George Mason University welcomes people with disabilities, whose talents and presence enhance the diversity of Mason Nation. The university provides reasonable accommodations so everyone can benefit equally from the opportunities to participate in educational programs, services, and activities.
Accessibility at Mason
Physical access to campus for students, faculty, staff, and visitors is essential to participating in academic programs, enjoying a cultural opportunity, or attending a sporting event. Visit campus accessibility for information and links to services on public transportation to physical access to buildings, parking policies, and emergency evacuation procedures.
Autism Support Services
The Mason Autism Support Initiative offers individualized, comprehensive social and academic supports to motivated students with autism spectrum disorder to guide them through the transition into university life, and assist them in building skills necessary for success. We encourage development of self-advocacy and college-level independent living skills by providing individual and group support within a collaborative model.
Assistive Technology Initiative
Assistive technology provides equivalent access to electronic and information technology resources for members of the Mason community, as well as visitors to Mason campuses. The Initiative provides: accessible text to students, faculty, and staff with print-related disabilities; accessible media, closed captioning and audio descriptions; and other resources for accessible technology.
“(The Assistive Technology Initiative) changed my life. I find it incredibly helpful. It’s removed the barrier to success.”
Sign Language Services
The Office of Disability Services at George Mason University provides sign language interpreting/transliterator services for eligible students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing who are registered with the ODS. These same services are also available for faculty, staff and campus events. Services are available for such things as classes, field trips, study groups, meetings with advisors or professors, tutorials, programs, concerts and workshops.
Online Learning
Students with disabilities who want to take web-based courses online must be registered with Disability Services to be approved for accommodations. Follow the same registration process as all students. You have the option of selecting an intake meeting by using Skype, telephone or email.
Helen A. Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities
The Keller Institute seeks to develop and conduct comprehensive research, implement innovative teacher training programs, and develop state of the art technologies that improve the lives and productivity of individuals with disabilities. Its activities involve technical assistance, outreach and training at the graduate and undergraduate levels. The clients of the KIHd include: persons with disabilities and their families; service providers; service organizations; employers of persons with disabilities and commercial public access organizations; Mason faculty and staff; and graduate and undergraduate students at Mason.
Reading is Fundamentally Easier with Help
Scott Gardiner served as an enlisted aide in the U.S. military for nearly two decades, traveling to 40 countries with generals, admirals and the Secretary of the Navy. Along the way, he earned an undergraduate degree in business management before retiring as a chief petty officer in 2008. Gardiner went on to complete an MBA in 2012.
But it was not an easy path; he had great difficulty with reading comprehension.
Last year, the Chicago native arrived at George Mason University to begin work on a master’s degree in history from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, where he heard about Mason’s Assistive Technology Initiative, which provide equivalent access to electronic and information technology resources. He was able to use Read and Write Gold computer software, which is free to download on a PC or Mac, via the My Mason portal. “I’m able to get through an entire book in most of a day, instead of days,” says Gardiner.