervous, endocrine, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive system functions.

Types of Disabilities

Psychological Disabilities

This group is included in a large proportion of the population of students assisted by Student Access Services (SAS). Many different psychological disorders can have a cognitive, emotional, and/or social impact on a student's ability to function in an academic environment. Psychological disabilities include, but are not limited to:

Depression
Bipolar Disorder
Anxiety Disorders
Schizophrenia

Some students undergoing treatment and take prescription medication to help control symptoms. SAS understands that this medication may have side effects such as drowsiness or disorientation, so it is important to consider this when talking about accommodations that are needed.

Learning Disabilities and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

This group is included in a large proportion of the population of students assisted by SAS. These disabilities affect the manner in which individuals obtain, incorporate, and/or express knowledge. Learning disabilities may affect a student’s ability with:

Reading, writing, spelling, and/or mathematics
Auditory, visual and/or sensory processing
Orientation to space and time

People with ADHD may find it difficult to focus and prioritize, having trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors, or being overly active.

If the student has had a psychoeducational, psychological, or neuropsychological evaluation done, it can be very helpful for the student to provide a copy of the evaluation to SAS. These evaluations are usually comprehensive and detailed, and can assist SAS in helping the student determine which accommodations may be most beneficial for them. A student's 504 Plan, or IEP, may also be helpful for reviewing accommodations that have been effective in the past and may be available in the university setting.

Chronic Health Conditions

There are a number of chronic health conditions that may impact a student’s energy and/or pain level, concentration, and attendance. Examples of these conditions include but are not limited to:

Diabetes
Heart Conditions
Crohn’s Disease
Multiple Sclerosis
Chronic Pain
Fibromyalgia
Cancer

Some students may be taking medication with varying side effects such as drowsiness or slowed response. Chronic health conditions are often unpredictable, so students may be affected at any time without warning.

Deaf or Hard of Hearing

The age of onset of a hearing disability will have a great impact upon the student’s English ability, both spoken and written. Generally, English is considered a second language for deaf and hard of hearing students while signed language is the dominant mode of communication. Typical accommodations include:

Use of a Signed Language interpreter
Real-time captioning
Note taking
Providing all directions in writing
Closed-captioned videos

Visual Disabilities

Visual disabilities can vary from total blindness to low vision. Students with low vision may not have an apparent “visible” disability. Students with visual disabilities may experience eyestrain, light sensitivity, or an inability to read printed material or to distinguish certain colors. Students who have been blind from birth have different concepts of objects, space, and distance from those persons who develop visual disabilities later in life.

These students may encounter various types of environmental barriers in the college setting such as inaccessible readings, unannounced quizzes, open book tests, locating lecture information, completing scantron answer sheets, or viewing lecture notes during class.

Other Physical Disablities

Physical accessibility is one of the major concerns for students with physical disabilities. Students may encounter unavoidable delays during inclement weather, times of heavy foot traffic, and periods of construction. If a classroom is inaccessible, Student Access Services will work with the department to relocate the class to an accessible location. When a course requires travel to alternative locations, those locations and transportation must be accessible.

Specific Types of Disabilities

There are many different types of disabilities that can affect a person. Some examples of disabilities include, but are not limited to the following: