General Rule:
Access-Ability Services is required by law to maintain student confidentiality. All requests for accommodations and all supporting information are considered confidential.
The Family Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA) regulates how Access-Ability Services discloses the documentation and records that the office maintains. Under this federal act, the student must provide written consent before Access-Ability Services can release any disability documentation or records.
An Exception to the Rule:
Under FERPA, Access-Ability Services is permitted to release information to any college official who has a “legitimate educational interest.”
What does this mean?
A college official, acting in the student's educational interest, who needs the information for administrative, counseling, supervisory, academic, or student support purposes may request student information from AAS. AAS will only share information on a “need-to-know” basis. The office will carefully consider the student’s desire for privacy before disclosing any information.
FERPA also allows students to inspect and review their files maintained by AAS. Students have the right to challenge any information contained in the files that is incorrect or misleading and to request an amendment to this misinformation.