Adaptive Services is located behind Seidler Hall and next to Lucas Hall on the first floor of the Student and Community Counseling Center.
Their job? To provide students with disabilities with an equal chance of success through accommodations.
FGCU students with documented disabilities can email, call or just walk into the Office of Adaptive Services to set up accommodations. If a student has a disability but it is undocumented, they can get tested on campus with the Counseling and Psychological Services office (CAPS) or choose to go privately. More information on required documentation can be found on the university’s website under the “Student Life” tab.
While accommodations are need-based and looked at and assigned on a case-by-case basis, common accommodations include testing accommodations like extra time and minimal distraction environments. Note-taking, accessible technology, sign language interpreting, CART services and accessible furniture are also common.
Adaptive Services also works closely with other departments like Housing and Residence Life to ensure that students are provided proper accommodations in their dorms.
“Requests for accommodations for psychological disabilities have increased over the last few years,” Cori Bright-Kerrigan, the director of Adaptive Services and University ADA coordinator, said.
Not only does Adaptive Services work with students who have visible disabilities, but invisible ones as well.
“[They can] provide flexible attendance for these types of disabilities,” Bright-Kerrigan said.
An anonymous student described her experience with Adaptive Services as pleasant.
“I had a 504 for a learning disability in high school and was nervous about the difference in pace between high school and college. Adaptive Services settled those nerves and helped me succeed during my first semester as I adjusted to college-level classes and exams,” she said.
“Everyone there is super nice and helpful. If you have a concern or issue, they have a solution.”
If students are nervous about going to Adaptive Services to speak with a case manager, Bright-Kerrigan encourages them to come in and meet with them.
“We encourage students who have had accommodations in the past, or think they may need to have accommodations, to visit us,” Bright-Kerrigan said. “We are a confidential office and anything that is provided to us is not part of their overall student record. We also set up accommodations on an as-needed basis, so the student decides when they need to use the accommodation. If nothing else, we encourage students to come and meet with us to hear more about the process and how we can help them and then they can decide how they want to move forward.”
Adaptive Services is located on the first floor of the Student and Community Counseling building. They are the first doors on the right as you enter. You can contact them by email (adaptive@fgcu.edu), phone (239-590-7956) or stop in to speak with someone.
