Shippensburg University is committed to serving all students, including those with disabilities. The Office of Accessibility Resources coordinates accommodations and services for students with documented disabilities in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. The Office of Accessibility Resources works with other departments and university students to lay the foundation of equal educational access to otherwise qualified individuals. Additionally, the office works in conjunction with the Human Resources Office to provide accommodations to university faculty and staff with documented disabilities.
Examples of disabilities include, but are not limited to:
- Learning Disability (e.g., dyslexia, dysgraphia, reading/math disability, etc.)
- Medical/health (e.g., cardiac disease, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, seizure disorder, etc.)
- ADHD
- Physical / Mobility (ambulatory, wheelchair)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Emotional/Psychological diagnoses (e.g., Generalized Anxiety Disorder, PTSD, Bipolar Disorder, etc.)
- Traumatic brain injury
- Visual Impairment including Blindness
- Hearing Impairment including Deafness
- Temporary disabilities - disabilities existing only for a short period of time (6-months or less) as a result of injuries, surgery, or short-term medical conditions
Request Accomodations
Step 1: Complete an Accommodation Request
The first step in requesting accommodations is to self-identify as a student with a disability. Incoming or current students who have not yet registered with the Office of Accessibility Resources but would like to request accommodations, please complete an Accommodation Request Form. Services and accommodations are provided dependent upon sufficient documentation and self-report on a case-by-case basis.
Visit this page for more information about the Accommodate software.
Step 2: Provide Documentation
Please note that there is an option to upload documentation with a completed Accommodation Request Form. If a digital copy of documentation is not available, documentation can be hand delivered, faxed, or emailed (before the Intake Meeting) to the Office of Accessibility Resources at:
Mowrey Hall, Room 252
Fax: (717) 477-4094
Step 3: Intake Meeting
After your submitted request is reviewed by our staff, you will receive an email (Ship email address) to schedule an Intake Meeting in our office. The purpose of the intake meeting is to learn first hand what functional limitations you or your student experiences and what accommodations the you or your student will need. The information obtained from the student’s intake meeting and documentation submitted to the office will only be used to determine eligibility for disability related accommodations.
Step 4: Student Responsibilities
It is each student’s responsibility to check their Shippensburg University email daily, to complete a Semester Request each semester they are enrolled at Shippensburg University, and to be a good self-advocate by initiating requests for services, providing documentation, informing the Office of Accessibility Resources of needs, and discussing questions pertaining to academics with faculty as well as contacting the Office of Accessibility Resources if there is an issue with the quality of accommodations or if there are questions regarding the accommodation process.
Log Into Accommodate
Available Services
Various services and accommodations are offered depending on the individual student’s needs and the nature of the documented disability. Reasonable accommodations are defined as approved modifications which do not fundamentally alter the nature of the program/course, including academic requirements in post-secondary education. Students who receive accommodations at Shippensburg University must fulfill the requirements of the program/course. An accommodation cannot lower the standards or change the objective of the program/course.
Unlike the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) that applies to most schools offering primary and secondary education, Shippensburg University, as an institution of higher education (or post-secondary), is regulated by equal opportunity/anti-discrimination acts. Therefore, the academic accommodations students receive in primary and secondary education may be quite different than those offered at the university level.
Accommodations are approved on a case-by-case basis and may include:
Scholarships
There are three scholarships through the Shippensburg University Foundation specifically for students registered with the Office of Accessibility Resources.
Student Lounge
Honor Society
Advisory Board
The OAR Advisory Board is made up of ... Shelbie I need text for this
Office of Accessibility Resources Staff
Shelbie D’Annibale, M.S.
Mowrey 269
swdannibale@ship.edu
Shelbie received her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Master’s degree in Organizational Development and Leadership here at Ship. She has been working with college students with disabilities for over a decade including at a community college, a private liberal arts college and now at her alma mater. She lives close to campus with her husband, three daughters, and many pets.
Alex Coombs
Alex is the Assistant Director the Office of Accessibility Resources and a Ship alum. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and his Master’s degree in Organizational Development & Leadership - both right here at Ship. He also worked here at Ship when he was a student as a Team Lead in the University Bookstore and as a Graduate Assistant for the Sociology/Anthropology department. He is married and has five pets, all of whom he loves very much.
Brandy Linn
Mowrey 252
Office: (717) 477-1364
Fax: (717) 477-4094
bjlinn@ship.edu
Brandy attended Franklin County Career and Technology Center (Marketing) and Hagerstown Community College (Education). She married her high school sweetheart and has three beautiful daughters. She is on the Tuscarora School District School Board and she loves to serve and give back to her family, church, and community.