MSU’s ACCESS online program expanded to reach more disabled students aging 14+

12 / 04 / 2022

By Marwa Nassar - -

Mississippi State University’s (MSU) ACCESS Program is expanding its innovative online courses to reach more students with disabilities age 14+.

ACCESS Online now is open to any student, age 14 or older, regardless of their academic level or disability.

The ACCESS Online program, among the first-of-its-kind nationwide, offers innovative courses taught through MSU’s online platform, Canvas, with a curriculum that helps students improve functional life skills, increase independence, expand college and career readiness and develop self-advocacy skills.

After more than a decade of giving students with intellectual and developmental disabilities a chance to experience college while gaining valuable career and life skills, Mississippi State’s ACCESS Program is expanding its reach through online enrichment courses.

ACCESS’s on-campus, four-year residential program was established at MSU in 2010 to provide post-secondary education to students who might otherwise not attend college. It is the only post-secondary, comprehensive transition program in the state and offers students the opportunity to have a full, inclusive college experience, with a focus on academics, career development, independent living and socialization.

“Our mission is to provide students with the knowledge and confidence necessary to become gainfully employed and live as independently as possible in their communities,” said Stacy Jackson, academic coordinator.

“With this in mind, we wanted to expand opportunities for more students to gain knowledge and develop their college and career readiness skills. This means increased opportunities for people with disabilities, whether college or a career is their next step, or those who simply want to pursue more independence,” she said, crediting the university’s Center for Distance Education with making the additional online program possible.

Enrolling in ACCESS Online courses only requires a simple registration process, and the classes are offered in conjunction with MSU’s fall, spring and summer semesters. Fall and spring courses are 13 weeks, while summer courses are 10 weeks. All courses are self-paced with weekly deadlines and taught by MSU’s certified, online-education ACCESS instructors. Students typically engage from three to six hours per week in course content.

Jackson said there are options for full financial sponsorship to cover the cost for qualifying Mississippi residents through the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services, and self-pay also is accepted.

She emphasized that secondary schools can partner with MSU’s ACCESS Online to help meet Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals and expand student learning options.